Networks won't air Obama speech

[belzabubba333]

Last edited Thu Nov 20, 2014, 01:53 PM - Edit history (1)

Three major networks will not air President Obama's prime-time address Thursday outlining his executive actions on immigration.

Officials with ABC, CBS and Fox confirmed to The Hill that Obama's 8 p.m. speech from the White House will not be carried on their networks. CNN reported that NBC would not be carrying the address either.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/224777-networks-wont-air-obama-speech

[jwirr]

1. Well then we will not watch them either. Patiotism is dead.

[Fawke Em]

3. This isn't a matter of patriotism.

WE THE PEOPLE own those airwaves and we should demand they show it.

[jwirr]

15. I saw it as patriotism because I have watched everyone of those presidents and all the Democratic

presidents since FDR and it has been traditional for stations to carry a presidential news conference. They all did.

Today because we have so many openly R channels they think it is okay to just turn the show off. And yes you are right WE THE PEOPLE own them so they have no right to shut this presidential appearance off because they do not like it or they don't like him. It is political to them.

[Iamthetruth]

19. Than God

Living in North Carolina and Florida the last thing I want to see right now on TV is anything political.

[jwirr]

20. It isn't what we want to see. This is about access to presidential news conferences. We can turn it

off if we do not want to watch but when they turn it off on us we lose access.

[Iamthetruth]

24. I get your point

I guess I wrongfully assumed most people have cable and therefor have a choice to watch or not. I was wrong but I still have no desire to watch. I will enjoy the melt down tomorrow.

[jwirr]

28. Actually I am with you. I will wait until it is over and then listen to what everyone has to say.

[1StrongBlackMan]

30. Here? ....

A mix of "Pretty Speech", "Too little, too late", and, "NSA/Drones/Torture/Jail the bankers" ... with all too few, "Good job Mr. President".

[jwirr]

31. Yeah I know you are right. I do watch Chris Hayes at that time and it may be on there. Then I will

watch.

[1StrongBlackMan]

37. I'll be watching. eom.

[VanillaRhapsody]

41. Man you are on a roll today!!!

[yeoman6987]

34. I am watching network TV tonight

We will see the speech a million times in the coming days. What's to talk about? Just sign the EO. Why the need to convince us? Does he not feel confident signing it? How many EOs has he signed with a speech? None that I know of.

[VanillaRhapsody]

42. Not you silly....dang....some people around here sure think they are typical Americans....

I am going to guess you are not an "Average Joe Teabagger". There are LOTS of Americans that need to hear it...whether they like it or not.

[yeoman6987]

46. I agree that some need to hear it and they will

I promise that many will watch it on CNN, MSNBC or online. If the President was not sure he was going to sign the EO then perhaps I would watch to see him talk it out. But he is signing it so what's to talk about?

[jberryhill]

2. In other news, US does not have state-controlled media...

[Fawke Em]

4. No - we have people-controlled media.

We own those airwaves.

[badtoworse]

10. I don't hear much clamoring for the networks to air it, except here on DU

People can watch it on cable if they want to. I'm planning on watching the football game.

[belzabubba333]

32. if they can afford cable

[yeoman6987]

36. It will be in the paper if they can't afford cable

USA Today will have it front and center for a buck.

[belzabubba333]

39. well then problem solved we can read about through the republican lense of the usa today

[yeoman6987]

40. Wow! That's a first. USA Today is a Republican paper?

Do you really believe that? Fine. Then they can read it in their local paper which may even cost less...50 cents in most areas.

[belzabubba333]

56. isnt all media - maybe it's just my distrust of the media

[yeoman6987]

57. I distrust it too.

I decided to watch tonight after all. I will pick up the network show late. I missed it big time, then I will catch it on Amazon Instant Video or on demand.

[Travis_0004]

11. PBS will be airing the speech

So everybody who wants to watch it will. There are probably a lot of people who would rather watch big bang theory, football etc.

Isnt that the point of having 10 stations, to have several choices in what to watch? Whats the point in having the same speech on every channel?

[badtoworse]

16. It's called having a captive audience

[unblock]

6. right, we have billionaire republican-controlled media.

[belzabubba333]

18. conflating the 2 must have been quite a stretch

[unblock]

5. so now the bully pulpit is reserved for republicans?

[VanillaRhapsody]

43. I don't think those words mean what you think they mean....

[unblock]

44. ?

[VanillaRhapsody]

45. ...

This term was coined by President Theodore Roosevelt, who referred to the White House as a "bully pulpit", by which he meant a terrific platform from which to advocate an agenda. Roosevelt famously used the word bully as an adjective meaning "superb" or "wonderful", a more common usage in his time than it is today. (Another expression which survives from this era is "bully for you", synonymous with "good for you".)

[unblock]

47. yeah, so... it's not a very "superb" or "wonderful" platform if they turn off the mikes.

[VanillaRhapsody]

48. but it doesn't mean "bully" as in power....it just means GOOD.

[unblock]

49. yes, i agree with the meaning of the word in that context.

what i'm saying is that the presidency, or the white house, is not a "good pulpit" from which to advocate a position if the media denies the president an audience.

meanwhile, the presidency or the white house is certainly a very good pulpit to advocate a position when the president is a republican, because the media not only give the president a big mike, but also sing his praises for days before and after the speech, and show pictures of the president with a light behind his head, giving him the appearance of having a halo.

[VanillaRhapsody]

51. IOKIYAAR!

But one thing the Republicans are good at...MARKETING...

[unblock]

53. got that right,... sadly!

[VanillaRhapsody]

54. but its all they got...they cannot govern....

[bigwillq]

7. I won't be watching.

I will be working.

But I have no issue with anybody not watching or watching.
Folks are free to choose what they watch or not watch.
I don't think folks are GOOD Dems if they watch, nor do I think they are BAD Dems if they don't watch.

[Ykcutnek]

8. The WH should move their correspondents to the back row in the briefing room.

And only call on them sporadically.

[Blue_Adept]

25. Oh please

The white house did not REQUEST the time. If they wanted it nationally televised, they would have requested it.

[Ykcutnek]

26. Oh well. There's plenty of other reasons to move those hacks to the back. nt

[belzabubba333]

38. but the request is not the reason it's sweeps week

November is a sweeps month for the broadcast networks, which might have made them less excited about handing over valuable prime-time real estate to the White House. Ratings during the month-long evaluation period are used to dictate advertising rates.

[unblock]

50. no, they didn't put in a *formal* request because their *informal* request was denied.

seriously, you think this is all about paperwork?

the usual practice is to call first and ask if they would air it were they to put in a formal request. it's a negotiation, the networks can come back and say we'll air it if you give the speech at 9pm instead of 8pm, or whatever.

in this case, the networks basically just said sorry, our primetime programming is too profitable, so take your speech elsewhere.


so maybe the white house didn't bother with a formal request, but why would they? they already had their answer.

[oldandhappy]

9. So much easier to complain about what is said

if you do not watch or allow your viewers to watch the speech. Scheeese

PBS and MSNBC will carry it.

[hugo_from_TN]

52. The networks are not "allowing" their voters to watch?

[oldandhappy]

55. well, how would you say it??

If the speech is not carried, then the networks are being the editors and not allowing me to see/hear. Glad you enjoyed the comment, but I was serious.

[pinto]

12. Apparently the process is that the White House requests air time on the networks.

Heard it mentioned on CNN yesterday that the WH chose not to. CNN, PBS and Univision will carry it. Assume MSNBC will as well.

[NCTraveler]

13. I will be watching BBT tonight at 8.

I much prefer reading the text of what politicians say from the pulpit. Clinton and Obama can sway me from their looks and mannerisms alone. The issue is too important for my loins to have a say. Plus, BBT is funny. These days we all need a laugh. The speech will be available on a number of cable outlets and I'm sure PBS will cover it for those without cable.

[kentuck]

14. But it is important enough to report and show clips?

Of the speech????

[global1]

17. I'm Offended By These Networks Not Airing This Speech.....

It is a personal affront to the President and to the America People. I don't appreciate these networks making that decision for the American People not to air this. My understanding it is not going to be a long speech. In the past they just showed any of their shows in their entirety after a speech. So things are pushed back 10 or 15 minutes. Not that big a deal.

How can we get in touch with the networks and voice our opinion. Any e-mail addresses out there for ABC, CBS & Fox. Will NBC be airing this speech?

[madville]

21. The White House didn't request the airtime

Traditionally the White House requests that the big networks carry an event, word is they didn't request the network airtime in this case.

The White House may have NOT wanted it on the big networks since it is such a controversial subject and unpopular with so many people.

[Blue_Adept]

27. You're easily offended then

Because as has been said repeatedly (and in the other, longer thread), the white house did not request the time.

Being offended is the new easy thing everyone seems to do these days.

[Blue_Adept]

22. Why would I watch?

Seriously. Most of the time the entire speech is put out a few hours ahead of time.

Shame on me for not watching it live?

Get a grip.

I'll watch it online on my time and my schedule. Hell, a significant amount of Democrats are driving home from work on the west coast and further inland.

Shame on them!

Cry me a river folks. This is another piece of the daily poutrage - particularly since the White House didn't even request broadcast time.

[belzabubba333]

35. youre correct about shame on dems i'll remove that

[Capt. Obvious]

23. I was planning to watch the speech

but thanks to your OP I'm going to watch football now.

[belzabubba333]

33. i posted a lot are you so easily swayed

Last edited Thu Nov 20, 2014, 07:09 PM - Edit history (1)

[Matrosov]

29. That's a good thing

Considering conservatives are constantly trying to hijack the debate by falsely implying this administration is going to grant citizenship to tens of millions of undocumented immigrants, I actually wouldn't mind if as many of these executive actions as possible kept under the radar. Let the conservatives flap their gums about something else. In that sense, not having his speech air is a good way to keep it out of sight and out of mind of the Republicans.

[AngryAmish]

58. Yank their licenses, immediately.

They are not operating in the public interest. Every single local station.