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TheBlaze TV

R

Rollo-Smokes

Glenn Beck's cable channel, TheBlaze TV, recently made its debut on Cablevision (Optimum TV) systems within the past week or so (in the New York City area at least). Since last September the channel has been offered on Dish Network (ch. 212), and they are actively seeking to get on DirecTV and more cable systems nationwide.

For those not familiar with the channel formerly known as GBTV, it is all Beck all the time -- his radio show, his TV hour, and other programs with his chalk-soaked fingerprints all over the place. It's the usual "Democrats/liberals/progressives/Obama/Muslims are evil, Republicans/conservatives/Christians/Zionists/libertarians are the true protectors of America" drivel, and as one would expect much, much, much to the far right. Studios are based in NYC and at Beck's compound somewhere in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Without this devolving into a political discussion...I thought when Beck left Fox News Channel to launch his own media outlet, it would only be available to his own subscribers as an online premium service (at $10 a month/$100 a year). And the sponsors are almost exclusively direct-response companies and those who share Beck's political agenda (such as the gold coin investment firm for which Beck is an official spokesperson). This endeavor must not be making much money right now, but I wonder if it will ever be successful.

Your thoughts?
 
On the contrary...they're making a lot of money and think growing into a full cable network will let them make more. The Wall Street Journal reported last year that he had 320,000 folks paying for the web channel. That translated to about 36 million a year in revenue.
 
I think it's pretty impressive that he's gotten the distribution he has. I think he'll need a broader lineup to take it any farther though.

I don't know that the enterprise generates enough cash flow to recruit other radio hosts to do shows there, but that would seem to be the logical next step.
 
Staying somewhat on topic, I wonder what kind of distribution, if any, the new "One America News" network has picked up. They're one month out from launching, I'd be interested on what systems have picked this up.
 
tested said:
On the contrary...they're making a lot of money and think growing into a full cable network will let them make more. The Wall Street Journal reported last year that he had 320,000 folks paying for the web channel. That translated to about 36 million a year in revenue.
Click to expand...

Those figures are impressive, but my question is this: as they are actively seeking wider cable/satellite distribution does it defeat the purpose of the subscriber-based business model? How many of those paying customers will stop paying once Beck shows up on their cable/satellite provider? How many have already? Beck will have to find new ways to keep those folks in the fold.

And furthermore, a look deeper into the website finds many of those companies who run ads on the channel. Give Beck credit for finding businesses offering products which are both unique and made in America. I can do without all the subliminal political messages, though.

umfan said:
I think it's pretty impressive that he's gotten the distribution he has. I think he'll need a broader lineup to take it any farther though.

I don't know that the enterprise generates enough cash flow to recruit other radio hosts to do shows there, but that would seem to be the logical next step.
Click to expand...

I've seen David Webb, a host on SiriusXM, appear on their Real News program recently. He's a like-minded Libertarian and Tea Party sympathizer, and an African-American to boot. TheBlaze doesn't have much "color" other than Amy Holmes (who is half-Black) and the guy who does their kids show Liberty Treehouse. I don't know if Webb would be interested in making the move to TV and aligning himself with the Beck banner but I would go after him.

Another personality I caught on the channel is Anthony Cumia of Opie & Anthony. I've never been a fan of those guys and I don't know where they stand politically, but Anthony was talking about supporting the Second Amendment and owning drones for personal use. Take that for what it's worth.

As someone who does not share their viewpoints the most compelling show on the channel for me is Real News, if only for the presence of Amy Holmes and S.E. Cupp. Is it just me or do conservative women in the media seem more "easy on the eyes" than their liberal counterparts?
 
It is a valid question as to whether this disrupts his business model. However, I suspect he's replacing the money lost from subscribers there with a lot more money from the cable/satellite providers. They wouldn't have to pay much for the programming for him to replace all the money he makes from the web subscribers. The cable/satellite providers probably like his programming because it brings them some of his loyal viewers as subscribers.
 
I haven't seen Current in a long time, Cablevision doesn't carry it and Time Warner Cable dropped it after it was bought by Al-Jazzera, so I wish I could answer that. But if Current is basically "analysis and opinion" the answer is YES.
 
Rollo-Smokes said:
I haven't seen Current in a long time, Cablevision doesn't carry it and Time Warner Cable dropped it after it was bought by Al-Jazzera, so I wish I could answer that. But if Current is basically "analysis and opinion" the answer is YES.
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Current simulcasts the Bill Press and Stephanie Miller radio shows. Aside from those 6 hours, the schedule is mostly documentaries (skewing left, of course, though plenty of celebrity/death/crime topics). They also have three hours of (east coast) primetime progressive rant/chat hours, plus an hour of surprisingly-good Joy Behar interviews (90% "celebrity/hot topics"). So, roughly 10 hours of a 24 hour day is chat-oriented analysis and opinion.

Given how slowly AJ has been in assembling a news operation, I suspect we will see the current Current last through at least the end of 2013 and a re-launch of the channel in 2014.
 
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