Posted on 06/11/2004 11:16:53 AM PDT by Melpomene
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Dan Rather and Tom Brokaw have wondered aloud whether the media has overdone its Ronald Reagan (news) coverage. They needn't worry, because if the Internet is an accurate guide for what's on the minds of Americans -- and studies indicate that it is -- then the public in big numbers is craving news about the recently deceased former president.
At Yahoo! searches for Reagan spiked 5,314% Saturday, the day he died, compared with the daily average. Since then, the portal has seen huge numbers of searches for information about Reagan's funeral, scheduled for Friday, and his presidential library in Simi Valley, Calif. Lycos said that Reagan-related searches between Monday and Wednesday were 12 times what they were in the seven days before his death.
The major online news sites, not surprisingly, have dedicated an inordinate amount of space to Reagan, and the strategy seems to have paid off. ABCNews.com reports a 1,000% jump in the number of video streams it served the day Reagan died compared with the Saturday prior to that, while Google News saw a 115% increase in unique visits Saturday over Saturday. The Web sites of CNN, Yahoo! News, MSNBC, the New York Times and the Drudge Report all saw triple-digit percentage gains from workplace computers in the week ending Sunday, the day after Reagan died, compared with the week before, according to Nielsen//NetRatings.
Netflix reported a near immediate 1,100% increase in demand for Reagan documentaries and films that starred the former actor. His most popular movie at the rent-by-mail service is "Hellcats of the Navy," in which he starred with future wife Nancy Davis.
At America Online, more than 70% of 258,995 people -- six times more than usual for an AOL political poll -- who voted over the course of just 21 hours determined that Reagan was "one of the best" presidents ever.
Rather, Brokaw and Jennings are just having a temper tantrum. I will continue to actively ignore them.
"Rather, Brokaw and Jennings are just having a temper tantrum."
Who? Are those the guys who replaced Curly, Moe, and Shemp?
Rather than waste their (and ours) valuable time commiserating about the above, perhaps they would do better to ponder their own over exposures as "anchors" these many decades. IMHO, their faces, voices, unsolicited opinions and peccadillos have grown onerous and tiresome with the fullness of time (you too Peter, go home).
During the arrival of casket at Nat'l Cathedral I googeled for lyrics to Navy Hymn. Servers were down at first 5 links!!
Too bad Dan, I'd Rather not, and Broke Awww... too bad.
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