FOX Nation Debuts Monday - What Is FOX Nation?

So what is FOX Nation? Check out the website.
Here's what MediaBistro takes away.
he FOX Nation, a new Website launching March 30, has been teased in promos this week on Fox News and ads on FoxNews.com. But what is it?
The Website describes the "online community that believes in the right to express your views, your values, your voice." The "community" element seems to imply a social networking, user generated experience — for Fox News fans. We're not sure if the shaded states in the background have any relevance, since the map doesn't reflect any presidential election results. We'll keep an eye out for more details as they come.

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

CNN Slips To Third In Prime Time

Read the complete story from the Associated Press
CNN is poised to finish March third in the prime-time weeknight ratings behind Fox News Channel and MSNBC, the first time this has ever happened for the channel that pioneered the cable news genre nearly three decades ago.
CNN says its overall business is healthy and it is not straying from its straight news path. But it is suffering more audience erosion than its rivals since the peak days of the presidential election, further proof that the opinionated prime-time shows on Fox and MSNBC have greater audience loyalty.
CNN's weekday prime-time ratings are relatively flat compared to last year during the primary campaign, up 1 percent from March 2008, according to Nielsen Media Research. Fox's ratings have jumped 30 percent and MSNBC, the new No. 2, is up 24 percent. The biggest growth in cable news is for CNN's partner, HLN, formerly Headline News, which is up 62 percent.
Fox remains on a mountain above its two closest competitors, with its prime-time audience in March more than that of MSNBC and CNN combined. "The O'Reilly Factor" has done particularly well, keeping more of its postelection audience than anything else on CNN and MSNBC.
Through Wednesday, Fox was averaging 2.73 million prime-time viewers in March. MSNBC had 1.16 million and CNN had 1.14 million. The March ratings period ends Friday, and it's doubtful CNN will be able to overcome MSNBC.
"The fact that one network may have eked out a slight edge in one small slice of the overall business really doesn't say much of anything," Jon Klein, CNN U.S. president, said on Friday. "It's more clear than ever, given the way that our competitors have positioned themselves, that CNN has positioned itself as the real news network."
Relying on news, rather than opinion, leaves CNN more susceptible to higher ratings peaks during big stories and lower valleys in routine times. Yet it's hard to consider the present — new president, economic turmoil and two wars — a slow news period.
CNN's ratings news "is very significant," said Frank Sesno, a former CNN Washington bureau chief and now a professor at George Washington University. "This is a big problem."
More significant is what CNN's ratings problems mean coupled with the daily drumbeat of layoffs in the newspaper industry, he said. With people more interested in hearing things through an ideological prism as a form of entertainment, it diminishes the value of independent voices giving straight news.
"It's getting harder to do real journalism on television," Sesno said. "This is `man the ideological barricades.'"
***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

Canada Upset By FOX News RedEye

I'm sure I am one of many who "missed" the 3am airing of FOX News 'Red Eye'. But... thanks to YouTube, Canada saw it. Now, they're POd!

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

TWITTER UPDATES

Twitter Updates

follow me on Twitter

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

Barack Obama On Jay leno

From Washinton Post
From Leno to Lettuce, Distractions Abound for Obama
By Ben PershingIs the White House doing its level best to distract people from the cratering economy and the AIG bonus controversy?
Consider: President Obama went on "The Tonight Show" last night and did talk about the economy, but also made news by joking about the Special Olympics -- hey, at least he didn't mock Nancy Reagan again -- and even threw out the nugget that the First Dog would be in place by Easter. Michelle Obama, meanwhile, will break ground today on a vegetable garden at the White House. And, of course, March Madness has begun, reducing productivity and slowing the Internet all across the land. (Obama went 11-5 on Day 1.)
But it was Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski who took time out from making commercials this week to suggest Obama should focus on the economy instead of his brackets. And similar criticism has come for his decision to appear on Leno.
So yet again, Obama explained Thursday -- somewhat oddly, this time -- that he can and should multitask. At a town hall meeting in Los Angeles, Obama said: "Somebody was saying the other -- today, I think, that I shouldn't be on Leno. I can't handle that and the economy at the same time. Listen, here's what I say. I say our challenges are too big to ignore." So was he saying that, in these trying times, an appearance on "The Tonight Show" was just too important to put off?
From Newsday
Is there any politician in the solar system as skillful or as talented on TV as Barack Obama? We've already cleared up the answer to that question here on earth - there isn't - but maybe somewhere out there, on one of the moons of Saturn, perhaps. But I wonder - could even that guy go on the most famous talk show of them all and still come off as effortlessly nonchalant, bemused, smart, engaged, and funny - genuinely funny - as our president did last night?
Forget about the content of the answers - sounded like the usual old political bullspin to me. But never has bullspin sounded so mellifluous or benign. Watch Obama on "Tonight" and you are left with the impression that this crisis - oops, CRISES - isn't so bad after all, but one of those bumps in the road that we will get over or around.
Honestly, it was an amazing performance. I noticed today that there was some press over some politically impolitic comment about the Special Olympics - that the president had proudly bowled a score of 129, and after Leno's eyebrows sort of arched, he joked about it being like the Special Olympics.
Why, if George Bush had said the same thing it'd be above the fold in the NYT, with a second story reporting that a Senate impeachment panel had been convened. With
***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

President Obama On 'The Tonight Show With Jay Leno'

From FishbowlLA
According to the NYT, President Barack Obama will be a guest on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" this Thursday.
We're guessing this will be like the Clinton/Obama debate at the Kodak Theatre last year, where everyone who was anyone suddenly cared about the democratic process and was on the phone to their publicists to get them tickets. No joke, there were around 250 media outlets at that debate. Not a presidential debate, mind you, a party debate. Just one side of the ticket filled the entire theater and 'sold out' the filing room.
***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

Glenn Beck Taunts Hollywood & Scores Big In Ratings

There's Glenn Beck news again today. Beck announced on his 5pm show on FOX that the network would repeat his show at 2am Eastern... that means 11pm Pacific. That gave Beck a chance to taunt the Hollywood types... and taunt he did. He told the Hollywood types that he would be "in your bedrooms" after all the parties and "raves". Man's not afraid of a challenge!

Meantime... Beck's 5pm show Friday is now the highest rated show so far this month in the key demo. That is unheard of for a 5pm show. TVNewser mentions an interesting statistic. More people watched Beck's 5pm show on FOX News than watched all of primetime on CNN and MSNBC. Who said FOX would hurt when the Bush's packed up the moving van.

More from TVNewser.
Glenn Beck's "We Surround Them, You Are Not Alone" 5pmET special, featuring a studio audience and viewing parties around the nation, was the top-rated show on cable news in the A25-54 demo last Friday, with 993,000 viewers. In fact it was the #1 show in that demo for the month of March. Beck was a close second to The O'Reilly Factor in Total Viewers, 3.07 million v. 3.19 million.

SEARCH FOR MORE GLENN BECK IN THE SEARCH BOX ABOVE.

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

Glenn Beck Feedback

Reader feedback about recent Glenn Beck posts. Please add yours to the comment field.

Anonymous said...
Beck openly critizes both parties. He has stated repeatedly that the government answers to us not the other way around. If you truly do not beleive that then you have sold your soul to a political party--a party!!! Honestly, does anyone think that Dodd, Frank, or Chaney has acted in your best interest. If so, then you are fool. Keep up the good work Glenn!!!
March 13, 2009

SEARCH FOR ALL GLENN BECK POSTS by entering his name in the search field above. REMEMBER TO VOTE IN THE POLLS IN TEH RIGHT COLUMN.

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest post

Sunday News Show Notes

Here are some quick takeaways from Sunday news shows.
--"Meet the Press": I watched the show open today but turned the channel. I just can't get used to David Gregory anchoring this show. I haven't watched seriously since the election cycle.
--Flipped to "This Week": The roundtable was pretty good. It was thought-provoking at least. I can't believe the studio at the Newseum here in DC is as small as it is. That said, most TV studios are so tiny.. but look so grand on TV.
--"Dateline NBC" had the interview with Michael Phelps. I flipped to "60 Mintues". Is it just me... or is his golden boy image so tarnished that I really don't care anymore? He's still a hottie in those trunks... but geez, your image may have gone up in smoke in that bong. Was it worth it? (I use the trunks pic every chance I get. Just darn fun to look at. Too bad I live in DC and not Baltimore to see it in the pool.)
--I am happy to say that I enjoyed Scott Pelley's tw0 segment interview with Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke on '60 Minutes'. We saw a side of the fed leader we rarely see.... even going back to his hometown.
--Also, there was a strong promo for a solid report to come Monday night on the 'CBS Evening News'. I still contend that Katie Couric's broadcast is stronger now than ever... and she is given too little credit.

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

Glenn Beck Is BIG For FOX

I blogged last night about the big ratings hit Glenn Beck is for FOX News. Well, last night his 5pm show topped all other shows in PRIME TIME in the key demo... other than Bill O'Reilly's "The Factor" I'll ask again... just how long before FOX bumps him up an hour or two to continue a powerhouse prime time? (From Twitter/com/JeffParsonsDC)

More from TVNewser.
Yesterday's show drew 662,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo, making it the second most-popular cable news show with younger viewers, even topping, for the first time, Sean Hannity's show at 9pmET. However, Hannity beat Beck in Total Viewers (2.376 million vs. 2.331 million). But on Monday night, Beck squeezed out a few more thousand viewers than Hannity in that measurement (2.388m vs. 2.385m). A

THERE'S PLENTY OF GLENN BECK CONTENT ON THE BLOG----ENTER HIS NAME IN THE SEARCH BOX IN THE UPPER RIGHT

Read my FIRST POST about Beck's ratings.
AND... be sure to vote in the Beck surveys in the right column.
***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts
============================================
Check out these new bloopers... including one from Glenn Beck.

This is just funny: Farting Council Meeting

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

Glenn Beck Ratings: A Hit For FOX News

Glenn Beck is a hit for FOX News. He trounces the competition at 5pm ET. In fact, his numbers in the key demo are often better then Shep Smith at 7... as well as the 6pm hour on FOX. So how long before FOX moves him to 7... just before Bill O'Reilly? See TVNewser for key deno chart.

I have watched the show on ocasion. I don't pretend to agree with Beck's often political, inflammatory spin. However, I do agree with him on one thing: we all just need to think more clearly. We might be a lot better off (the government mess). I also give him credeit for not producing the same 'ol cable news show. His show is entertaining to say the least. Maybe he doesn't mind being called an "entertainer" (i.e. Rush)

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

FOX Affiliate Dream Comes True

First on Twitter.com/JeffParsonsDC
A FOX affiliate dream: Idol, sex line and the late news. I noticed a tease for this story on WTTG in DC...
From EW.com
Think American Idol is a family-friendly program? Think again. Yesterday -- less than one week after Cowell & Co., crowned a top 13 for the first time in Idol history -- the show's producers scrambled to find a new call-in number after discovering that 1-866-IDOLS-13, the intended number for the 13th contestant, was actually...(wait for it) a sex line. Sure, this would be perfect if Bikini Girl (real name: Katrina Darrell, pictured) was still in the competition, but will the special, one-time-only, inconsistent number bode well for the contestant awarded the coveted pimp spot? Or will dialing confusion hurt their chances (if we see Danny, Adam or Lil in any other slot tonight, I think we can assume that the producers are worried about the latter)? Either way, you've got to give it up to a phone sex company with the brains to choose a number that takes advantage of clumsy Idol fans, no?

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

Brian Williams Finally Hears Pleas For Good News

If a tree falls in the forest, does anyone here it.
Brian Williams says he's getting pleas from viewers for good news. HHHMMM What a revelation. We have been seeing this for a decade in TV news. Perhaps it is what is leading to the erosion of people from TV news. Or, perhaps it is the lack of insightful journalism that built the foundation for today's flashy-I-look-pretty-on-TV journalism.

From the Boston Herald and AP.
"I’m looking at a stack of printed e-mails," Williams said Friday. "We have more stories than we could humanly cover if we combined all three network newscasts. It’s hit an unbelievable nerve."
Williams said he’s been hearing it repeatedly from people he meets on the street or viewers who send e-mails: The news is so bad every night that it’s a burden to watch. Wrote one viewer: "We all know it’s bad, but the news makes us feel like crawling under a rock."
He recently ran into colleague Al Roker on the street outside Rockefeller Center and was surprised that sidewalks normally crowded with tourists were empty.
So he made a plea seconds before the end of NBC’s newscast on Wednesday: We’re looking for good news. Nominate people doing good work, perhaps a random or regular act of kindness in a cruel economy, and we’ll tell some of their stories.
He’s heard about a man who keeps a full can of gas in his trunk and gives it to people who have run out of gas, asking only that they do the same for someone else. One woman goes up to strangers on the street and gives them money. A man nominated his landlord, saying he reduced the rent and even helps pay his bills.
"It really told me something," he said. "I have learned a lot. I thought I knew all there was about the good nature of Americans, and this was a flood."
Williams was set to read some of the letters on Friday’s newscast and do stories from across the country next week from some of the suggestions. His "good news" idea runs the risk of being cloying, but Williams said a newscast, like a newspaper, has room for a diversity of stories.
***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

Do We Need A Full Hour Of NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams?

Do we need a full hour of NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams? The short answer is: NO. TV is so quick to try to expand on even a modest amount of success. Nightly has surged, somewhat, since the election. Credit the economic crisis if you want. But, that doesn't mean NBC should expand it to a full hour.... then two years later cry about the lack of viewership. On Twitter.com/JeffParsonsDC today I did suggest that a network might consider adding a half hour of news that actually holds the government accountable for getting us out of the mess we are in. The danger is that mainstream media often becomes the mouthpiece of liberal politicians and their agendas. We don't need that. We need solid, information, indepth reporting on a nightly basis. Forget the fluff. Give us substance.

Here's the background on Williams from TVNewser.
But NBC's surge in the evening has been strong enough for the news division president, Steve Capus, to suggest that NBC is positioned to be the first network to expand to a full-hour newscast. (He did not set any timetable for that move.)
In addition to listing some of the reasons behind Nightly News regaining, and holding the #1 spot (was it that SNL hosting gig?), Carter's story reveals what the NBC News stable means to NBC Universal.
Official figures are not disclosed, but a senior NBC executive estimated that NBC News, consisting of the broadcast news division, the all-news cable channel MSNBC and a much-viewed Web site, MSNBC.com, supplied about 13 percent of the overall profit of its parent company, NBC Universal.In January, NBC Universal announced a yearly profit of $3.1 billion. That would put the NBC News contribution at over $400 million.CNBC, the Weather Channel and Telemundo are not counted in the news profits. But with those outlets added, the percentage of contribution to NBC Universal's profits climbs to 25 percent - or about $775 million.

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

Rape Simulator -- Awful

This is awful (SOURCE: Slate)
The last couple of years haven't been as fruitful for video game scolds. Jack Thompson, the longtime face of the anti-game-violence movement, was recently banned from practicing law in Florida. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals just ruled that a California law banning the sale of violent video games to minors was unconstitutional. There is a Wii in the White House. With America's pro-gaming forces gathering strength, crusading politicians must now journey beyond our shores to find games to rail against. Enter New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who has joined with the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault in calling for a stateside ban of a Japanese "rape simulator" game called RapeLay.
Quinn is half-right about RapeLay. While the council speaker is right to say that the Japanese title is deeply disturbing, talk of a ban is just grandstanding—the game has already been barred from Amazon and eBay, and it isn't available in any brick-and-mortar stores in the United States. Like every other illicit entity in the universe, though, RapeLay is available online. Thanks to an elaborate network of software pirates, persistent copy-protection hackers, and devoted fan translators, a free, fully functioning English-language version of the game turns up after 30 seconds of Googling. In fan forums, the feedback on RapeLay is as creepy as the game's premise—"hours of fun," one user posted.
After downloading and playing the game myself, I would have to disagree with that review—a more accurate assessment might be "hours of getting depressed about the fate of humankind." The game begins with a man standing on a subway platform, stalking a girl in a blue sundress. On the platform, you can click "prayer" to summon a wind that lifts her skirt. She blushes. Once she's on the train, the assault begins. Inside the subway car, you can use the mouse to grope your victim as you stand in a crowd of mute, translucent commuters. From here, your character corners his victim—in a station bathroom, or in a park with the help of male friends—and a series of interactive rape scenes begins.
Related in Slate
Clive Thompson explained why Japanese gamers love avenging Pearl Harbor. Seth Stevenson did Tokyo on one cliché a day, including an investigation of animated porn. Steven E. Landsburg found proof that Internet porn prevents rape. William Saletan wrote about a New York Times Magazine article on why some women fantasize about being raped.
Early on, RapeLay operates like a visual novel—the exposition comes via text that scrolls over a series of static images, explaining your character's plan to enslave three women one by one, and his eerie delight in the premeditation. Although the interactive assaults are difficult to endure if you have a conscience, the game's text actually provides the most unsettling material. RapeLay relies on the horrendous, wildly sexist fantasy that rape victims enjoy being attacked. After the exposition, the game essentially becomes a simulator of consensual intercourse. There's kissing. The women orgasm.

MORE AT SLATE

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts

Speaking of Twitter.....

Everyone's talking about Twitter.. A few things:
--follow me and my DC tweets (those fit to print) here.
--and check out the cities that use Twitter the most here.

Twitter Updates

follow me on Twitter

Rush Rush Rush Limbaugh

I posted on Twitter about this earlier today...(follow me on Twitter) that the cable media seems fascinated by Rush Limbaugh... and that he really opposes Barack Obama. Is that really a shock to the rest of us? I mean come on... Rush was no fan of Bill Clinton either. Rush si the nucleus of what is ultrconvervative in the GOP. Does anyone really think he would support the Obama agenda? Really.

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts