Today's LTAR

[Aaron Read]

At 08:07 AM 11/18/2003, SteveOrdinetz wrote:
>  A. Joseph Ross wrote:
>
>>Both together shows how the networks don't want to piss off Bush (and his
>>Bush-league of republicans), when he's the one who can assure that
>>networks can buy more stations.
>
>Could it also be that the networks don't want to piss off any more viewers 
>and advertisers than they absolutely have to?  Network viewership (and 
>revenues) isn't exactly climbing, my guess is that they don't want to 
>drive away any more.  The general mood of the country is much more 
>conservative than it once was.

Ehhh...were that the case then how does one explain the high popularity of 
very "edgy" shows like The Sopranos and Oz?  Or Malcolm in the Middle for 
that matter?  I think it's more a classic case of trying to please everyone 
so you end up pleasing no one.  It's a very pervasive attitude in network 
TV these days.

Although the cynic in me does think that networks are indeed pandering to 
conservative values *a little bit* to curry favor in the hopes of more 
deregulation.  But ultimately I think it's more about trying to be pleasing 
to as many advertisers as you can and that rarely works well.


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Aaron "Bishop" Read             aread@speakeasy.net
FriedBagels Consulting          Boston, MA
http://www.friedbagels.com