The Making of a Progressive Media
Bill Clinton never would have won the Presidency without CNN. In 1992 people turned to the network that bought them the war in 1991 for advice on the election. Clinton's media savvy, and Ted Tunrer's political leanings combined to make CNN a pro-Clinton source for news. George HW Bush was humiliated in the coming election because he didn't understand the new world of 24 hour news.
His son did not make that mistake. In 2000 George Bush had a powerful ally in 24 news, the startup Fox News. Realizing that they lacked a crucial advantage with the centrist CNN supporting the centrist Clinton wing of the democratic party, and CNN dominating the scene, conservatives founded their own network. Their already huge advantage in the propaganda game combined with Rupert Murdoch's business sense and Fox News soon overtook CNN as the lead cable news network.
George Bush never would have won the White House without it.
People all across the country have been persuaded by Fox News that they too are conservatives. They too share the values of the rich, white elite. Fox News's aggressive tactics and disregard for journalistic standards are worryingly anti-democratic. Yet their commercial success trumps all.
If ever a progressive movement has a chance of success, we must take the people off of their thought-drug and give them a new one. Television news is a horrible thing for democracy. People screaming at each other is not a debate. Soundbites are not ideas. Politics was not meant to be a 24/7 exercise. Yet television news is a reality, and it is unthinkable to campaign without it. CNN has lacked the balls to stand up to Fox News. A news progressive friendly network must be founded to open the airwaves up to progressive thought.
Here's the gameplan. There are two network news departments without a 24 hour cable news partner, CBS News and ABC News. Neither network is willing to expand into cable on its own, the competition is too strong and the risks too great. But with a big partner, willing to bear the brunt of the costs in return for their personnel and expertise. Imagine the respect and experience of CBS News with the money of George Soros!
CBS News would be a perfect fit because its corporate parent is Viacom, which as owner of MTV, VH1, Nickelodean, Spike, ect. has a great history of running a cable station profitably. They lack a cable news partner, but would most likely take one if the opportunity came along.
This new network may at first have to find its feet. But using Viacom's corporate power, CBSNews could work their way into the third place position, dethroning and possible ending MSNBC, taking thier slots on cable systems. The new landscape in cable news would be FoxNews (right), CNN (center) and CBSNews (left). This situation would fully represent the ideas of the country, and the network would certainly find a viewership. 48 percent of the country did vote against the president. The only thing holding this up is the money. A sponsor must be found. George Soros, we need you!
His son did not make that mistake. In 2000 George Bush had a powerful ally in 24 news, the startup Fox News. Realizing that they lacked a crucial advantage with the centrist CNN supporting the centrist Clinton wing of the democratic party, and CNN dominating the scene, conservatives founded their own network. Their already huge advantage in the propaganda game combined with Rupert Murdoch's business sense and Fox News soon overtook CNN as the lead cable news network.
George Bush never would have won the White House without it.
People all across the country have been persuaded by Fox News that they too are conservatives. They too share the values of the rich, white elite. Fox News's aggressive tactics and disregard for journalistic standards are worryingly anti-democratic. Yet their commercial success trumps all.
If ever a progressive movement has a chance of success, we must take the people off of their thought-drug and give them a new one. Television news is a horrible thing for democracy. People screaming at each other is not a debate. Soundbites are not ideas. Politics was not meant to be a 24/7 exercise. Yet television news is a reality, and it is unthinkable to campaign without it. CNN has lacked the balls to stand up to Fox News. A news progressive friendly network must be founded to open the airwaves up to progressive thought.
Here's the gameplan. There are two network news departments without a 24 hour cable news partner, CBS News and ABC News. Neither network is willing to expand into cable on its own, the competition is too strong and the risks too great. But with a big partner, willing to bear the brunt of the costs in return for their personnel and expertise. Imagine the respect and experience of CBS News with the money of George Soros!
CBS News would be a perfect fit because its corporate parent is Viacom, which as owner of MTV, VH1, Nickelodean, Spike, ect. has a great history of running a cable station profitably. They lack a cable news partner, but would most likely take one if the opportunity came along.
This new network may at first have to find its feet. But using Viacom's corporate power, CBSNews could work their way into the third place position, dethroning and possible ending MSNBC, taking thier slots on cable systems. The new landscape in cable news would be FoxNews (right), CNN (center) and CBSNews (left). This situation would fully represent the ideas of the country, and the network would certainly find a viewership. 48 percent of the country did vote against the president. The only thing holding this up is the money. A sponsor must be found. George Soros, we need you!
posted by Anomadic at 5:01 PM
3 Comments:
Contrary to many people's understanding, investors like Redstone and Murdoch know the difference between giving a donation and risking capital on some kind of quest. Murdoch has Fox News because it makes a ton of money, period. He recognized a huge underserved customer segment, one that was very dissatisfied, had money to spend, and product existed to sell them. He simply applied the financial success of conservative talk radio to the cable market.
In cable financing, guys like Soros are chump change. You have to have pockets willing to absorb hundreds of millions in early losses to make later billions. Murdoch recognized the opportunity and that he was uniquely positioned to exploit it. Is the potential to make billions really there? The results of the Al Franken network, as far as return on capital, are unknown to date, but don't seem to be eye popping in a positive direction at this stage.
Progressives/Liberals need to start demonstrating how "evil" people like Murdoch can make serious money off their "good" beliefs. Demonstrate it and you'll get all the news networks you want. Murdoch would fund the Wicca News Network if he could make a 20% annual return. The first step though is to acknowledge the real world and stop thinking some cabal of rich men are out to rule the world. They are out to make money, period. If you want to use their money to achieve your ends, then show them how they can make money. It's that simple.
I agree. However there is certainly money in a more progressive leaning news channel. The fact is that most billionares are conservative and given a choice between making lots of money with a conservative network and making lots of money with a porgressive network, they choose the latter. The only thing holding this back is the money. Soros is not chump change in any industy. He is one of the richest men in the world and could absorb hundred of millions in losses easily.
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