Glenn Beck Advertiser Exodus Goes Global: Waitrose Pulls From UK Fox News

LONDON — Upscale British supermarket chain Waitrose said Monday it was pulling its advertisements from Fox News in the U.K. after customers complained about the cable news channel's Glenn Beck program.

The popular and controversial talk show host is already the target of a boycott campaign in the United States after he accused President Barack Obama of harboring "a deep-seated hatred for white people."

Waitrose, known for its upmarket fare and focus on organic foods, said in a statement it was responding to customer concerns, and that the move was not politically motivated.

The wide coverage afforded to Beck's tirade against the U.S. president and the subsequent boycott campaign has also been noticed in Britain – where Fox owner Rupert Murdoch controls a powerful news and broadcasting empire.

Color of Change, the group which has lobbied advertisers to steer clear of Beck's show, claims that about 80 U.S. companies, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., have deserted the pugnacious television host.

Last month The Independent newspaper quoted James Rucker, Color of Change's executive director, as urging British companies to put similar pressure on Fox in the U.K., where it is broadcast by British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC – a satellite TV service 39 percent owned by Murdoch's News Corp.

Although most U.S. companies who have dropped Beck's program still continue to advertise on other segments of Fox News, Waitrose spokesman James Armstrong said the company was pulling out of the channel as a whole.

He declined to say how much money was involved in the ad deal, calling the information commercially sensitive. Sky Broadcasting, which looks after Fox News advertising sales in Britain, did not provide a figure either.

Sky reaches about 9 million homes in the U.K. and Ireland. Fox News offered no immediate comment on the Waitrose announcement. In the past, the channel has said it has not been affected by the boycott.

Comments

[tonylin]

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[UTwister]

Glenn Beck is an entertainer and he also is an insightful commentator. I wouldn't expect Europeans to understand the outrage of many Americans since they are being fed the editorialized version of American news. Obama and his liberal friends are running the United States into crushing levels of debt, from which our children may not recover. The Democrats seem to believe that they have won the lottery and that those of us who are productive are 1) villains and 2) obligated to happily to pay for their every whim. They are either totally clueless or unforgivably devious. In any case, I wouldn't trade one Glenn Beck for a thousand Obamas, even if the Dear Leader won the Nobel Peace Prize with a nomination submitted two weeks into his term.

[rtb61]

Hmm, it would appear you have never heard of the internet, oh wait. Perhaps you're just not a very good troll. Everyone all over the world gets too look deeply into the US via the internet and point and laugh and mock, the clownish and bombastic behaviour of make believe conservatives and the wildly blatant lies they tell. The only thing they really have trouble accepting is that so many Americans believe those lies. Expect comedians from all over the world to start making fun of Americans and their political gullibility and ignorance, well technically just republicans but then it is much more fun to pretend all Americans are republicans, apparently just like the republicans do.

[KKojei]

Productive? Of What? Global mass murder? Rapine of our financial systems? Scam after toxic scam in everything from pharmaceuticals to medical services to the worst ignorance parading as somehow conservative? Conservatives engineered the bankrupting of America. Conservatives put the game into play. Conservatives robbed the middle class of any hope for a secure future and yes, it is costing trillions in debt to recover. Personally, I think you're right about one thing:

Obama should not drive this country into more debt to pay for a recovery. What he should do is take back every dime stolen by "conservative" individuals and institutions. Arrest, try, convict every one of them and take their bank accounts and property to return the money to our economy. After all, it is a matter of public record where you live, where you bank and how you stole the commonwealth. What I find amazing is that you are all still running your mouths, drawing attention to yourselves and the criminal conspiracies you perpetrated on this country. Keep talking. Maybe he will here you and do what we REALLY want him to do. Lock your arses away for the rest of your lives.

[lori572]

I ask beck and other fox tv watchers, "Why do you need someone to tell you what your opinion is? Isn't that the definition of propaganda, information given to illicit an opinion?"

now, i am wondering why this australian guy is shaping america, at least the brits reject murdockland and we should reject ameridock
from merriam-webster:
Main Entry: pro·pa·gan·da
Pronunciation: ˌprä-pə-ˈgan-də, ˌprō-
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Congregatio de propaganda fide Congregation for propagating the faith, organization established by Pope Gregory XV †1623
Date: 1718
1 capitalized : a congregation of the Roman curia having jurisdiction over missionary territories and related institutions
2 : the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person
3 : ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also : a public action having such an effect

[HeartT]

Oh, thank goodness. Let's hope the other advertisers will pull from FOX as whole as well. Since money is the only thing these people care about.

[jonez]

way to go Brits.

[dans5843]

After all these years ..........­..........­...
We used to enjoy Bozo the Clown,
Now, we get Beck the Clown!

We are moving backwards! Where are the magic buckets?

[robertbeatty]

You cannot censor the truth and Beck speaks the truth. If one cannot refute the facts, one attempts to silence the messenger.

Those who question Obama's thoughts on "white culture" should read his book "Dreams from My Father." It amazes me how many people attempt to attack Beck's assertions, yet know very little of Obama's past writings and statements.

Obama very adeptly utilizes "composite characters" to express his own racial world view as fed to him by his many mentors, including Frank Marshall Davis and Jeremiah Wright.

[billhodges]

Very Wise Post!

[alanposting]

Oh thank you Dr. for the thoughtful analysis of the "composite characters". Oh by the way, where did you say you got your degree....­maybe Fox university? I hate to keep bringing up Beck's mormon religion but his church did not even let Blacks become full members until god spoke to their prophet while bus loads of African Americans were planing on marching on their yearly "conference" in SLC. Doctor, any insights into the psychology of that one?

[robertbeatty]

Have you read the book?

If you had, you would have read Obama's Introduction in which he states, "some of the characters that appear are composites of people I've known (p. xvii)." Much of the rhetoric he assigns to these "composite characters" fits well within the teachings of Mr. Marshall and Rev. Wright. However, you probably have not read any of their writings as well.

[RealPlumber]

I prefer President Obama's "racial world view" to yours is that okkk with you?

[robertbeatty]

And what would that be? Do you even know? Your clever okkk aside, Obama's view is an assault on the American Dream. He wants people to believe that lack of achievement is based upon victimization.

In the words of Shelby Steele, "Today's "black" problem is underdevelopment, not discrimination. Success in modernity will demand profound cultural changes -- changes in child-rearing, a restoration of marriage and family, a focus on academic rigor, a greater appreciation of entrepreneurialism and an embrace of individual development as the best road to group development.

Whites are embarrassed to speak forthrightly about black underdevelopment, and blacks are too proud to openly explore it for all to see. So, by unspoken agreement, we discuss black underdevelopment in a language of discrimination and injustice. We rejoin the exhausted affirmative action debate as if it really mattered, and we do not acknowledge that this underdevelopment is primarily a black responsibility. And yet it is -- as historically unfair as it may be, as much as it seems to blame the victim. In human affairs we are responsible not just for our "just" fate, but also for our existential fate."

[LLfrombflo]

hope Beck's magic pajamas keep him warm when he's frozen out of the entire industry

Which i hope is ASAP

[JazzyJim]

My ex-wife, former Mormon, would tell me the racial hate that mormon's had and that they didn't even "recognize" African Americans or people of color in their "church" until the late 70s (if not early 80s) - she despised the LDS group. Of course, I spent my holiday's out there...if you like your white Christmas' -

[tucsoncindy]

From Waitrose Web Page

Powered by our Principles (PboP)
Over the last 75 years the Partnership has developed a powerful and distinctive culture based on our democratic structure and Principles. It defines how we treat each other day-to-day, and how we deal with our customers and suppliers. Our culture underpins the respect in which our business is held, the trust our customers place in us and our reputation within our local communities.

Powered by our Principles sets out what this culture is about and defines the behaviour we expect from every Partner. We believe this behaviour is so important to our success that we judge Partners on Powered by our Principles behaviour in their annual appraisals. The six elements of Partnership behaviour that together make up Powered by our Principles are:

•be honest
•give respect
•recognise others
•show enterprise
•work together
•achieve more

[JazzyJim]

Bravo! I can't support those companies that abandon this creep enough.

[tucsoncindy]

I'm glad to see this. I'm a member of ColorOfChange and would like to see the US advertisers also pull All Ads from Fox news. Waitrose has put ethics before greed.

[teresa1960]

"Fox News the Alamo for Truth? choke choke

I'd like to know what kind of medication he's on this week.

Oh Paleeese

[widdles]

Here is an interesting piece on Glenn Beck.

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/gee-we-wonder-why-glenn-beck-so-touc

[billhodges]

Glenn has pointed out the issues in this article and knows he will be under the microscope with his shows. I have never heard him complain about anything other than the questions regarding his mother's death, and that was based more why not investigate the issues rather than his mothers death.

You are digging in a hole that was already laid open for the public by Glenn himself. But enjoy the time spent and maybe you will learn something useful about todays issues he is addressing.

[SharpDressedMan]

Glenn Beck isn't funny or satiric anymore. He was years ago when he a silly DJ in Phoenix. He crossed the line after becoming a political activist and provocateur. Radio and TV hate mongers refer to the themselves as entertainers when excusing their inhumane behavior.

Beck is no entertainer. Entertainers don't smear White House employees to get them fired. Think van Jones, Jennings and others. There was nothing satiric or funny when Beck defamed and insulted our President did during that fateful morning chit chat on Fox Friends. There is nothing funny about Beck promoting incendiary teabagger bus trips and rallies. Whatever people think of Pelosi, an entertainer doesn't advocate assassination by poised wine or any other means.

So far he lost 80 corporate sponsors, more than 50% of sponsor revenue and now international sponsors started to withdraw their funding. Beck is due for a serious pay cut.

Beck kept taking pot shots and some backfired. He learned some new limits. He also relearned some speech has consequences. Btw, he is still free to express his views. No one silenced him.