BB&T Bank branches in NC playing FOX News

[mnhtnbb]

This is the letter I just sent to the Chairman & CEO of BB&T, advising him I had written our local paper complaining about FOX News being played in the bank. Can you imagine working there? What a great way to brainwash all your employees!

I have just sent the following letter to the editor of the Chapel Hill News:

Editor:
I recommend "Raspberries" to BB&T for their corporate decision to install televisions behind the counter of branch banks (Elliott Rd & Franklin Street) tuned to FOX News. The first time I encountered it, several weeks ago, I thought it was due to keeping people informed of Hurricane Katrina. This morning I went inside and discovered the set on and still tuned to FOX News. I voiced my utter displeasure at being subjected to what I consider propaganda, just to do business at the bank. I considered going out, getting in my car, and driving around to the drive-thru to avoid the distasteful garbage being spewed from that idiot box! Later, I discovered while chatting with my hairdresser that BB&T has installed televisions, tuned to FOX News, in other town branches (Hillsborough) as well!
A pox upon FOX and BB&T!

The idiot box does not need to be perpetually present anywhere. Subjecting your bank customers to the right-wing political propaganda that is the staple of FOX News
is justification for me to never set foot in a branch again. I thoroughly resent the intrusion
and were it not for the hassle of changing banks, I would do it posthaste. Instead, I will simply recommend to anyone I meet opening new accounts, that they take their banking business elsewhere.

[texpatriot2004]

1. Good for you. We have a Dr's office that does this and I think I

will formally complain too. That is a great way to spread propaganda. I now that recently I saw some study, I think it was a Danny Schecter documentary that showed Fox news watchers were the least informed. Did you see it? Anyway, I was thinking about slipping in some facts about Fox in my complaint.

[mnhtnbb]

4. It's Orwellian

I hate the TV's in airports tuned to CNN--but at least there you can go sit somewhere else to not hear the sound.

[yorkiemommie1]

2. good for U

i have done the same w/ Macy's.

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. Pull your account and tell them exactly why.

No need to support businesses that offend you. I wouldn't do it.

[mnhtnbb]

6. Not so easy.

I want to see if I can create a fuss, first. I've posted to a progressive NC listserve and the local paper usually prints almost every letter they receive.

What makes it so obnoxious is Chapel Hill is a liberal community.
The county went 66% for Kerry. Winston-Salem, however, where BB&T is located, is completely Bush country. I'll bet they love the idea of brainwashing all their employees and subjecting liberal customers to FAUX News.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

10. I'll have to read the paper- can't wait to see this!

:hi:

[TalkingDog]

5. I did something similar with a local bank in Statesville

They were playing a radio set to a Christian station. The preacher was one of those Hellfire and Brimstone types. My husband said he'd been in there once before and the same crap was on. He'd thought it an abberration at the time.

I got home, called the customer service number and gave the customer service rep. a piece of my mind.

We haven't been back to that branch to check it out, but will sometime in the near future.

[Pirate Smile]

7. You could use some of this information from David Shuster if it would

help your argument. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4962483

[mnhtnbb]

8. I posted over there

That's what gave me the idea to start a new discussion here.
This is Orwellian brainwashing stuff. Pervasive and intrusive
propaganda.

[gatorboy]

11. It's true..And it's played EVERYWHERE.

It's in Wal-Mart, in our office...Hell, my wife told me that when she took our son to McDonald's, she couldn't keep the food down cause they had Fox blaring in the background.
I was always under the assumption that business preferred a MUZAC sort of atmosphere. Fox is so loud and annoying...who recommends this stuff?

[Carni]

9. I have a right winged relative that I cannot stand who works for them

Not in the branches in the systems area--I am not at all surprised by this development.

[GaDemo]

17. Same here

There's a bank called "bank of north Georgia" here in Atlanta that has faux news on a big screen tv all the time.I'm not a customer but i go for the company i work for.And i make comments about it when i go there but they told me that they have no control being able to change the channel.Ya right. :eyes:

[mnhtnbb]

12. This kind of stuff affects everyday life

I love Chapel Hill. Great progressive, university town. My husband and I commiserate daily on the disastrous damage that the Bushies have done to this country. We're so worried that we've bought property in Panama and may retire there (he's 62 and I'm 54). Until now, though, we keep saying, but nothing they've done affects our everyday life. This kind of thing does. It's propaganda creep. How long before you can't go anywhere that this crap isn't being played all the time?

And we know what the effect will be. Look at what listening to right wing talk radio has done to the country!

[Lex]

13. I read somewhere that FOX News buys the TVs for these businesses

and "srongly suggests" that the businesses leave it on Fox News unless the customer prefers something else.

Seriously. I can't remember where I read that.

[mnhtnbb]

15. That's like the TV's being provided for some schools

And they tune them into some FOX related type news program
which has a right wing agenda.

But I've never heard that FOX is doing it for business!

[Lex]

18. I think FOX is definitely trying to permeate the masses with propaganda

and I think we are just now waking up to it.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Fox News isn't buying TVs for these businesses ("Hey, no charge to you!") and asking strongly that the business keep it tuned to Fox News.

I swear I either read an article about this or had a small local business owner tell me that's how he got the TV in his waiting area. Just can't remember which.

[leftchick]

14. They do the same here in GSO!

I expect it in carwashes but the fucking bank?? I am tempted to write to them as well. :(

[mnhtnbb]

16. PLEASE DO

Here's the address:

Mr. John A. Allison IV
Chairman and CEO
BB&T
200 West Second Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

I had to research their stock in order to find the corporate address.
The website only has a form which would get dumped somewhere.
Must indicate, just like Bushie, that the powers that be aren't interested in hearing from customers!

[SoCalDem]

19. Unles you are SELLING TVs , why is it necessary or even smart

to have TV on in the business place?? Most places I have worked have either had NOTHING on, or some elevator music in the background.. Encouraging employes to zone out at a boob tube while they work does not make a lot of sense to me..:shrug:

[Lex]

20. They put them in their waiting areas primarily.

In banks and other places there is often a little area with a few chairs or maybe a small couch for people to use if they have to wait a few minutes to see someone.

This is where I've seen the TVs anyway. Not for employees to look at.

[mnhtnbb]

22. This is mounted up high behind the counter

All the employees behind the counter can see it and certainly hear it.
It wasn't playing softly at all.

[mnhtnbb]

21. It's the repetitive propaganda effect

Even if you try to screen out what's being said, it's still making an imprint on your mind. The teller had to talk herself through the transactions. I had three--which is why I didn't go in the drive-through.

[SoCalDem]

23. That's why they should not be there..

Everyone has different tastes, and i would never want to offend a potential customer by showing something they might object to..

Whoever accepted those tvs should send them back or stash them in the back where people could change the channel to whatever they want to watch.. or better yet////watch tv at home and offer magazines for the waiting rooms :)

[mnhtnbb]

25. That's why I think they are after the propaganda effect

The corporate offices want people hearing this crap. They're Bushies--they think this stuff is gospel.

[Pirate Smile]

24. You may want to check out this thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4970464

[mnhtnbb]

26. Thanks

That's great. Texpatriot 2004 was the first response on this discussion.

This is what I love about DU'er's--they're off and runnning with ideas picked up from each other.