The Hollywood Reporter’s (THR.com) James Hibberd is reporting that the TV networks are “reluctantly” shuffling their on air schedules to fulfill their “responsibility” to air President Obama’s important campaign speech… er, I mean address to the nation next week. The Nets are solemnly claiming the mantle of the patriotic American fulfilling their civic duty to air presidential addresses, it appears.
It is all well and good that they should do this, of course. Keeping the nation informed is one of those long-held, self-proclaimed charges of TV news organizations, of course. But, curiously enough, that same attention to a patriotic, civic duty to air presidential speeches didn’t seem so compelling to them while Bush was in office because they often refused to air his speeches to the nation. Or, as in at least one instance, they left the speech early to go on to primetime programing.
Granted, Hibberd reports that TV execs are carping about having to cover the repeated Obama speeches, but Hibberd also reports at least one TV exec on the subject of this “responsibility” he suddenly finds so important.
“I believe in the president and his policies, and as broadcasters we have a responsibility to provide the airtime,” said another network insider. “But these frequent primetime requests are wreaking serious havoc with our schedule and our advertisers. Ratings are down everywhere and the airtime is costing us all significant dollars when we can least afford it.”
Perhaps the networks only find that patriotism deep within when they “believe in the president and his policies”?
So what of Bush?
Let’s look at just a few examples of the “responsibility” these same networks felt between 2000 and 2009:
Back in 2004, as Bush prepared to go on TV and talk about the administration’s position on Iraq, the Hollywood Reporter made mention that “Networks Won’t Air Bush’s Primetime Speech.” Instead they aired such shows as “Fear Factor,” the finale of “The Swan” and “A Beautiful Mind.”
In 2005, the Networks dumped out early on a Bush speech to go to their regularly scheduled primetime programs.
The following year, 2006, ABC and CBS announced their uncertainty of carrying a Bush primetime speech because he had the temerity of wanting to address the nation during May sweeps.
Where was that “responsibility” for civic duty during those instances? Oh, I remember now. It was the eeeevil Bushhitler in office then. They HAD no obligation to civic duty as far as they were then concerned. No, airing TV reality shows was far more important in the Bush years than an informed citizenry.
Anyone surprised?
Aaron Gardner
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
KnightsofMalta
Dan Spencer
Dan McLaughlin
What is so sad about this is....
Jack (Diary) Friday, March 20th at 6:43AM EST (link)No matter how much evidence is presented that the media is corrupt it changes nothing. There was always a bias, but now it has become something so very sad.
I feel sorry for the members of the media who have such a flawed and terrible person as Barack Obama to glorify that they are willing to lie, cheat, steal do whatever is necessary to help him.
Jack
“If at age 20 you are conservative you have no heart. It at age 30 you are liberal you have no brains.” Sir Winston Churchill
So its costing them money
djemi (Diary) Friday, March 20th at 8:46AM EST (link)Hope B’Arthur Neville Chamberlain’O keeps this up, maybe one a week would change the execs minds
“If I can’t shoot rabbits,then I can’t shoot fascist”
“With age, comes Wisdom, but only if you are paying Attention, son” my ‘Old Man’
RS Help files (h/t JLenardDetroit) Grassroots in Michigan
Moes Strategy
But, he messed with American Idol
red4ever (Diary) Friday, March 20th at 8:47AM EST (link)You don’t schedule anything during the American Idol time slot. We must have our bad singers rather than know about our President’s policies.
Oh wait, Obama is messing with American Idol AND March Madness.
The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.
Dante
WE INTERRUPT TONIGHT'S BROADCAST OF 'THE BIGGEST LOSER' TO BRING YOU AN EVEN BIGGER LOSER!
Sharp_Right_Turn Friday, March 20th at 11:44AM EST (link)The fact is, the network executives and producers are getting annoyed with Obama’s antics. A lot of research and planning goes into their program scheduling and such interruptions end up costing them millions of advertising dollars and rescheduling hassles.
But to all network bosses, I say “You reap what you sew.” They wanted Obama in the Oval Office so bad it was palpable. They all wanted to be part of history. The only problem is ‘history’ becomes old news the day after it occurs. Yes, Obama is America’s first black (more accurately, our first Scandinavian socialist) President. Whoopee! But it became old news after 12:30PM on 1/20/09. Time to move along and get back to work.You’d figure the networks would know a thing or two about saturating the airwaves with too much of a new thing. Yes, even Obama can ‘jump the shark.’ At least the Fonz knew better than to compare his water skiing shortcomings to the Special Olympics. ;P
As the ancient Greek proverb goes, “The gods punish men by granting them their wishes.”
Oops!
Sharp_Right_Turn Friday, March 20th at 11:47AM EST (link)I meant ‘sow’. Not ‘sew’. Sorry!
Ha ha ha! I hope they lose..
larryp Friday, March 20th at 11:48AM EST (link)their collective shirts…They created Franken-bama, and they can get financially strangled by their creation, bolt-boy.
Don't you mean
mdredstater Friday, March 20th at 12:03PM EST (link)Al-Franken-bama?
Agree completely.
itrytobenice (Diary) Friday, March 20th at 11:18PM EST (link)I just find it entirely comical that their little ManGod is costing them money and viewers. I promise you, those silly teenyboppers who voted for him are not going to want to sit and watch more teleprompter speeches. The want their Biggest Loser and they want it NOW!!
And the morons that protected that overstuffed shirt, Pres Teleprompter, deserve all the angst and outrage they’re going to get.
Heeheeheehee
Proper grammar saves lives.
Let’s eat Grandma.
Let’s eat, Grandma.
Don't carry the speech
larryp Friday, March 20th at 11:55AM EST (link)put a crawl and referr viewers to one of the Hi-Numbe Cable channels. Most of the alphabets have these mirror channels.
they can tell some phony story: “Obama speech on hi def caable channel 666.”
A suggestion.
Sharp_Right_Turn Friday, March 20th at 12:15PM EST (link)I plan on watching the Military Channel during Obama’s address. It’s the one cable channel that’s guaranteed to never have Obama being broadcast.
They could just show the TOTUS.
itrytobenice (Diary) Friday, March 20th at 11:29PM EST (link)Just like that little radar screen that is there when it’s stormy. They could have a picture of TOTUS while BO is speaking and then we’d all know what the speech was about.
We’ve seen so much of that head pivot as he swings from one screen to the other, we can just make that up in our heads as we read TOTUS right along with the mouthpiece.
Proper grammar saves lives.
Let’s eat Grandma.
Let’s eat, Grandma.
Anyone surprised?
john3660 Friday, March 20th at 4:18PM EST (link)Not this bitter, God-fearing, bible and gun clinging, Right-Winger!!
I have not watched any programming from the MSM, “news” or primetime programming, since 1994. I refuse to subsidize their leftist agendas. There are plenty of alternatives on cable or satellite.
The MSM have their collective heads so far up “Beloved Leader’s” arse, they have to reach around and polish his glass navel just to see where he is headed!! They all disgust me! We would be better off if they all declared bankruptucy and just disappeared.
If I have to hear soundbites from one more
Praying (Diary) Friday, March 20th at 10:14PM EST (link)Teleprompter speech, I’m gonna gag. I refuse to watch them on TV (I refuse to watch anything but Fox – for my mental health) but even they play the soundbites… The guy sounds like a broken record. No matter what the subject of his speech, he sounds exactly the same. It is amazing! And I loved the part where he read the other guy’s speech, thanking Mr. Obama for the party, at his St. Patty’s Day party. I guess he’d had a little of the good stuff, eh?
No!!!11!1!!1!1! The Bilderbergers are coming
Obama 24/7
ccrobbins Saturday, March 21st at 4:24AM EST (link)I look forward to HOPE and CHANGE. I HOPE those of the MSM that are in the tank for Obama will have him on the tube 24/7, then perhaps the rest of America will become as disgusted with him as I am After all, he has never accomplished anything more than running a successful campaign and can’t seem to get out of “campaign mode”. At least we can CHANGE channels even though we have to live with the results of such and inept President. God help us!