Obama's Prime-Time Addresses Could Cost Networks Millions In Lost Ad Dollars

President Obama's desire to talk -- and talk, and talk -- to the American public could cost broadcast networks millions, and millions, and millions of prime-time TV dollars.

Broadcasters are bracing themselves for the likelihood of three prime-time interruptions in three weeks, totaling at least three hours of prime time -- and ad breaks -- yanked.

"His economic stimulus package apparently does not extend to the TV networks," one network exec noted

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Moka11]

The networks have made millions off of Obamas popularity, the primary campaign, general election, Inauguration, etc.
There is no other single source that has revived network news divisions than Obama. His likeness sells magazines off the rack and many newspapers to temporarily fight off potential layoffs. Obama critics and political pundits have renegotiated their contracts and become tv regulars hanging around network news organizations in green rooms waiting to appear for their next segment to trash Obama or praise him.
Fox News makes a living out of trashing Obama between missing or murdered girls and octuplets being born.
The networks are propaganda movers with minimal reality delivered. It's entertainment trash. The reality is that they will slowly disappear into the abyss through their own doing. They and their mouthpieces are disconnected to what's important.
Watch shows like "Morning Joe" or David Gregory on "Meet the Press" or Bob Schieffer on "Face The Nation" or Stephanopoulas and I see that networks have "jumped the shark." with the same old tired George Will, Peggy Noonan, disconnected punditry.
Listening to our politicians, they are mostly just as clueless. One only needs to watch a session on C-SAN to see that.
Newspeople, politicians, pundits, tv networks, corporate interests, etc are all in bed together. It's prostitution amongst prostitutes and we are slowly not watching it anymore.

[walk0nwalls]

So sorry networks that you had to yank "Two and a Half Men" to show Barack Obama speaking.

I'm sure they had numerous meaningful insight to give regarding our current financial situation

you know, after the poor writing and bad taste.

[nowarpleez]

Only in the USA do national networks complain about carrying the messages of the President of the country. You will find no other country making such complaints. This is almost unbelievable.

[kepary]

love the Halo

[swift goat pet for truth]

W cost the networks, WaPo and the US citizens trillions.

I do not recall Wa Po whining then.

Wa Po = clueless frauds

[voltage356]

What compared to the billions lost in Iraq or say millions of people who will be out of work come summer of 09. Our whole existence on planet earth is to serve the advertising machine i see. By summer 09 rolls around i don't thinks anybody would be able to afford anything advertised on TV. They need to get their heads out of the sand .This is the real deal. Someone needs to shake them out of the boardroom and rent the movie NETWORK.

[GeorgeP922]

Oh The IRONY!

They had NO problem taking Obama's ads for all that time.

They had no problem taking or rejecting the 30 min informecial bit that was a total of 5 million spread amongst three networks.

And not to forget the extra ads for news programs.

[UCLAdy04]

These networks have made millions upon millions of dollars from getting blockbuster ratings everytime Obama appears on their channels...so cry me a river!

[AGarcia]

"WAAH"! cries the major networks... who cares? They should be ashamed that they think watching "Lost" or "House" is more important than the president speaking to the public. The writer of this article should be ashamed. For those that think that the above shows are more important than Obama talking about the stimulus: they get off the island and he figures out the patient's symptoms by the end of the show, period. We need the adults in control and that's what the major networks are afraid of.

[ElBruce]

Meh, just stick some commercial breaks in there.

[HC4BO]

MSM stop bitchin' .....

You bash the guy enough .... At least let him make his case ...

[Tyler-Durden]

aww, poor networks. gimme a break.

if the networks don't want to do their part to help the President communicate to our nation, they don't have to. We can all tune in to PBS.

I personally don't have a tv. Tv used to be free. Now you have to pay to be advertised to. Forget it, the medium is obsolete.

I watch Stewart and Colbert on com edy central. com and that's it. I get the rest of my news here at HuffPo and goo gle.

[Daly]

Great - PBS is my second choice as they want to be like nets with talking heads CSPAN is for me other than that I totally agree.
I do not mind talking heads post analysis - I can turn that off; just do not like the jerks that think they need to explain FRAME what I can logically figure out using my own ears & brain

[SimJack]

TS networks, you want to brainwash us with BS TV and wall to wall ads to line your pockets, then you gotta give back some. Don't like it, get out of the business you fatcat whiners. Maybe Obama should just get his own station, see what that does to network ratings. How about ObamaCam? I'd love to see the looks on the faces he sees when talking to repugs about stimulus issues, pay caps, etc. That would tell their constituents a lot about their true ill-mannered repugnant character.

[tel8034]

The American people would prefer to hear about the specifics of the stimulus bill rather than watch "Big Bang Theory", "How I Met Your Mother", "The Bachelor", "True Beauty" and "Chuck".

And besides, if the stimuls bill does not go through at all, the same companies that place ads with the various networks may not even be in business much longer, and the networks won't have any ad time in their slot line-up at all to complain about.

What's all the complaining about anyway? .................... Is it just the case where the network executives are in bed with the repubs, and therefore they don't want to give Obama and the dems the opportunity to present their side of the current stimulus debate?

Are they afraid that if the American people actually hear the democrat side of the debate, there will be a widespread outcry for the stimulus bill to be immediately passed in its current form, thereby leaving egg on the faces of the DC rethugs?

[TheStudentPundit]

Well prime time here on the west cost is not until 11pm EST, so I kinda don't care...