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WSJ: Revenge of the Pod People (Current TV)-just because you call it "cool" doesn't make it so
Wall Street Journal ^ | August 5, 2005 | Editorial

Posted on 08/05/2005 5:31:14 AM PDT by OESY

The stated premise of Current TV..., co-founded by Al Gore, is that today's youth feel shut out by traditional media and yearn to be seen and heard on a station of their own. If its first few days on the air are a guide, however, Current TV has not yet discovered the magic recipe for sucking in the coveted 18-34 age group. Any adults who were worried that Mr. Gore and his Democratic partners might use their investment to indoctrinate and arm a generation can probably rest easy for now. Newsless, often clueless and usually dull, the new channel is a limp noodle.

...Words such as freedom, empowerment and revolution poured out of on-air hosts this debut week. We're "a bridge between the power of a generation and a mass outlet for its voice," they intoned. "It's all about being who you are and sharing it with the world." Would-be video contributors were directed... "Be a citizen-journalist ... Everybody has a story to tell that's interesting."

...Right now, in fact, the programming is mostly a barrage of endlessly recycled station promos, ads, hosts gushing about new CDs and DVDs for sale, and inane statistics. Everything is "cool" or, better, "siiiiiiiick."...

Some simply showcase "hotties" like the L.A. model who crows: "Apparently, I have the perfect black butt." And then there's visiting "Mentor" Deepak Chopra, dispensing such gems as: "The best way to find out who you are is to ask yourself, 'Who am I?'"...

Yet boring is boring at any age, and Current TV's nonsense about melding with the Internet in exciting new ways isn't likely to fool anybody for long.

Mr. Gore is said to be actively involved in programming decisions. With luck, he may figure out before it's too late that just because you call it "cool"....

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: chopra; currenttv; gore; ipod
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1 posted on 08/05/2005 5:31:15 AM PDT by OESY
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To: OESY
Newsless, often clueless and usually dull, the new channel is a limp noodle.

That's also a perfect description of Gore.

2 posted on 08/05/2005 5:35:50 AM PDT by silent_jonny
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To: OESY
Deepak Chopra, dispensing such gems as: "The best way to find out who you are is to ask yourself, 'Who am I?'"...

LOL!

3 posted on 08/05/2005 5:38:50 AM PDT by RippleFire ("It's a joke, son!")
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To: OESY

chuckle...


4 posted on 08/05/2005 5:39:55 AM PDT by wizardoz
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To: OESY

I am very dissappointed with this 'Current TV' BS. One of the reasons I actually got digital cable was so I could get the International News channel (128 in our area) so I could see the Canadian news and my wife could see the Japanese news. Even though it was run by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp, it at least gave some highlights on events in our home countries. Now AlGore has ruined something of marginal value with something of no value. Besides, doesn't MTV already have a lock on what youg people want to see?


5 posted on 08/05/2005 5:41:17 AM PDT by doc30 (Democrats are to morals what and Etch-A-Sketch is to Art.)
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To: wizardoz

There is nothing young hip kids like more than things that are specifically designed to appeal to young hip kids. This should be huge I tell ya, huge!


6 posted on 08/05/2005 5:42:43 AM PDT by The Toll
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To: OESY
Hey Al, you can spray canned hair on your bald spot but at the end of the day the bald spot is still there. And everyone knows it.
7 posted on 08/05/2005 5:43:05 AM PDT by isthisnickcool (Get all the incumbents out of politics!)
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To: silent_jonny

Al Gore .............. hit the latrine..... I think you had too much ice tea!


8 posted on 08/05/2005 5:43:36 AM PDT by beyond the sea ("If you think it's hard to meet new people, try picking up the wrong golf ball." - Jack Lemmon)
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To: OESY

I've watched enough Current to know that it should have been named "Metrosexual TV."

If you're ever in the mood to be irritated, watch the Google weenie that comes on every hour or so. He's ripe for a butt kickin'.


9 posted on 08/05/2005 6:10:34 AM PDT by Cosmo (Liberalism is for girls)
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To: Cosmo

watched a few minutes of Current last night... if Gore IS making programming decisions then this is the clearest example yet of his lack of character and intelligence. More proof that their will never be a "President Gore", whether it be him or one of his descendants. old BoreGore has some 'master-slave' issues inheireted from his ancestors that he needs to resolve. Maybe Dr. Phil can help...

GORE: "Okay, i'm very smart, handsome and invented the internet"
DR> PHIL: "UHUH"
GORE: "And they made a movie about me, it was called love story"
DR>PHIL: "UHUH"
GORE: "And I won the presidency in 2000 and despite being overthrown by the military industrial complex in a coup on election night i still stand tall and proud in protecting the rights of my devoted worshippers, the unjustly imprisoned brave young fighting men we are holding at GITMO"
DR>PHIL: "IT AIN"T ABOUT UUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!"


10 posted on 08/05/2005 6:29:45 AM PDT by whitecastle1968
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To: whitecastle1968
God, I wish we had this last year.

"Hey kids, you know what's hhhhot this year? ORANGE SKIN. Give it up for Senator John Kerry!"

11 posted on 08/05/2005 6:35:40 AM PDT by Generic_Login_1787
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To: OESY

Just wait until it get's closer to the 2006 elections,if it survives that long...then we'll see what Current is all about! there will be non-stop vidyah of raving nutters from the left


12 posted on 08/05/2005 6:44:00 AM PDT by Minnesoootan
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To: whitecastle1968

I will enjoy seeing this thing suck cash out of Al's bank account before it goes tits up


13 posted on 08/05/2005 6:58:42 AM PDT by tom paine 2
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To: tom paine 2

Betcha Al didn't drop a single dime.


14 posted on 08/05/2005 7:24:04 AM PDT by Cosmo (Liberalism is for girls)
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To: Cosmo

I don't know, but these days if you want to call a private business yours you gots to put up some of your own geedus.


15 posted on 08/05/2005 7:52:29 AM PDT by tom paine 2
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To: OESY

-"...Everybody has a story to tell that's interesting."-

No they don't.


16 posted on 08/05/2005 8:09:01 AM PDT by AmericanChef
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To: OESY

Algore should have called it "The Sixties Channel". 'Cause that is what it is.


17 posted on 08/05/2005 10:05:17 AM PDT by TexanToTheCore (Rock the pews, Baby!)
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To: tom paine 2

I'm sure there's a childrens' center out there somewhere with a directors' rubber-stamped check funding this boondoggle.


18 posted on 08/05/2005 10:36:09 AM PDT by printhead
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To: tom paine 2

Not necessarily. I could have opened the bar/restaurant I'm currently building with little more than the money supplied by investors who have no legal ties to the business whatsoever.

If George Soros is willing to dump millions on not getting John kerrry elected, surely there are people out there willing to bankroll algore.


19 posted on 08/05/2005 11:51:40 AM PDT by Cosmo (Liberalism is for girls)
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To: RippleFire

"Everywhere you go, there you are"


20 posted on 08/05/2005 12:09:33 PM PDT by DManA
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