The Obama channel

politico ^ | 10/01/2008 | Ben Smith

[Paul Revere 76]

Channel 73 on the Dish Network is now The Obama Channel.

Obama's media buying strategy has been marked by a willingness to work the angles, and to try to pick up a few votes at the margins. The decision to go to everything from extensive radio buys to odd-hour infomercials reflects the fact that the campaign media buyers spend a lot of time thinking about how much persuasion any given dollar can buy, and given a very cheap format -- late night cable channels that need filler, for instance -- will settle for a thimblefull of persuasion.

The satellite channel is the latest of these marginal gambits: Three readers from different parts of the country email that Channel 073-00 on the Dish Network is now labeled OBAMA. ("What is up with Sen. Obama having his own channel?" asks a St. Louis reader.) The channel plays his two-minute ad laying out his economic plan on a loop, over and over.

The only explanation: The media buyers think they can reach enough people per dollar to make it worth the odd buy.

The channel's appearance has provoked scorn and alarm on conservative blogs, though, and some discussion on a forum for Satellite TV aficionados, where one user writes that a Dish Network executive emailed to reassure the user that it "is paid advertising by the Obama campaign and is not an endorsement of Senator Obama by DISH Network" and will broadcast through November 4.

A spokeswoman for EchoStar, the Dish Network's parent company, didn't respond immediately to phone and email inquiries abotut the channel.

[Bush Revolution]

Great question.

[Paul Revere 76]

I called Dish and asked for a monthly refund at first I was told by Joe, a supervisor, his employee id of OSZ that this was a donation for Barry Obama. Called back after I found the article in Politico and the supervisor Jessica from Dish-network said “yes it was paid for by Obama.” McCain had the same opportunity to do this. My argument was give me a partial refund for having him on my pay per view subscription of coarse she said no way but they were monitoring calls and the Obama info channel could be canceled depending on public response. So if you are a Dish network subscriber call and ask for a refund from your bill or have the Obama channel removed. Also call the McCain campaign and ask what it will take to get their own channel on Dish network..

[The South Texan]

It's not different than this famous publication of the not so distant past.

Wait until he wins and he enacts the fairness doctrine.

[DanielRedfoot]

You TV People out there, HOW MUCH WOULD THIS COST? Where is this money coming from? Fannie and Freedie people trying to buy 5 weeks so Obama will kill the Grand jury investigation? Arab sources to the puppet? And you cannot reason with these Obamabots... Evil is working overtime and McLame is still sleeping.. "But what a fool believes he sees No wise man has the power to reason away" The Doobie Brothers- What a fool believes we are sooooo skrewed.............

[ncalburt]

Call and Cancel .
Urge others to do the same .
I did.
Enough is Enough .

[HungarianGypsy]

Someone on another thread said the operator told them that they had made an offer to the McCain campaign to have a similar channel.

[zeaal]

The guy’s technology campaign team is not missing a thing to market him. Nothing! Who is running McCain’s campaign?

[unspun]

Do they sing the song?

[Alice in Wonderland]

There are 2 Obama channels: 73 and 5890.

[Salamander]

On the phone with them now.
I asked if, for the sake of “equal time”, could they run “1984” 24/7 until Nov. 4.

[Salamander]

It’s running right above a Twilight Zone marathon.

How apropos.

[Smokin' Joe]

The channel plays his two-minute ad laying out his economic plan on a loop, over and over.

Yep. Soon the watchers will be shuffling down the street, dirty, ragged, arms outstretched, chanting "Change...Change...".

Obamazombies...

[Bush Revolution]

I have time warner, I did have Dish back in NC, but I agree, John McCain should look at getting his own channel. I just can’t believe I”m talking about candidates having their own channel.

[shibumi]

So where is this channel on DirecTV and do I really want to go to it instead of the Fay Wray version of King Kong?

[Bush Revolution]

This is just crazy.

Everyone saying that McCain should have thought of this or that he's not up to new strategies, who could have seen this coming?

Obama having his own cable channel, I never would have seen this one coming.

[Bush Revolution]

[Ptarmigan]

Yeah, why does he need a single channel for himself. Talk about a huge ego right there!

[Salamander]

Dunno.

I'm just freaked out about finding this on another channel.

[Just kidding....for now]

[PureSolace]

What's a "STONG" America? Should I be scared?

[PureSolace]

I would love to see the numbers if this causes a backfire of people canceling Dish. Though it may cause others to sign up... Either way. The smart thing to do would just be change the channel... or block it completely...