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The Obama channel
politico ^ | 10/01/2008 | Ben Smith

Posted on 10/01/2008 9:27:34 PM PDT by Paul Revere 76

Channel 73 on the Dish Network is now The Obama Channel.

Obama's media buying strategy has been marked by a willingness to work the angles, and to try to pick up a few votes at the margins. The decision to go to everything from extensive radio buys to odd-hour infomercials reflects the fact that the campaign media buyers spend a lot of time thinking about how much persuasion any given dollar can buy, and given a very cheap format -- late night cable channels that need filler, for instance -- will settle for a thimblefull of persuasion.

The satellite channel is the latest of these marginal gambits: Three readers from different parts of the country email that Channel 073-00 on the Dish Network is now labeled OBAMA. ("What is up with Sen. Obama having his own channel?" asks a St. Louis reader.) The channel plays his two-minute ad laying out his economic plan on a loop, over and over.

The only explanation: The media buyers think they can reach enough people per dollar to make it worth the odd buy.

The channel's appearance has provoked scorn and alarm on conservative blogs, though, and some discussion on a forum for Satellite TV aficionados, where one user writes that a Dish Network executive emailed to reassure the user that it "is paid advertising by the Obama campaign and is not an endorsement of Senator Obama by DISH Network" and will broadcast through November 4.

A spokeswoman for EchoStar, the Dish Network's parent company, didn't respond immediately to phone and email inquiries abotut the channel.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: mccainobama
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To: VeniVidiVici

Great question.


21 posted on 10/01/2008 9:55:58 PM PDT by Bush Revolution (Not all CHANGE is good, and I HOPE that Americans understand that...GEAUX TIGERS!!!!)
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To: Bush Revolution
I called Dish and asked for a monthly refund at first I was told by Joe, a supervisor, his employee id of OSZ that this was a donation for Barry Obama. Called back after I found the article in Politico and the supervisor Jessica from Dish-network said “yes it was paid for by Obama.” McCain had the same opportunity to do this. My argument was give me a partial refund for having him on my pay per view subscription of coarse she said no way but they were monitoring calls and the Obama info channel could be canceled depending on public response. So if you are a Dish network subscriber call and ask for a refund from your bill or have the Obama channel removed. Also call the McCain campaign and ask what it will take to get their own channel on Dish network..
22 posted on 10/01/2008 10:00:48 PM PDT by Paul Revere 76
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To: Paul Revere 76
It's not different than this famous publication of the not so distant past.

Wait until he wins and he enacts the fairness doctrine.
23 posted on 10/01/2008 10:06:25 PM PDT by The South Texan (The Drive By Media is America's worst enemy and American people don't know it.)
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To: Paul Revere 76
Photobucket You TV People out there, HOW MUCH WOULD THIS COST? Where is this money coming from? Fannie and Freedie people trying to buy 5 weeks so Obama will kill the Grand jury investigation? Arab sources to the puppet? And you cannot reason with these Obamabots... Evil is working overtime and McLame is still sleeping.. "But what a fool believes he sees No wise man has the power to reason away" The Doobie Brothers- What a fool believes we are sooooo skrewed.............
24 posted on 10/01/2008 10:19:34 PM PDT by DanielRedfoot (1/2 " Typical White Person " and 1/2 " Garlic nosed Italian")
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To: Paul Revere 76

Call and Cancel .
Urge others to do the same .
I did.
Enough is Enough .


25 posted on 10/01/2008 10:31:05 PM PDT by ncalburt
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To: torchthemummy

Someone on another thread said the operator told them that they had made an offer to the McCain campaign to have a similar channel.


26 posted on 10/01/2008 10:33:30 PM PDT by HungarianGypsy (I)
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To: Paul Revere 76

The guy’s technology campaign team is not missing a thing to market him. Nothing! Who is running McCain’s campaign?


27 posted on 10/01/2008 10:36:17 PM PDT by zeaal (SPREAD TRUTH!)
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To: Paul Revere 76

Do they sing the song?


28 posted on 10/01/2008 10:37:16 PM PDT by unspun (Tell the truth about Obama to all you know.)
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To: Paul Revere 76

There are 2 Obama channels: 73 and 5890.


29 posted on 10/01/2008 10:45:35 PM PDT by Alice in Wonderland
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To: Paul Revere 76

On the phone with them now.
I asked if, for the sake of “equal time”, could they run “1984” 24/7 until Nov. 4.


30 posted on 10/01/2008 10:46:39 PM PDT by Salamander (The number of the beast is 0.)
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To: DanielRedfoot; shibumi

It’s running right above a Twilight Zone marathon.

How apropos.


31 posted on 10/01/2008 10:48:03 PM PDT by Salamander (The number of the beast is 0.)
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To: Paul Revere 76
The channel plays his two-minute ad laying out his economic plan on a loop, over and over.

Yep. Soon the watchers will be shuffling down the street, dirty, ragged, arms outstretched, chanting "Change...Change...".

Obamazombies...

32 posted on 10/01/2008 10:52:08 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly.)
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To: Paul Revere 76
I have time warner, I did have Dish back in NC, but I agree, John McCain should look at getting his own channel. I just can’t believe I”m talking about candidates having their own channel.
33 posted on 10/01/2008 10:57:10 PM PDT by Bush Revolution (Not all CHANGE is good, and I HOPE that Americans understand that...GEAUX TIGERS!!!!)
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To: Salamander

So where is this channel on DirecTV and do I really want to go to it instead of the Fay Wray version of King Kong?


34 posted on 10/01/2008 10:59:38 PM PDT by shibumi (...vampire outlaw of the milky way...)
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To: DanielRedfoot
This is just crazy.

Everyone saying that McCain should have thought of this or that he's not up to new strategies, who could have seen this coming?

Obama having his own cable channel, I never would have seen this one coming.

35 posted on 10/01/2008 11:02:28 PM PDT by Bush Revolution (Not all CHANGE is good, and I HOPE that Americans understand that...GEAUX TIGERS!!!!)
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To: Alice in Wonderland

36 posted on 10/01/2008 11:11:08 PM PDT by Bush Revolution (Not all CHANGE is good, and I HOPE that Americans understand that...GEAUX TIGERS!!!!)
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To: dragonblustar

Yeah, why does he need a single channel for himself. Talk about a huge ego right there!


37 posted on 10/01/2008 11:16:50 PM PDT by Ptarmigan (Never Forget Hurricane Ike.)
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To: shibumi
Dunno.

I'm just freaked out about finding this on another channel.

[Just kidding....for now]

38 posted on 10/01/2008 11:25:01 PM PDT by Salamander (The number of the beast is 0.)
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To: DanielRedfoot

What's a "STONG" America? Should I be scared?

39 posted on 10/01/2008 11:36:28 PM PDT by PureSolace (God save us all)
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To: Bush Revolution

I would love to see the numbers if this causes a backfire of people canceling Dish. Though it may cause others to sign up... Either way. The smart thing to do would just be change the channel... or block it completely...


40 posted on 10/02/2008 12:03:52 AM PDT by PureSolace (God save us all)
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