[Rant o' the day]
Ah, May sweeps! The time of year that advertising rates are set, based on each network’s market share. The season when they all try to glue us to the tube with their “best” programming.
Who could miss a biopic on The Donald? Or how about The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz?
But wait! There’s something more important than May sweeps??
A Bush news conference?!?
$%#@^&*!!
Read on:
Networks relent and cede May sweeps airtime to Bush news conference
UPI News Service, 04/29/2005
Peer pressure caused the major networks to decide at the last minute to carry President Bush’s news conference Thursday night, Daily Variety said Friday.
The paper said ABC was the only one of the big four networks committed to carrying the news conference initially. CBS, FOX and NBC planned to air their regular programming, since Thursday was the first night of the May sweeps, the ratings period that determines how much they can charge advertisers.
Variety said NBC was the first of the holdouts to accede to the White House request for air time, after persuading the White House to begin the session at 8 p.m. EDT, rather than at its originally scheduled time of 8:30 p.m. The paper said Fox and CBS followed NBC in short order.
The president acknowledged the networks’ dilemma when he called for one “final question” at 8:58.
“I don’t want to cut into some of these TV shows that are getting ready to air,” he said, “for the sake of the economy.”
However, Variety reported it was already too late for that.
“All the networks are going to lose a lot of money on this,” the paper quoted a network source.
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Even if the networks’ programming does leave something to be desired, I’d rather they subject us to Britney Spear’s new reality show than devote a minute’s time to that nincompoop.
[/Rant]
Though I am not a fan of the nincompood either, I would have to defend the importance of the office. Would you have the same oppinion if it was a favorable democratic leader?
The airways belong to the government. The more push that point the more likely it is that networks would allow equal time for candidates for free (as they should) and bring down the ridiculous cost of campaign and (rather then having the most cash heavy candidate get an edge for money alone) Equal the playing field.
I don’t like bush. But hearing from the office of the president is more important then Survivor.
I’m a little under the weather, forgive the poor grammer.
You’re right, Dev. I just can’t stomach him. That’s all.