• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

HBO To Televise Obama Inauguration Event

Home Box Office will kick off the upcoming presidential inauguration festivities with the airing of the opening celebration Jan. 18, which it will offer to all cable subscribers.
The pay-TV service is working with operators and satellite distributors to offer for free the opening celebration for the 56th presidential inaugural, which is expected to feature some of the biggest acts in the world of entertainment, according to the network.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6627163.html
 
I hear the "O" in the HBO logo is going to be adorned with the red, white and blue rainbow "O" from Obama's campaign in anticipation of the event...
 
What about TBS? TNT? (TNT airs the "Christmas In Washington" event annually, which the President attends). It is an entertainment event, and it might not be suitable for CNN.

But what about that New Year's Eve with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin? It was an entertainment show...and it was on CNN. MSNBC and CNBC simulcast Carson Daly's New Year's Eve event from NBC. And don't get me started on Fixed Noise...

This is all odd...but I suspect HBO is using the event to drum up more subscriptions. The network probably lost a lot of subscribers after "The Sopranos" ended.
 
ansky212 said:
Directv has an HBO free preview all that weekend.

HBO is offering the programming up to everyone for free that weekend, cable and satellie alike.
 
What reason is there for HBO to carry any of this? It's way outside their format and the events are already going to be on every other broadcast and news network. I could maybe see BET or even MTV going off format to cover this, but not HBO. It wouldn't be proper for anything from Obama's inauguration to be "R" rated and if someone slips up it shouldn't be broadcast to the whole world on an uncensored channel like HBO. This isn't like 9-11 all over again where everyone needs to see this. Many people don't give a rat's ... about watching anything related to the inauguration. Also note that none of this is listed in HBO's program schedule.
 
poledo said:
Many people don't give a rat's ... about watching anything related to the inauguration.

This time around, however -- it's different: black president, the end of Bush's reign, the challenges for the next four years.

poledo said:
What reason is there for HBO to carry any of this?

No commercials, for one. One or two less terrible movies off the schedule, for another.
 
poledo said:
What reason is there for HBO to carry any of this? It's way outside their format and the events are already going to be on every other broadcast and news network. I could maybe see BET or even MTV going off format to cover this, but not HBO. It wouldn't be proper for anything from Obama's inauguration to be "R" rated and if someone slips up it shouldn't be broadcast to the whole world on an uncensored channel like HBO. This isn't like 9-11 all over again where everyone needs to see this. Many people don't give a rat's ... about watching anything related to the inauguration. Also note that none of this is listed in HBO's program schedule.

HBO is an entertainment network (movies, sports, original series both dramatic and comedic, comedy specials, etc.), so it does fit their "format." Moreover, no one says it has to be R rated to be on a pay service.

Finally, no, not everyone is interested in seeing it. They can choose not to watch it. Those are are interested are being given the opportunity to see it--and the problem with that would be.....what, exactly?
 
How will it affect the scheduled premieres of Big Love and Flight of the Conchords?
 
jal41 said:
What about TBS? TNT? (TNT airs the "Christmas In Washington" event annually, which the President attends). It is an entertainment event, and it might not be suitable for CNN.

But what about that New Year's Eve with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin? It was an entertainment show...and it was on CNN. MSNBC and CNBC simulcast Carson Daly's New Year's Eve event from NBC. And don't get me started on Fixed Noise...

This is all odd...but I suspect HBO is using the event to drum up more subscriptions. The network probably lost a lot of subscribers after "The Sopranos" ended.

Well, I can tell you that TBS and TNT have no plans on airing anything about the inauguration...but WPCH is. I believe they will be airing the CNN feed of the inauguration.

I do agree, that it is probably to drum up more subscriptions.
 
notalkallstatic said:
I do agree, that it is probably to drum up more subscriptions.

Well, it is kind of their life blood--everything they do is predicated on adding/keeping subscribers. Special events that build awareness are a good way to do that and make for good business.
 
jal41 said:
This is all odd...but I suspect HBO is using the event to drum up more subscriptions. The network probably lost a lot of subscribers after "The Sopranos" ended.

Incidentally, I wouldn't be surprised if Fox News' coverage of Obama's swearing-in had a similar ending... :p
 
I don't really understand all of this hoopla coming up to the Obama Inauguration. (a.k.a The Celebrity Inauguration) I don't see anything to my knowledge for anyone to carry on like this.

Each and every news show really are getting overboard and to the point of sickening about this. They are talking about "dress rehersals" for the inauguration. I didn't know anything or anyone had to be perfect to be inauguarated much less someone like Obama.

And I wouldn't be surprised if CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, HBO, Nickelodeon (yes it is going to be on there), MTV, etc. will spend the WHOLE DAY AND NIGHT pre-empting programs for this. Next Tuesday will be a great day for me to be watching the second season of Matlock on DVD or the fifth season of Emergency! on DVD because it will be coming out that day. (January 20th)
 
Braves2005 said:
They are talking about "dress rehersals" for the inauguration. I didn't know anything or anyone had to be perfect to be inauguarated much less someone like Obama.

Dress rehearsals are standard practice, no matter whether you like or dislike the person getting the new gig. Obama isn't going to be there--it's just practice for folks, some of whom actually want a major event to work out properly. Horror of horrors! Curse people for practicing something.

Oh...yeah, there's the security thing, too. You know, practicing what happens when so the security teams can better protect everyone involved.

Braves2005 said:
And I wouldn't be surprised if CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, HBO, Nickelodeon (yes it is going to be on there), MTV, etc. will spend the WHOLE DAY AND NIGHT pre-empting programs for this. Next Tuesday will be a great day for me to be watching the second season of Matlock on DVD or the fifth season of Emergency! on DVD because it will be coming out that day. (January 20th)

You also have the option of watching any of the overwhelming majority of channels who aren't covering it.

Let's see---the broadcast and cable news networks have provided extensive coverage of past President's first inaugurals, so nothing new there. Something tells me one day of The View or General Hospital lost won't kill people. Not to worry, though, NBC will still offer up Biggest Loser that night, while CBS will have The Mentalist. And local news/prime access is still available to the affiliates, so you won't miss Entertainment Tonight.

And since a new President, regardless of party, is news, um, yeah, it is logical the news networks will be covering it. It's kind of their job.

HBO is running one, count 'em, one night before the event. Nick has said it plans some cut-ins between shows, and given their efforts in the past to provide some programming about news geared towards kids, this is hardly new ground. (And how, praytell, is providing kids with some info about current events between episodes of SpongeBob all that bad?)
 
Have any other cable companies moved HBO as a result of this? In my area, Insight has moved HBO from 39 to 99. Channel 99 is where they typically show previews of their premium and digital channels for those of us on Analog cable.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom