Ferguson discussion thread (FERGUDISHU)

[cclaxton]

1) advertisers (correct me if I'm wrong) still need to advertise on FNC and CNN regardless of whether they sell more Chevrolets on Fox or CNN. So this is hard to get Chevrolet to pull ads.

The facts are that advertisers make decisions every day about which networks to play ads based on effectiveness and their budgets. One of the other factors is feedback from customers or political pressure from customers due to content. That is because they don't want their products associated with controversy. Here is a link to a website that lists all the advertisers who boycotted Glenn Beck: http://foxnewsboycott.com/fox-news-s...lost-sponsors/ This is proof that pressure works.

2) the viewer who already doesn't watch CNN isn't going to waste time complaining. They're more likely to complain about the channel they DO watch. 'I want FNC to talk more about impeaching Obama!'

It doesn't matter what they complain about today. What matters is whether we can work together to pressure advertisers to pressure CNN (or other news organizations) to change the messaging. Also, it depends on the marketing strategy of the news org. For instance, Fox News and MSNBC both have a marketing strategy targeting demographics that are conservative and liberal. They are not likely to succumb. But CNN, NBC, ABC, and other centrist network news organizations will succumb to pressure from advertisers.

3) when the owners of the media moguls are liberal, then they tend to hire people like them and so the chain of command stays essentially liberal.

These are also businesses. If employees don't follow corporate strategy and do what they are told, that hurts their career. I know a black woman who is ultra-liberal who was working for MSNBC. She was a producer. Fox News offered her more money to come to work for them. She took the job and produced one of their top shows. People are not hired for their politics, but for their skills. Money talks, BS walks.

Cody

[BaiHu]

Thanks for the follow up. Quick question: how much of what you shared in your post are examples of outliers as compared to the rule?

Meaning Glenn Beck revels in controversy and the liberal producer must have felt unappreciated and underpaid.

[David S.]

Write your letters to the editor, advertiser, GM, and politician. Knock yourself out.

Then go do something actually productive, like teach someone to shoot.

Cheers,
D

[LittleLebowski]

Write your letters to the editor, advertiser, GM, and politician. Knock yourself out.

Then go do something actually productive, like teach someone to shoot.

Cheers,
D

*like*

[cclaxton]

Write your letters to the editor, advertiser, GM, and politician. Knock yourself out.

Then go do something actually productive, like teach someone to shoot.

Cheers,
D

Last time I checked, I can do both.
Cody

[cclaxton]

Thanks for the follow up. Quick question: how much of what you shared in your post are examples of outliers as compared to the rule?
Meaning Glenn Beck revels in controversy and the liberal producer must have felt unappreciated and underpaid.

The broadcast market is very complex. There is a statistical distribution showing outliers and median/mean but I am not privy to those statistics. And, the shape of that distribution would vary quite a bit by network and even by show.

It's important to note that, while Fox and MSNBC resist this kind of advertiser pressure, the effort to get Glenn Beck off Fox succeeded. So, even when there is resistance to change, it can succeed.

There are, of course, degrees of influence which is harder to measure and harder to assess. For instance, when CNN first reported on Ferguson, it was buying into the racial argument and the overzealous LEO design. But after some weeks had passed, they started focusing on the LE side of this and had town hall meetings featuring LEO's and ex-LEO's who have experience with shootings involving minority citizens. The story started to shift to the LEO perspective being justified. A lot of that was due to their LE consultants lobbying the news executives to start telling the LEO side of this. So, internal pressure can also influence their news stories.

These kinds of more subtle changes are harder to trace back to the advertisers versus other stakeholders.

It is very hard to make general statements about the way media works. The details get very complicated very quickly. For instance, take shows that rely on embedded advertising. An advertiser has a vested interested in that particular program being on the air and targeting a given demographic.

Here is an excellent link to keep up with media news organizations: http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/
Cody

[David S.]

Last time I checked, I can do both.
Cody

Last I checked, that's what I said.

Cheers,
D

[BaiHu]

Thanks for the clarification/thoughts Cody.

[MDS]

Here is an excellent link to keep up with media news organizations: http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/

Interesting site, thanks!

[RoyGBiv]

And now UVA.
Not enough info on who did what, when and appropriateness thereof.

Why Did Alcoholic Beverage Control Cops Beat This Black UVA Student Bloody?

Meme of the day from link above.....