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For Prime Ads, Big Four Nets Balk at Obama
mediaweek.com ^ | 06/07/09 | John Consoli

Posted on 06/07/2009 2:23:49 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3

Executives at the Big Four broadcast networks, upset that President Barack Obama has cumulatively cost them more than $30 million in revenue from preempted prime-time programming for three press conferences, say getting advertisers to sponsor future press events as a way to recoup lost revenue isn’t a viable option.

After Fox balked at airing Obama in prime time on April 29, other nets joined in, saying they would consider the same action going forward depending on the event’s relevance. Industry observers wondered why networks couldn’t just get advertiser sponsors. Some suggested an ad prior to the conference and one at the end, with an on-screen logo, appearing during the conference.

But Big Four execs see it differently. Les Moonves, president and CEO of CBS Corp. said, “We lose more than $3 million a show [when it’s preempted]. No advertiser is going to put up that much money as a sponsor.”

Mike Shaw, ABC sales president, agreed. “We sell sponsorships for the presidential debates, but that is [for] scheduled programming, not preemptions,” he said. “For the most part, advertisers are not anxious to get involved in politics. It would be a tough sell.”

Jon Nesvig, Fox sales president, took it from the audience’s perspective: “It would probably annoy many viewers.”

A representative for NBC Universal was more blunt: “That’s not an option being considered.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: networks; obama; primetime
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1 posted on 06/07/2009 2:23:49 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3
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To: TornadoAlley3

Fox leading the way. Smart brass at Fox.


2 posted on 06/07/2009 2:26:22 PM PDT by rawhide
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To: TornadoAlley3

Ha ha ha network idiots well just think of all the money they made by not carrying W press conferences


3 posted on 06/07/2009 2:26:37 PM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom)
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To: TornadoAlley3

0be should just nationalize them all and turn them into 4 0be channels. 0be1, 0be2, 0be3 and 0be4.


4 posted on 06/07/2009 2:26:57 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Big Ears + Big Spending --> BigEarMarx, the man behind TOTUS)
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To: TornadoAlley3

An astute businessman, one Michael Jordan once said,”Republicans buy my shoes, too.”


5 posted on 06/07/2009 2:27:11 PM PDT by buccaneer81 (Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
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To: TornadoAlley3
Nice......but then Obama will issue an executive order stating they have to air his words of importance.......
6 posted on 06/07/2009 2:27:45 PM PDT by Kimmers (Be the kind of person when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, Oh crap, she's awake)
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To: TornadoAlley3

Now that is funny. You’d think with all the money the 0 campaign “earned” they could give some to the networks. Or maybe a bailout.


7 posted on 06/07/2009 2:29:53 PM PDT by ABQHispConservative (A Blue Dog Democrat is an oxyMoron!)
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To: Paladin2

Very funny. Of course it won’t be so funny when it happens, which would not surprise me at all. I still remember the strange way I felt when suddenly Obama had a whole channel on Dish with his message repeated over and over. The feeling wasn’t a tingle, more like a shiver one attributes to the old expression of “someone walked over my grave”.


8 posted on 06/07/2009 2:31:26 PM PDT by pepperdog (As Israel goes, so goes America!)
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To: TornadoAlley3

Obama doesn’t even realize that his constant addresses cost somebody money.

I see a running theme. He thinks the money for all his pet projects comes from Santa, too.


9 posted on 06/07/2009 2:31:49 PM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: ABQHispConservative

That’s a done deal for the NBC networks if Cap & Trade and National Healthcare become law. GE (owner of NBC) gets the technology contracts.


10 posted on 06/07/2009 2:33:08 PM PDT by buccaneer81 (Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
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To: TornadoAlley3
Mark my words, our new socialist overlord will see this as an opportunity. Lord Zero will offer a lucrative deal to the networks that will mandate that the government will pay fair market value (or better) for presidential addresses in return for a contractual agreement to carry every single second of every address. If you agree you get the money, if you don't you don't get a dime. The networks will gladly bow to their chosen master and pocket the money.

Then look forward to weekly or even daily addresses during prime time.

11 posted on 06/07/2009 2:33:11 PM PDT by SampleMan (Socialism enslaves you & kills your soul.)
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To: Paladin2
channels. 0be1, 0be2, 0be3 and 0be4.

Solution on my TV, OB-OFF!

12 posted on 06/07/2009 2:33:20 PM PDT by Texas Fossil (Once a Republic, Now a State, Still Texas)
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To: antiRepublicrat

Are the networks worried that views tuning in to the latest dumb reality show instead find a presidential news conference? Then they channel surf away never to return?


13 posted on 06/07/2009 2:36:56 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: TornadoAlley3

Hopie Changie!

How many at those networks voted for this dictator! Now they don’t like his frequent addresses to the peons! Too Freaking Bad.

Elections have consequences! LOL.


14 posted on 06/07/2009 2:37:21 PM PDT by TheConservativeParty ("Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force." George Washington)
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To: buccaneer81

That’s right. MSNBC will become even more annoying. Comedy Central will seem like a serious network.


15 posted on 06/07/2009 2:37:26 PM PDT by ABQHispConservative (A Blue Dog Democrat is an oxyMoron!)
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To: TheConservativeParty
and MSNBC and CNN wonder why ratings are so low:)
16 posted on 06/07/2009 2:38:47 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3 (Obama is everything Oklahoma is not.)
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To: TornadoAlley3

Why not?

“The Obama Press Conference brought to you by General Motors...

...and by Chrysler...

...and by Citibank...

...and by ACORN...”

Sure, I could see it. I mean, you’re already paying for it.


17 posted on 06/07/2009 2:40:43 PM PDT by OrangeHoof (YES WE CAN have a Depression.)
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To: TornadoAlley3
Hey, what's the matter with these guys!

Just consider the loss of revenue as a tax or an offering for their worthy cause of worshiping the "One!"

They should follow their feelings, just like normal and don't let reality get in the way of their agenda.

18 posted on 06/07/2009 2:54:14 PM PDT by R_Kangel (`.`)
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To: TornadoAlley3
A representative for NBC Universal was more blunt: “That’s not an option being considered.”

Once again NBC (and their parent, GE) are fervently courting Obama.

NBC spent the whole last week with their "All Obama All The Time", preempting four hours of prime time to run two two-hour Obama shows, had crews spend countless hours taping, and replacing regular news on their newscasts with Obama Show promotional pieces.

My mother is 92 and she even commented: "Does Obama own NBC or what!"

19 posted on 06/07/2009 3:02:00 PM PDT by capt. norm (Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups.)
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To: pepperdog

I wasn’t aware of that stuffing of the channel. Interesting.


20 posted on 06/07/2009 3:03:10 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Big Ears + Big Spending --> BigEarMarx, the man behind TOTUS)
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