Posted on 12/08/2009 6:07:38 PM PST by publius321
John Stossel tells O’Reilly he’s going to Kick his butt in the ratings
I remembered how 7 years ago when I was grassroots campaigning to get Stossel on Fox News. When they hired Greta instead I wrote this piece recommending that CNN, if they wanted to challenge Fox should hire John Stossel to take the 8:00PM time-slot and predicted that Stossel – who I feel is MUCH MORE acute than O’reilly – would beat him in the ratings.
Well tonight, almost seven years later, Stossel who has been given a show on Fox Business Network during the 8:00PM time-slot was on O’Reilly’s program and told him that he is going to beat him in the ratings. I loved the confidence with which he stated this. O’reilly kind of dismissed him but what could he say?
The major disadvantage Stossel has is that Fox Business is not available in as many households. It is not available on my basic cable package and I am not about to give those dirt-bags at Comcast another cent for an upgrade so I can get 1 more channel when they are already making me pay for 60 worthless channels like multiple M-TV’s and homo channels like Bravo.
Anyway, as a footnote, here is my original piece I referenced from 2003 about putting up Stossel against O’Reilly:
http://boards.fool.com/message.asp?source=isesitlnk0000001&mid=18463529&mrr=0.20
“Roger Ailes, President of Fox news fired Paula Zahn for talking to CNN a few years back despite having great ratings during the 10PM time slot. Ailes was quoted in an interview as saying that the reason that she was winning the ratings during that time slot had very little to do with her but was actually due to the networks overall ratings success. He said that "a dead raccoon would have won in that time slot".
That may be true, but I'll never understand why he hired Gretta Van Susteren, an annoying liberal host from a network that he was kicking the pants off in ratings. At least Paula seems impartial.
This brings me to my suggestion of how CNN can bring some competition against Fox News. Instead of hiring Gretta to replace Paula, I thought that Fox should have hired John Stossel but since they didn't, I strongly believe that CNN could substantially boost their ratings by hiring Stossel to compete head to head with Bill O'Reilly in the 8PM slot.
I hate 20/20, but I became a big fan of John's back in 2000 and would dump O'Reilly, (just like I dumped Chris Matthews) in a second if he was on CNN every night. I have been watching O'Reilly for a few years now and despite my belief that he's the best thing on in that slot; I'm starting to get tired of him. He seems to be getting more full of himself by the day.
In my opinion, John Stossel is similar to O'Reilly in positions. I think they are both kind of “libertarian” in their views. I believe this makes them appealing to both sides of the political spectrum and at times they are both repugnant to both sides. For example, I tend to identify with them on fiscal positions, as they are more conservative, yet I can get angry with them on social issues (whereas liberals may like them on that particular day). Libertarianism may not jive well in the voting booths because of our 2 party system, but it seems to do very well in the world of talk media and the ratings game.
I believe that John has the presence and the talent to take O'Reilly's ratings in time and I don't think there are many people out there who can. Many believe that O'Reilly is a reason for the success of the network and I think CNN as a whole could turn things around in the same way. They need a big hit show that will get people talking and more importantly – watching.”
This is one of many “MrArbitrage” predictions coming to pass over the years. Some of the top predictions and columns are archived at TableOfWisdom.com (“My Track record” tab)
God bless.
One thing I will add is that my views on Gretta have really changed since writing that. She has seemingly made a 180 degree turn on her liberal views. Whether or not she has converted, I don’t know but she’s doing a great job I acknowledge.
I’m glad that Stossel’s on FoxNews and I wish him well. I haven’t watched O’Riley in years. He just rubbed me the wrong way.
Jigga what? Stossel perhaps but Bill O'Reilly? And I've heard him called that before. No. He's not a conservative or a libertarian. He's an ego with legs.
In before the usual and tired ‘they should put Beck in O’Reilly’s time slot’ and ‘fire Shepherd Smith’.
I don't normally watch O'Reily either, but tonight when I was sewing, I decided to turn on the TV and lo and behold what came on the screen was O'Reilly and Marc Lamont Hill. I don't believe it took more than five seconds for me to turn THAT off. It did serve, however, to reinforce my reasoning for NEVER watching O'Reilly.
LOL Impy. I agree that he’s an ego with legs - and sometimes a pathetic appeaser who wants to be liked by everyone.
You’re right ... Greta has come around to a more conservative view of some things, which is far better than it used to be.
Greta was a nobody til she met Palin, and made a 180
LIAR Bill O’Reilly aka the Leprechaun says he has seen Obama BC.
Totally agree with one exception: O'Reilly doesn't care who hates or likes him when it comes to children. He has been a champion against sex offenders and liberals in the justice system that coddle sex offenders. I'll give him great credit in this regard.
Beck style is more comical and better for the younger audience imho, so 5pm is a good time for him. They should replace Shepherd Smith for sure with Stossel
O’Reilly has been seriously kissing Obama butt recently, making me really annoyed.
Stossel has always been a perceptive, insightful straight shooter and was born to be on Fox.
I loved Stossel’s work when he was on ABC’s 20/20 show, and was really looking forward to watching him on FOX, but think he’s on the FOX Business side, and we don’t get that. Wish he’d cross over to the other side.
John Stossel has a more reflective and engaging manner than Bill O’Reilly. Stossel lays out a chain of evidence and reasoning and draws his audience along. O’Reilly is often hectoring and dismissive, although redeemed by a large dose of self-deprecation.
are they moving dave ramsey?
Stossel, in his work (and I'm pretty sure I've seen him on TV as well) is a craftsman, a critical thinker, a real honest sniffer-outer and exposer of fraud and deception.
That the fraud and deceit usually comes from the Left is not because Stossel seeks to attack the Left -- at least, I've never gotten that impression from him -- but because the Left is where it is most often found in its most virulent, destructive forms. To me, Stossel has always been more or less apolitical, but instead what a real journalist should be.
I hope so. FNC was on my TV when I turned in on tonight. BOR had that a-hole Mark(sist) Lamont Hill on and I immediately switched.
I loathe O’Reilly and refuse to watch ANYTHING he is on. I wish Fox would get rid of him, Shep and Geraldo. I quit watching any news channel because of them.
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