With news that Glenn Beck finally donated money to Wilmington, Ohio, charities after staging in-person appeals on the town's behalf back in December, and with the news that most of the money raised from Beck's ticket sales did not go to Wilmington charities, it's time to ask this question: Did Beck actually turn a profit from his Wilmington appearances thanks to the sky-high ticket fees for performances? And did Beck turn a profit because Fox News, in a highly unusual move, allowed the host to charge exorbitant prices for fans to watch him tape his TV show in Wilmington?
Indeed, Beck's entire Wilmington production, which he relentlessly promoted as a selfless act of goodwill, looks increasingly cynical in its execution. It also looks increasingly profitable. For Beck, not the town.
We've always known Beck charged money for the Wilmington tickets. That's never been a secret. But the revelation late last week that such a large percentage of the ticket revenues did not go to charity raises the obvious question: Why did Fox News allow Beck to charge big bucks ($125) for tickets to the taping of his TV show? (And is that an option extended to other hosts?)
Let's recap what transpired in Wilmington late last year. In an effort to raise public awareness about the town and its unemployment struggles, Beck announced that he would visit Wilmington and shine a spotlight on the community. The host hoped that his legions of fans would descend on Wilmington for Beck's visit and (temporarily) boost the local economy.
When he announced his Wilmington plans, Beck also politicized his deeds by lying about how the town, in a fit of Middle America self-determination, had shunned financial aid from Uncle Sam. Instead, residents turned to churches and neighbors in time of need, according to Beck. In truth, the federal government has pumped millions of dollars into Wilmington and the surrounding county in recent years. Just last week the government announced it was pouring nearly $3 million more into the community. (By comparison, Beck has donated $44,000.)
As part of Beck's whirlwind tour of the town back on December 15, he sold tickets to three separate events at the Murphy Theater, which he rented out. Fans were able to purchase $125 tickets to watch the taping of Beck's nationally syndicated radio show. Fans were able to purchase $125 tickets for the taping of Beck's Fox News program. And fans were able to purchase $125 tickets to his one-man performance that evening, "America's First Christmas." Especially wealthy, or dedicated, Beck fans were even able to purchase VIP tickets to a breakfast meet-and-greet with the talker in Wilmington that day. (Those tickets sold for $500, not counting the $32 per-ticket service fee.)
Keep in mind that typically, television shows filmed before a live audience give away tickets. For free. The notion that a news (or even faux news) program like Glenn Beck would charge admission for the taping of a program is highly unusual. The idea that show like that would charge $125 is just bizarre, and that Beck was doing that in a community suffering from sky-high unemployment was just jaw dropping.
At the time though, there were vague promises made by Beck's camp that the money raised from the ticket sales would go to help Wilmington charities busy trying to help those in need. If true, there at least seemed to be some sort of defense for the Broadway-style ticket prices.
Read the full Media Matters column, here.
Follow Eric Boehlert on Twitter: www.twitter.com/EricBoehlert
* Rosland Capital
* The Grace Card
* Lifestyle Lift
* Tax Masters
* News Corp. (Fox News' Hannity)
* Pulaski & Middleman, LLC
* The Foundation for a Better Life
* The Weekly Standard
* Merit Financial
* Easy Water
* Solutions from Science (MySolarBackUp.com)
* Spark Networks LLC (ChristianMingle.com)
* Cramp 911
* The Weekly Standard
* News Corp. (Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor)
* Lear Capital
* Visiting Angels
* American Advisors Group
* MyLife.com
* Quten Research Institute (Qunol Ultra COQ10)
* The Johnson Law Group
* News Corp. (Fox News Channel)
* Goldline
* Lifestyle Lift
* News Corp. (Fox News Channel)
* Rosetta Stone
* IRS Tax Agreements
* EnergyTomorrow.org
* Rosland Capital
* News Corp. (The Wall Street Journal)
* Solutions from Science (MySolarBackUp.com)
* EnergyTomorrow.org
With Nir Rosen and his tweets.
With Larry O'Donnell and pulling the race card
With the new guy being a disaster as press secretary
With all that is going on in disfunctional media today,,,,YOU STILL OBSESS WITH BECK AND SOMETHING HE DID LAST YEAR
Shouldn't be a surprise to anyone really, though it is helpful that Media Matters points it out so that the rest of us can point out to his "fans" that he's just a greedy/selfish opportunist and nothing more.
You're all losers, baby.
So why don't you pay me?
I never assumed Beck was motivated by charity...but I guess it needs saying.
He's in it for the bucks...and anyone who thinks he actually believes the pap he spouts...well...The Old Jim And Tammy Faye Bakker thing comes to mind. People WANTED to believe in them. People were willing to pay for that belief. Tammy Faye would leak tears, wearing bling that would have choked Mr. T...and they STILL sent their money in.
And the Bakkers were selling love not hate.
So I guess when hate is your product, you need someone else to pay for your ad time.
I hate taking the time coming up with them only to have them scrubbed :(
I don't know what I'm saying that's keeping it from being posted.
At least 300 advertisers have reportedly dropped their ads from Glenn Beck's Fox News program since he called President Obama a "racist" who has a "deep-seated hatred for white people." Here are his February 15 sponsors, in the order they appeared:
•The Weekly Standard
•Rosland Capital
•Easy Water
•Lifestyle Lift
•The Weekly Standard
•News Corp. (Fox News' On the Record with Greta Van Susteren)
•Platformbreathe inc.
•National Geographic Channel (Secret Service Files)
•News Corp. (Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier)
•Merit Financial
•Solutions from Science (MySolarBackUp.com)
•Beltone
•People Media (SeniorPeopleMeet.com)
•American Advisors Group
•News Corp. (Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor)
•Goldline
•Spark Networks LLC (ChristianMingle.com)
•VISA Black Card
•American Petroleum Institute
•Peachtree Financial Solutions (Peachtree Settlement Funding)
•News Corp. (Fox News' Hannity)
•Lear Capital
•Lifestyle Lift
•News Corp. (Hannity)
•Oprah Winfrey Network (Our America)
•Platformbreathe inc.
•IRSTaxAgreements.com
•Rosland Capital
•News Corp. (The Wall Street Journal)
•MyLife.com
•Solutions from Science (MySolarBackUp.com)
Call em up people! I particularly like sending these companies 2 things... links to videos of Glenn being insane and a promise that I will never be one of their customers as long as they keep advertising during his show.
Attend and provide financial support for racist hate speech - for twenty years - then, yes, its entirely conceivable that you might be called a "racist." The probability that you have a "deep-seatÂed hatred for white people" increases significantly when others realize that not once in those twenty years did you attempt to denounce the demonizing of your OTM (Other Than Minority) friends. Nor were you concerned that an entire generation of young men and women of color were being infected the poison of jealousy, envy and non-forgiveness.
As a black man who has experienced my share of racism for almost fifty years, I find no excuse for anyone - especially those of color - engaging in or supporting the teaching of the same behavior towards others, regardless of their politics.
Obviously you do as I am certain you still managed to vote for a person like Barack Obama. It just exposes him for being "two-faced" and you for being a flagrant hypocrite.
Glenn Beck has long since walked back from his statement, but I most certainly won't.
Seems there are many Beck lovers as mods here because it has made it past them and actually got posted even though they were not in violation of the guidelines for posting.... here goes
There once was a guy named Glenn
who is quite the master at spin
most knows he's nuts
and just wishes he'd shut
what's right above his chinny chin chin!
8)