CBS's Problems Are Bigger Than 'Reagan'

The Wall Street Journal ^ | November 5, 2003 | JOHN H. FUND

[OESY]

Only two days after CBS celebrated its 75th anniversary last Sunday with a slick retrospective, the Tiffany Network had to beat a humiliating retreat. Yesterday it announced that it would move a four-hour biographical movie on Ronald and Nancy Reagan that it had planned to air on Nov. 16 to Showtime, its pay-cable sister network. Advertisers had fled the project as evidence mounted that its politicized producers had done a historical hit-and-run.

[OESY]

Some particulars, as if we needed reminding.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia suggested that, instead, Mr. Moonves program a reality show that relocated network executives to "the sticks," where they would have to find a job.

Just when I thought "Sheets" Byrd could never do anything I regarded amusing.

[Future Snake Eater]

He has told reporters he believes Nancy Reagan "took over" the White House as her husband's health allegedly failed.

Does it strike anyone else as odd that the commies regarded with awe the power wielded by Hillary! over her husband, but with Nancy Reagan, it's a blight on his and her honor?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Their leftist M.O. is obvious.

[pgyanke]

Actually, I saw this particular take in the miniseries as a preemptive strike against those who point out Hillary's domination of her husband. When this becomes the next campaign issue, the Hillary camp can point to this "documentary" as evidence that our "most beloved" president was dominated by his wife too...

I see it as an effort to shut conservatives up on this sensitive issue.

[katana]

"Mr. Moonves, it's time to practice your squeal like a pig scene on set two."

[sarasota]

More head in the sand denial from the Dems. It's absolutely astounding.

[RightOnline]

Moonves sounds like a Hollywood parody of a Hollywood parody of the quintessential, stereotypical, drooling moron running a major network. Just simply jaw-droppingly stupid.

[Russ]

To illustrate how screwed up CBS is, on Sunday evening they held their 75th anniversary celebration five years after celebrating their 50th. Go figure...

[FeliciaCat]

Excellent. Moonves is a boorish control-freak...hopefully he will be out on his tush soon.

[ClearCase_guy]

they held their 75th anniversary celebration five years after celebrating their 50th.

They have a big hole to fill in the upcoming Sweeps Week. Perhaps they can throw together a quick "100th Anniversary" show.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Suggest they run I Love Lucy re-runs instead.

[americanSoul]

it mirrors the worldview of the people involved in bringing it to television. Mrs. Reagan is played by Australian actress Judy Davis, who told the New York Times last month that she deplores the "ugly specter of patriotism" she has seen in America since 9/11. President Reagan is played by James Brolin, the husband of liberal activist Barbra Streisand. He has told reporters he believes Nancy Reagan "took over" the White House as her husband's health allegedly failed. Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, longtime collaborators of Ms. Streisand's, are liberal activists who next March will accept an award from the left-leaning Human Rights Campaign for "their sensitive and positive portrayals of GayLesbianBisexualTransgender characters in numerous projects.

Last year, he was ridiculed by David Letterman on his own network for a four-day junket to Cuba during which he hobnobbed with Fidel Castro and got the dictator's autograph on a cigar box.

"You'd have to be an idiot not to hear what is going on in this country," Mr. Moonves said back in 1996. But clearly there are cultural signals in portions of America that his mental radio receiver isn't picking up.

This is why I do not watch network TV. This pi**es me off to the Nth degree, where N>M, and M is any integer.

[tsmith130]

Mrs. Reagan is played by Australian actress Judy Davis, who told the New York Times last month that she "deplores the ugly specter of patriotism" she has seen in America since 9/11.

I admit I'm not up on all the actors and actresses these days BUT...has anyone ever hear of this "actress"? I hope I never hear of her again.

[cubreporter]

Nancy Reagan...Once, twice, three times a Lady.

hillereee clintin....

[Osage Orange]

I've said it before...and I'll say it again. If FollyWired would just make a movie about the Clinton's and tell half of the truth..it would be a smash hit. You'd have SEX, MURDER, ESPIONAGE, MISSLES, WAR, RAPE, HIGH FINANCE, INTRIQUE, SEX, BRIBES, MURDER, DRUG LORDS, CRIME, GRAND JURIES, SEX, PETS, TREASON, LESBIANS, BURNING BUILDINGS, BOMBS, SEX, & MURDER.

FWIW-

[Woahhs]

It's interesting to note WJXT channel 4 out of Jacksonville Florida is now the number one independent broadcast station in the country... little more than one year after ending its fifty year affiliation with CBS.

AT&T should be adequate example to anyone; no business is so big it can afford to pi$$ in the face of the customer indefinately.

[aspiring.hillbilly]

The very fact that they were about to air this pile of crap and withdrew it only under intense critism shows that they still need to be ragged out and boycotted... And then they turn around and put it on showtime, a network owned by the parent co viacom ? And these sh*theads think that's redemption ?? Pleeeeease!!!!!

[IYAS9YAS]

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