I'm Really Fed Up With TV Media

[TheBigA]

This isn't a new problem. Sixty years ago, FCC Commissioner Newt Minow said TV is a vast wasteland:

Newton Minow, ex-FCC chief who dubbed TV 'wasteland,' dies

Former Federal Communications Commission head Newton Minow, who famously described network TV as a “vast wasteland,” has died. Minow's daughter, Nell Minow, confirmed that her father died Saturday at home in Chicago, surrounded by loved ones. Although the Chicago attorney held his FCC post for...

apnews.com

The same could be said today. He attributed the problem to the way TV is funded: Advertising. He proposed government funded media. That's what led to PBS and NPR.

 

[Don CT]

This isn't a new problem. Sixty years ago, FCC Commissioner Newt Minow said TV is a vast wasteland:

Newton Minow, ex-FCC chief who dubbed TV 'wasteland,' dies

Former Federal Communications Commission head Newton Minow, who famously described network TV as a “vast wasteland,” has died. Minow's daughter, Nell Minow, confirmed that her father died Saturday at home in Chicago, surrounded by loved ones. Although the Chicago attorney held his FCC post for...

apnews.com

The same could be said today. He attributed the problem to the way TV is funded: Advertising. He proposed government funded media. That's what led to PBS and NPR.

Meanwhile you have people that don’t trust it because it is government funded.

 

[EricStein]

Indeed! "Please Lord, bring all the TV and radio stations LOT's of political and PAC ads." Our year-end bonuses and whether we keep our jobs into next year may depend on it.

What, the accident injury attorney and cable company ads don't do a good job subsidizing the stations when there is no political money coming in? The fact is the more mudslinging political ads are shown, the more people are going to turn off that TV.

 

[TheBigA]

The fact is the more mudslinging political ads are shown, the more people are going to turn off that TV.

Except they don't. People are addicted to TV. They have to watch. What they want is for TV to change. But that won't happen.

 

[radiocph]

Some of us are old enough to remember watching "The Wonderful World of Disney" every Sunday evening.

While that was a fun show, there was also a bit of sadness to it. We kids knew that, once that show was over, it was off to bed, and school on Monday. The weekend was officially over.

It's sort of like that now with the Olympics, and the upcoming Presidential campaign. Yes, right now we can enjoy watching our athletes play and (hopefully) win a gold medal or two. But once the last medal is awarded, and the final music of the closing ceremony is just an echo, we know that we are going to be bombarded with political ads. From now until November. And especially in the "battleground" states. TV ads, radio ads, Internet ads, newspaper ads, direct mail, exhorting us to vote as if our lives, country, and world depends on it.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Politics should not be about making money. There is the real problem.

So how should radio stations make money if they cant advertise a politician?

And its not about politics making money here.. its politicans using radio to get the word out.. shouldnt radio stations be paid for their services?

 

[Don CT]

So how should radio stations make money if they cant advertise a politician?

And its not about politics making money here.. its politicans using radio to get the word out.. shouldnt radio stations be paid for their services?

How do radio stations make money in non-election years? Maybe the problem is needing shady politicians to fund their coffers.

 

[Kemosabe]

You want stations to turn down political ads? If they turn down one, Theyd have to turn them all down.. they cant play favorites.. and must offer politicians the lowest rate card rate in .. is it .. federal... elections?

In its earliest days, Boston's WCVB did not carry political ads of any sort.

 

[EricStein]

Except they don't. People are addicted to TV. They have to watch. What they want is for TV to change. But that won't happen.

Some will just turn to stations which show less political ads. Some will dish out on ad-free streaming. Those who are bothered by political attacks but don't want to spend the money will hit the mute button during commercial breaks.

Maybe it's time for the DVR to make a comeback.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

How do radio stations make money in non-election years? Maybe the problem is needing shady politicians to fund their coffers.

It’s almost like (1) there can be political advertising in “off” national years and (2) overall fiscal health can factor in the political cycles as boom years that help carry the business in the lean ones.

 

[Don CT]

It’s almost like (1) there can be political advertising in “off” national years and (2) overall fiscal health can factor in the political cycles as boom years that help carry the business in the lean ones.

Maybe that’s the problem, needing political ads to run your business. People hate the ads and tune them out. Seems like a double edged sword. Maybe it is time for the industry to fold up and something new to take its place.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

That's what you get with an ad-supported media model. People don't want to pay for news. They want it for free. They get what they pay for.

What is the source of ratings? People watching. So the real problem isn't the media going after ratings. They're just doing their job. The real problem is that people watch. They don't have to watch. There are lots of choices if you're willing to pay. Most people aren't willing to pay. So the viewers watch the stations, the stations make money, and the stations keep doing what they do because it gets people to watch. Want to stop the cycle? Don't watch. Open the window and throw away your TV. That's the way to solve the problem.

Open up and throw away the TV 🤣. True it is the crazy solution but in reality there are a small number of people paying for news by donating to their local PBS, NPR affiliate for news, Or if it's online sources like AP News, Reporters without borders, The Guardian, Propublica, ICIJ. But that's a minority here actually doing that. This is where we get the issues of local and regional news operations getting shut down in parts of the country.

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[CTListener]

Maybe that’s the problem, needing political ads to run your business. People hate the ads and tune them out. Seems like a double edged sword. Maybe it is time for the industry to fold up and something new to take its place.

That's what internet media are trying to do. And that's where the advertising is going.

 

[KeithE4]

Maybe that’s the problem, needing political ads to run your business. People hate the ads and tune them out. Seems like a double edged sword. Maybe it is time for the industry to fold up and something new to take its place.

KPNX Phoenix is bombarding us with political ads, mainly for President and US Senate, during their Olympics coverage. Both parties are doing it, and it's already way out of hand.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

KPNX Phoenix is bombarding us with political ads, mainly for President and US Senate, during their Olympics coverage. Both parties are doing it, and it's already way out of hand.

I get more pro-Kamala Harris ads given that this is the home state plus both Sacramento and San Francisco are the home TV markets for the presidential candidate and lots of her donors and political allies are on the I-80 corridor from Sacramento to San Francisco.

Minnesota for Walz, Ohio for Vance and Florida for Trump would have similar things where the candidate is protecting their home state.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

How do radio stations make money in non-election years? Maybe the problem is needing shady politicians to fund their coffers.

Through regular ad sales. The problem isnt shady politicians and not all/not many are.. youre seeming to ask radio stations to just turn away money.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

In its earliest days, Boston's WCVB did not carry political ads of any sort.

ive worked for some stations that dont.

 

[Don CT]

Through regular ad sales. The problem isnt shady politicians and not all/not many are.. youre seeming to ask radio stations to just turn away money.

If it loses listeners is it worth it.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

If it loses listeners is it worth it.

i havent seen evidence it permanently loses listeners, though i havent looked at that intensley.. at one station it even made an eldery lady fed up with politicians in general that she ran her own ads, encouraging them to not be so negative.

This is a business.

 

[CTListener]

If it loses listeners is it worth it.

The listeners the station loses might show up as a two-month wobble in the Nielsens, statistically insignificant. I'm ready for the political ads targeting New Hampshire voters to start immediately after the Democratic convention and not let up until Election Day. But will that stop me from listening to my three favorite local stations? No, because they'll all still be playing the music I want to hear. Why should I care if some of the PSAs or timeshare relief spots are replaced by Trump or Harris ads? So long as the same number of songs are being played per hour, I'll continue to listen.