Posted on 08/08/2004 1:30:12 PM PDT by wagglebee
The big three television networks have cut back coverage of the two major political conventions this year to an all-time low, with network executives complaining that the Democrat and GOP gatherings are nothing but glorified political infomercials.
But at least two of the networks don't seem to mind infomercials - as long as they promote their own in-house products.
The Washington Post recently offered a few stunning examples on of how ABC and CBS use their airwaves to feather their own corporate nests.
Friday night, for instance, ABC's "20/20" covered the latest reality show to hit the airwaves, "Growing Up Gotti," a program that debuted last week on the Arts & Entertainment network chronicling the trials and tribulations of the Dapper Don's daughter Victoria and her three sons.
Unmentioned by ABC, however, was the fact that the network is a part-owner of A&E.
Then there's CBS's "48 Hours," which recently examined the UPN program "America's Next Top Model," complete with an interview with contestant Yoanna House.
Viacom owns both CBS and UPN, which "48 Hours" at least noted.
CBS's "60 Minutes" has made a practice of touting books published by Simon & Schuster, which is also owned by Viacom - a fact it failed to acknowledge in book interviews with former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and Bush-bashing ex-terrorism czar Richard Clark.
The Post also chided the Fox News Channel, which, unlike the networks, offered blanket convention coverage, for plans to run a half-hour infomercial for the 20th Century Fox movie "Alien vs. Predator" on Thursday.
Both FNC and 20th Century are owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
At least their infomercials have to entertain the audience, or they won't be effective.
Perhaps this is something the Democrats should learn for next time.
D
All three of the "big three" networks also promote shows on their networks under the guise of "news" on the local news shows. Our ABC affiliate does segments on the Bachelor, the CBS affiliate does segments on Survivor, and so on. This stuff is not news. It's advertising, and the segments can last longer than than those devoted to actual news. They rush through national and local news, but are quite leisurely about the Bachelor/Survivor etc. "news."
"60 Minutes" also ran a profile of "Jeopardy!". The network has owned King World, the syndicator of the show, since 1998.
Dan Rather: Now from Iraq, more carnage on the Arab street, surely this will spend doom for the unelected and stupid President Bush and his big-oil cronies. . . .
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