Posted on 03/19/2009 7:45:38 AM PDT by Dr. Zzyzx
Networks reluctantly shuffle for Obama speech
Networks are pulling their shows over to the side of the road to make room for the lights and sirens of president Barack Obama's latest primetime address.
Obama will take to the air next Tuesday evening on four broadcast networks and bump the most popular series on television, Fox's "American Idol."
Fulfilling their scheduling civic duty is starting to seem increasingly cumbersome to broadcasters, however. Between a struggling economy and ratings sagging in midseason, every interruption costs networks advertising dollars and momentum.
"At a time when we're struggling not only financially but to build audiences, this doesn't help on either front," one network executive said. "These repeated interruptions -- and the rumor of even more to come -- really make it difficult to build audience flow and loyalty. We will all lose one or two million dollars for this."
The presidential election resulted in a fall season regularly interrupted by political news coverage, followed by primetime inauguration coverage, then two primetime speeches about the economy. The White House requesting yet another primetime slot, during sweeps and right after several shows dropped to new lows in last night's ratings, has some executives exasperated.
"I believe in the president and his policies, and as broadcasters we have a responsibility to provide the airtime," said another network insider. "But these frequent primetime requests are wreaking serious havoc with our schedule and our advertisers. Ratings are down everywhere and the airtime is costing us all significant dollars when we can least afford it."
Here's how the Big Four will juggle the speech:
>> Fox is arguably the most impacted network and took the longest to agree to airing the speech. The network will move Tuesday's two-hour performance episode of "Idol" to Wednesday, and the Wednesday episode to Thursday at 8 p.m. That preempts "Lie to Me" and "Bones" and puts mega-rated "Idol" against the mega-rated NCAA finals (which neither Fox nor CBS are all that thrilled about).
>> NBC will move Tuesday's two-hour "Biggest Loser" to 9 p.m., preempting "Law & Order: SVU."
>> CBS likewise is dumping its 10 p.m. procedural ("Without a Trace") and moving its two earlier dramas, "NCIS" and "The Mentalist," forward an hour.
>> ABC will cancel previously planned back-to-back episodes of "According to Jim."
Great...we just elected MacBeth....
“It is a tale … full of sound and fury; signifying nothing.”
Why do the HAVE to make room? They sure didn't for W.
It's almost like the media is...what's the word?....biased....
Nah...can't be....
Buy your gold now. It goes up $10 every time this jamoke opens his mouth. Goes up even more when “Timmy the Tax Cheat” opens his.
” He picks Tuesday nights so it won’t interfere with his Wednesday night parties at the White House.”
No college basketball on Tuesday night, either.
We can read it just as well as he can.
sw
We’ll be watching reruns of Gilligan’s Island so we are far too busy to watch B. Hussein Odamnya then, now or any time.
The Messiah loves Tuesday nights
He’s the new American Idol!
Maybe Secrest can be the host of the Messiah’s new show
Like they did to Bushie - they dissed Bushie CONSTANTLY in denying him air coverage - POSs...
Could we just have a week of silence with no Obama coverage? No televised speeches, no magazine covers (except news magazines). He’s so overexposed.
He’s like a one hit wonder that everyone fawns over but that gets so much coverage that people quickly grow tired of him. Like a one hit wonder, he’s a one trick pony. Blame Bush. Divert responsibility. Rinse and repeat.
I keep telling Mrs. Rightly Biased that but she doesn’t believe me she says the Idol watchers will be TO’d
Not really. It's just a different version of Lie to Me.....
Then (campaign): "These repeated interruptions revelations -- and the rumor of even more to come -- really make it difficult to build audience flow and loyalty a tingle go up our legs. We will all lose gain one or two million dollars viewers for this."
And “American Idol”...
Commandment 2 Make no Idols.
If the TelePrompter ever dies will it get a state funeral?
"At a time when we're struggling not only financially but to build audiences, this doesn't help on either front," one network executive said. "These repeated interruptions -- and the rumor of even more to come -- really make it difficult to build audience flow and loyalty. We will all lose one or two million dollars for this."
Since I don't watch much network TV anyway I really don't care what he interrupts I actually welcome it. People are tired of seeing him, in fact a coworker of mine who regularly watches Good Morning America (poor thing doesn't know any better) said she is sick of hearing about his wife's workout regiment while the country falls apart. It was interesting coming from one those people who will no doubt be livid that American Idol is being moved on Tuesday for this.
My teeheevee will remain off.
I DVR all the NCIS and Bones epies on TBS and TNT so I’ll just watch what I’ve recorded. Heck with what TOTUS has to say.
“Hey, we all just looooooove listening to the Dear Leader drone on for hours at a time. Nothing we would rather do!”
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Well...actually there are a few things I would prefer to do like...roll in poison ivy to which I am extremely allergic, sandpaper a wildcat’s rectum, stick my head in a hornet’s nest, sleep naked in a swamp full of mosquitoes, try to stop a round of buckshot with my teeth, other than that, yeah I guess I would watch the messiah.
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