CBS, NBC Pass on Bush Speech

NewsMax.com ^ | 11/08/01 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

In the midst of America's greatest national security crisis since World War II, two of the three major television networks declined to interrupt regular programming to broadcast President Bush's address to the nation Thursday night on the ongoing war on terrorism.

Speaking from Atlanta's Centers for Disease Control, Bush talked about the anthrax attacks that have plagued the country for the last month, killing four Americans and exposing dozens to the deadly bacteria -- including employees of ABC, NBC and CBS.

But with America at war and the FBI predicting additional terrorist incidents at home, both CBS and NBC stayed with regularly scheduled programming for the half-hour address.

Only ABC carried the Bush speech live.

Rather than switch to Bush, NBC stuck with perennial ratings booster "Friends," while CBS carried its own ratings winner "Survivor."

In the past, TV network news divisions have declined to carry presidential addresses only when they were deemed not newsworthy or seen to be too overtly partisan.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Bush Administration
Media Bias
War on Terrorism

[JD86]

I was going to comment on your choice of television viewing. Personally I wouldn't watch Survivor if it were the only show on. Then I remembered that freedom is what we are fighting for. Even if it is freedom to choose Survivor over the President of the United States.

[Amore]

Well, I'm opening myself up to flaming too, but I also watched Survivor. (I switched over to the speech during commercials, so I saw a LOT of it and thought it was an excellent speech.) Survivor WAS a great episode, though. They got rid of that slimeball. What a twist! I never saw that switch coming!

[onyx]

Devout FReeper for ALMOST 2 months! Welcome to FR!

CBS and NBC thank you for your patronage.

[JD86]

You know, amazingly there ARE still some people out there who don't have cable. . . .

Darn tooting! We have DSL instead....:)

[foreverfree]

You know, amazingly there ARE still some people out there who don't have cable. . . .

Until January 2, 2000, when my DirecTV was activated, I was among those.

foreverfree

[Atilla_the_Hun]

To paraphase President Reagan, "The US lamestream will be just another lump on the ash-heap-of HISTORY"...

[BunnySlippers]

In being fair ... I turned on CBS, NBC and ABC during the speech and all of them were showing it here in L.A. Maybe these are affiliates they are talking about.

[BunnySlippers]

Our local NBC affiliate in Albuquerque, KOB TV, did carry the speech live.

So did CBS, NBC and ABC in Los Angeles.

[JD86]

Thanks for that tidbit of information. I will definitely be asking that question of my local stations.

[Penny1]

Just as we don't force people to vote (rightly so--do you want important decisions made by people who don't care?), we don't force people to pay attention to politics. In a free society, this is as it should be.

This is true, which is probably why the White House didn't formally request the airtime, instead allowing the networks to decide for themselves.

However, a free society also means we have the right to criticize and lambast them up one side and down the other for that choice.

I think your advice to "vote with your feet" is all well and good, but I would add that expressing your criticism to the network is also important. Just turning off the network doesn't necessarily convey the message, but telling them exactly why you're not watching a network gives them information to re-evaluate the choices and decisions they're making.

And, of course, part of the beauty of freedom of speech is that we can all come here and trash the networks for what we believe to be faulty decisions....

I just feel badly for those who were stuck with Peter Jennings and ABC...at least I got to watch it on FNC, but not everyone is that fortunate...

-penny

[SugarRay]

My local cable provider ran this message on the CBS channel - "Due to satellite difficulties, we are unable to carry President Bush's address to the nation. We are sorry for the inconvenience". It was not really an inconvenience for me to switch channels!

[Amore]

The difference in showing the speech is the difference in time zones. Obviously NBC & CBS did NOT want to air the speech in prime time, which means they didn't carry the speech on the east coast. They didn't mind running it pre-prime time. Do I agree with their decision? No, I really don't, especially in light of all the times Clinton has bothered me by appearing on-screen. They are hypocrites. (Big surprise!)

[JD86]

I just feel badly for those who were stuck with Peter Jennings and ABC...

Thanks. Right before they introduced the President, Jennings called him Mr. Bush...if I could get my hands on that blasted Canadian just one time, I would throttle him for his lack of respect.

[j.cam]

The government should yank their broadcast licensees. I'm only joking, but it would be funny and they do deserve it.

[bamastudent]

However, a free society also means we have the right to criticize and lambast them up one side and down the other for that choice.

Absolutely, positively, without a doubt. I couldn't agree more.

I think your advice to "vote with your feet" is all well and good, but I would add that expressing your criticism to the network is also important....

I used to work at a newspaper, and I distinctly remember that they could care less if people complained as long as they kept their subscriptions. I hate to be a cynic, but surely TV stations would be even less concerned.

...at least I got to watch it on FNC, but not everyone is that fortunate...

True. Of course, I'd add to the whole broadcast-vs.-cable debate the fact that some people don't even own a TV. But I don't think mentioning them would be welcome as that group generally consists of the very poor and the very left-wing. :)

[Penny1]

Maybe he's also hoping the ratings will make the point--he has an awful lot of faith in the American people, maybe he'd like to win one of his battles with the press through the free market and the wonderful world of television ratings. ;)

You have to admit, it'd be a pretty sweet victory...

-penny

[NYCVirago]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't all three networks run Clinton's self-serving farewell address?

[JD86]

I'd add to the whole broadcast-vs.-cable debate the fact that some people don't even own a TV. But I don't think mentioning them would be welcome as that group generally consists of the very poor and the very left-wing. :)

I only keep my tv to watch President Bush and JAG....

[JD86]

That would be so cool. Isn't this a sweeps week or something important to the tv types?

[Torie]

I have no interest in discussing CBS and NBC. What I do want to express is my reaction to the speech which I just saw. Maybe this isn't the thread, but whatever. The adjectives that come to mind about the speech and what Bush projected are calm, understatedness, tolerance, generousity, wisdom, steelness, determination, focus, and patience. Although the thought is hardly original (90% of my fellow citizens agree it seems, as well as 100% of the Dem CSPAN callers that checked in), we clearly have the right president at the right time. He is my kind of guy. Once I was a bit tepid. That has long since passed. I'm a Bushie now, without reservation, and proud of it. Cheers, and may America in all its works and its mission on this mortal coil prosper and endure. The planet would be a far "poorer" place in every way without this great nation.

I'm not normally this sappy, but I felt the need to make this expression of gratitude to and about our president. And a PS to Howlin and rdf, whom I both respect. That catholicism (small "c") perhaps puts me in highly select company. Cheers.