Brian Williams, Barack Obama, Conan O'brien

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Brian Williams, Barack Obama, Conana O'brien

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Barack Obama Press Conference Ratings: Enough?

After earning a last-minute reprieve from the judges two weeks ago, Matt Giraud did not make the cut on Wednesday’s results edition of “American Idol.” The final episode for the 23-year-old piano player from Michigan drew 21.8 million viewers at 9 p.m., according to Nielsen’s estimates, easily lifting Fox to No. 1 in the ratings for the night. (More from NY Times)
Fox led over all despite earning a much smaller audience of 7.9 million viewers during the 8 p.m. hour with “Lie to Me.” The crime show was the only regular programming in the time period on the major broadcast networks as Fox was the only one of the big four networks that opted not to carry a live news conference in the hour in which President Obama marked his 100th day in office and took questions from the press.
About 29 million people watched the press conference on a total of 10 broadcast and cable channels, down about 30 percent from a similar event held last month.

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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.
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Who Chose The Shot Of Obama

First on Twitter... JeffParsonsDC

Who chose the shot of Barack Obama during his speech? The camera was lowered slightly... shooting up toward the President. Anyone who has shot anchors/news knows that the slight upward angle inplies strength power etc. This shot was more dramatic that a slight angle. The upward angle was a bit annoring. It was as though someone wanted me to look up his nostrils.
Shooting deadon or level at someone creates an uneasy or weak perception.
It may just be me.. but the angle of shooting Obama tonight was far different than Presidential speeches that I recall.

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Saturday Night Live Opening Skit - Steve Martin

--First mentioned on twitter.com/JeffParsonsDC -- follow JeffParsonsDC --
The opening skit of 'Saturday Night Live' captured the essence of the Obama administration right now. It's about reliving the short, glorious past... while trying to cope with the economy, wars, etc... you know, the reality. The "I just couldn't pick Hillary. I just couldn't," line was classic. Steve Martin hosted SNL for the 15th time.

By the way, see the real Barack Obama in the weekly radio address.

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EDITORIAL: Couric Comments Remind Me About Bush Boos During Obama Inauguration

EDITORIAL: A comment from a reader to this post about Katie Couric reminded me about the booing of Pres. George W. Bush at the Barack Obama inauguration. Here's the video..

(More Bush Booing Coverage: NewYorkTimes, ChicagoBreakingNews)
This is a little off track from covering "the media" But I felt horribly embarrassed as an American when this happened. I was fortunate enough to have a ticket right behind the seated area at the Capitol. People there booed as well. COME ON FOLKS... I know people want him out of office. But, he is a President of the United States. If that can not command even a small degree of modest respect, then how the hell do we expect a new generation to be respectful of those who they may disagree with. If he did nothing more, Bush kept the borders of the country safe since 9/11. Now.. in a rare disclosure of my opinion on politics, I too felt it was time for a change after 8 years of Bush. That's why the Constitution won't allow him to serve a third consecutive term. This 'time for change' is the exact reason leaders placed that protection for all of us. Booing our President sets a great example to the rest of the world, right? I'm sure Bush could have cared less. But, I hope Mr. Obama was embarrassed by the way the masses booed Bush. I know I was.


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Katie Couric Gets US Air Capt., Goes Prime Time, Hosts A Grammy Special.... and Angers Inauguration Day Viewers

Katie Couric seems to be on a roll.
First... she snags the exclusive from Matt Lauer with US Air Capt. Chesley Sullenberger. While Lauer and NBC said they had the interview for last Monday (although it was delayed), CBS now has the interview that will air on Feb. 8, on '60 Minutes' right before the Grammy Awards. FROM THE NYTIMES.COM Soon after NBC began publicizing that appearance it was abruptly canceled, at the request of the pilots’ union, which expressed concern that it might affect the investigation into the landing, which was executed so well that all 155 people on board survived. Asked on Friday why the captain had since decided to pass over “Today” for “60 Minutes,” a Sullenberger family spokesman, Alex Clemens, said, “The five members of the crew spoke with each other and made a joint decision of how they would like to proceed.” In a statement, NBC said: “What Captain Sullenberger did in the cockpit on Flight 1549 was heroic and admirable. Unfortunately, people close to him have not acted nearly as admirably.”

Then, word came that Couric would get a special edition of 'CBS Evening News' in prime time this week on Jan. 28. FROM THE CBS RELEASE
"This is a unique opportunity to showcase the CBS Evening News and give viewers who might not be able to sample the broadcast the chance to see the outstanding work being done by Katie and the CBS News team," said Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports.
"I am extremely proud of the tremendous work by Katie and our entire team and the primetime broadcast is yet another platform to bring our distinct reporting and franchise news series to a wider audience," said Rick Kaplan, Executive Producer of the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC

And now... word from CBS that Couric will host a Grammy artist special on Feb 4. TVNewser.com (one of my regular reads) has the info.
The special is being produced by the news division with "48 Hours Mystery" EP Susan Zirinsky in charge. "Couric has an innate ability for getting people to reveal themselves in a uniquely intimate way," says Zirinsky. "This broadcast highlights her talent and showcases a new side of these celebrated artists like Justin Timberlake."
==============
Meantime... I am still intrigued by what Couric said about George W. Bush on the Barack Obama inauguration day. Several readers posted on my site angry comments. Several more have added their feedback. What did she say? Does anyone have a clip? Here are the comments.
SunflowerPipes said...
This article reminds me that we have come so far in so little time. Obama is an inspiring leader and I was grateful to be present at his inauguration. I have seen a lot of comments stating that as Americans people should not have booed Bush. I think that they have forgotten what it means to be Americans. I practice dissent were I believe it is needed. There is no doubt that Bush has broken the law and betrayed the trust of the country on many occasions. Look no further than the justice department for evidence of this. I am enclosing a link to the footage I took of Bush being booed at Obama's inauguration. People look like they are just ready for Bush to go and I feel as they do. Bush Booed During Inauguration LinkCheers
H said...
Hey SunflowerPinHead:There is difference between dissent and out and out rudeness. You can express a dissenting point of view without being rude or nasty. In fact, when expressing dissent in a dignified way, you are more likely to be heard from people who might be open to your point of view. Besides people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, meaning what the heck do you know about federal law b/c I think you should provide an explanation (of your own, not some media outlets) giving the so-called crime of Bush. When you can sit down and read a law book, interpret it appropriately, and then justify what you are saying using that source as a citation then maybe I would be open to what you are saying, but since you don't know that booing is not dissenting, I wonder if you could analyze federal law--no actually, you sound so ignorant that I'd be surprised that you could even read it. Look up dissent in the dictionary, and try not to sound like a rebellious teenager. You are a good example of what is wrong with American
H said...
dissent-1 : to withhold assent 2 : to differ in opinion(note the definition says absolutely nothing about being immature, rude, or booing)
Anonymous said...
PRES. BUSH WAS OUT OF OFFICE AND ON AIRPLANE TO TEXAS. KATIE WAS STILL TALKING BAD ABOUT HIM AND THE JOB HE DID. I WAS NO LOVER OF PRES. BUSH, BUT KATIE NEEDS TO BE FIRED FOR THE THINGS SHE SAYS.
Anonymous said...
KC ...it's too bad you have to try and "boost" yourself by taking others down. A professional wouldn't have to do that. You may want to consider another career!
Anonymous said...
After today's coverage of the inauguration her ratings should go right back down. Anonymous said..

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Oprah's Barack Obama Inauguration Washington DC Show Makes News; Joe Biden Shushes Wife After Secretary of State Comment

A mini bruhaha is developing after the taping of the Oprah Winfrey show at the Kennedy Center in Washington. Oprah is here with her show to honor Barack Obama and his inauguration Tuesday. Today... Joe Biden and his wife Jill were among Oprah's guests. Jill Biden apparently let it slip that Joe Biden has his choice of the vice-president's spot... or the secretary of state. Yes... that same job that Hillary Clinton will take. Joe Biden apparently shushed his wife after her slip up. Was it news that the Obama administration would rather not have let out of the bag?

Here's part of the story from the Associated Press.
The Bidens made a surprise appearance on Winfrey's show, recorded at the Kennedy Center for broadcast later Monday on the eve of the inauguration. The celebrity-filled show also included the premiere of "America's Song," performed by Faith Hill, Seal, Bono, Mary J. Blige, Will.i.am and David Foster in honor of the occasion and available for free download on Winfrey's Web site.
The vice president-elect said he only accepted Obama's offer to be his running mate after talking it over with "Jilly," his pet name for his wife. Mrs. Biden said she told him vice president would be better for the family.
"If you're secretary of state, you'll be away, we'll never see you, you know," she said. "I'll see you at a state dinner once and awhile. But I said, if you are vice president, the entire family, because they worked so hard for the election, they can be involved. They can come to our home. They can go to events, they can be with us all the time. And that's what's important to us."
Obama's transition office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether he was offered both jobs. Obama gave the secretary of state job to Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The vice president-elect didn't address his wife's comments, but said didn't immediately take the vice presidential offer since he wasn't sure it was the best place for him to serve. But Biden, who ran against Obama in the Democratic primary race, said he agreed after getting some assurances from Obama about his role.
"This is a partnership," Biden said. "He's president of the United States, but as I said to him when he asked me, I said, `Barack, don't ask me unless the reason you're asking me is, you're asking me for my judgment. I get to be the last guy in the room before you make every important decision. You're president. Any decision you make, I will back.' "
"He said he wanted to have a confidant and somebody who wouldn't be a yes man. He's pretty sure about that" last part, Biden said with a laugh.

Read the rest of it here. (Disclosure.. I work for the AP in Washington.. but am not a part of the editorial process covering daily news)
MORE COVERAGE
ABC
CBS
USATODAY

NOTES FROM THE SHOWut
OK... I know Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher are big Hollywood stars but geez, the first 15 minutes of the show was spent talking with the two. Could Oprah... Oprah... not find more relevant guests to speak about the tremendous role of Barack Obama than Moore and Kutcher?
.... OH... and then Anderson Cooper talks about Obama. I want to be inspirced. I want to feel emotionally empowered. Oprah can do that with her show. This is not doing that for me.
======================
My National Mall blog entries
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Obama Inauguration... Get Ready For Record Ratings

Get ready for record ratings (on TV and online) for the Barack Obama inauguration Tuesday. I am very fortunate to get an assignment in the ticketed, standing area close to the Capitol. But, no doubt there will be tens of millions of people watching worldwide.

MediaLifeMagazine.com has a nice report.
Four years ago, viewership for President George W. Bush’s second inauguration was strongest on Fox News Channel, drawing 2.6 million. CNN averaged 779,000 viewers and MSNBC 438,000. The latter two are expected to jump this year after seeing their ratings soar for election coverage.
For those stuck at work on Tuesday, dozens of web sites also plan live video or blog coverage of the inauguration, including all the cable news and Big Three networks’ sites, Hulu, Terra, Joost and C-SPAN. You can watch on your cell phone via Verizon V Cast, AT&T Mobile TV or MobiTV.
Here’s a look at who is airing what on television Tuesday.
ABC: Charles Gibson, Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos anchor live coverage starting at 10 a.m. “World News” will be expanded to 90 minutes, with limited commercials during the first half hour at 6:30 p.m. And a two-hour special on the "Neighborhood Inaugural Ball" will air at 8 p.m., followed by a one-hour ABC News wrap-up at 10 p.m.
CBS: Coverage anchored by Katie Couric begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. A special one-hour edition of “CBS Evening News” will air at 6:30 p.m., with limited commercials in the first half of the broadcast. A primetime special airs at 9 p.m.
CNN: Live coverage begins at 5 a.m. and will air until 1 a.m. Wednesday.
BET: Nick Cannon hosts a one-hour show at 8 p.m. celebrating the huge black voter turnout during the election, including live shots of BET’s Inaugural Ball.
ESPN: The network will carry the swearing-in at noon live and use a feed from sister network ABC. Jeremy Schaap will report, interviewing any sports figures on hand for the ceremonies.
Fox and Fox News Channel: Two-hour pre-inauguration coverage begins at 8:30 a.m., anchored by Bret Baier, with coverage continuing until 3 p.m. Later, FNC will broadcast a special primetime report on inaugural balls.
MSNBC: Coverage runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow and Eugene Robinson broadcasting from the National Mall. The network is also offering free coverage in 27 movie theaters across the country, in a deal with Screenvision.
MTV: The network will simulcast Couric’s coverage on MTV 44-1/2, the massive high-definition screen at Times Square. At 10 p.m., it will air live coverage of youth-oriented inaugural events.
NBC: Coverage will begin at 10 a.m. after a special Washington, D.C.-based “Today.” All of the network’s major news personalities will contribute, anchored by Brian Williams. The network will also air a one-hour Williams special at 10 p.m. reporting from the inaugural galas and summarizing the day’s events.
Nickelodeon: Teen correspondents will file regular updates on the inauguration throughout the day.
PBS: Jim Lehrer anchors coverage of the inauguration starting at 11 a.m. At 9 p.m., a special “Frontline” called “Dreams of Obama” airs.
QVC: Obama commemorative ware like coins and jewelry will be sold all day from a live broadcast in D.C.
Telemundo: The network will air a live two-hour inaugural special hosted by Pedro Sevcec and Maria Celeste at 11 a.m.
TV One: Twenty-four hours of inauguration programming on the African-American network begins at 7 a.m., with live coverage kicking in at 10 a.m. Primetime will be devoted to Obama coverage, including a previously taped interview with First Lady-to-be Michelle Obama.
Univision: Coverage begins at 10 a.m. with a special one-hour edition of morning show “Despierta America,” followed by “Noticias Univision Presenta: Una Nueva Era” at 11 a.m. with anchors Jorge Ramos and María Elena Salinas and continuing through the 2 p.m. inaugural parade. In primetime, a special edition of primetime newsmagazine “Aquí y Ahora” will air.

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MSNBC's Chris Matthews: Lovin' Him Some Hillary Now

I was fortunate enough to have a lot of projects to complete at my desk today... so I kept the Hillary Clinton confirmation hearings on in the background. For some reason, I left the TV on MSNBC. The coverage was anchored by Chris Matthews. If I didn't know better, I would have thought Clinton was the good Lord our Savior. Matthews gushed and gushed... and gushed some more about how great Clinton is. At one point coming back from break, Matthews chronicled the miracles in Clinton's life as if we all should step back and bow. Now... I really like Mrs. Clinton. I'm sure if she was watching the Matthews coverage, she would have chuckled. Matthews was one of the TV anchors who blatantly rallied support for the upstart Barack Obama... turning a very cold shoulder on Mrs. Clinton. It's odd how times have changed. Suddenly Hillary is the chosen one for Matthews.

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Barack Obama On 60 Minutes With Steve Kroft -- Again WATCH CLIPS

Barack Obama answered questions on CBS' 60 Minutes from Steve Kroft. This is not the first time Kroft has interviewed Obama. Check out my full post here about how Kroft got the latest interview with the President-elect.
OVERALL INTERVIEW
Kroft quickly dispensed of many important questions: the economy, the bailout, Iraq, the Cabinet, GM, etc. It felt a bit of a letdown. It felt like "let''s just get all of this out of the way early". While the interview as a whole allowed the Obamas to be real people. I really wanted to hear more substance about the plans for this country... substance that comes from reality for a President-elect and not campaign promises. It was great to hear and see more of the personal sides of the Obamas. But again, now is a critical time for action in the country. I watched the interview and had this nagging feeling that I just wanted more real answers, real substance. There were silly, basic questions like., "How has your life changed in the last 10 days?" Well... no shock. It's different. Give me better insight into what President Obama will do for me that George W. Bush has not.

CBS is NOT allowing embeds of the full show or long clips... but thanks to Youtube, here a few clips.




Watch CBS Videos Online
Here is a look back at some past appearances by Obama on 60 Minutes.




READER COMMENTS -- ADD YOURS BELOW
Anonymous said...
I thought the interview was very well done and I wish president-elect obama the very best wishes.I am praying for him and his family. God be the Glory.
Anonymous said...
I am so proud to be an American! Obama is a very well spoken man with great potential to do wonderful things! We dont expect a miracle worker...we do expect change! And I am sure we are all ready to roll up our sleeves and help make that change happened.
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Steve Kroft, 60 Minutes Interview With Barack Obama; How Did He Get It? WATCH CLIPS

Steve Kroft seems to have come from "no where" to get the Barack Obama exclusive for Sunday's '60 Minutes' on CBS. Sure, Kroft is a well-respected, highly-expereinced journalist on the only true "news" magazine left on network TV. But, one might have thought the first Obama interview would have gone to a cable newsie or an evening news anchor (Williams, Gibson or Couric). But.. Kroft? Here's is explanation to TVNewser.com
"We went and started working on a profile before he declared his candidacy," says 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft of President-elect Barack Obama. "I can remember the first time we went to the Obama house, the little girls answered the door. It's not like that now."
Kroft is in Chicago finishing up the first post-election interview of the President-elect, which will air Sunday. He first interviewed then-Sen. Obama for 60 Minutes in February of 2007.
"I think that they were happy with the story we did, and I had a good rapport with the candidate," Kroft tells TVNewser. "And it was 60 Minutes. And as the campaign progressed, we were there at sort of every crucial stage.
"And they realized that it was a great opportunity for them, particularly at a time when they were concerned about getting the American people an opportunity to get to know the candidate."
READ MORE HERE

SUNDAY NIGHT UPDATE: OVERALL INTERVIEW
Kroft quickly dispensed of many important questions: the economy, the bailout, Iraq, the Cabinet, GM, etc. It felt a bit of a letdown. It felt like "let''s just get all of this out of the way early". While the interview as a whole allowed the Obamas to be real people. I really wanted to hear more substance about the plans for this country... substance that comes from reality for a President-elect and not campaign promises. It was great to hear and see more of the personal sides of the Obamas. But again, now is a critical time for action in the country. I watched the interview and had this nagging feeling that I just wanted more real answers, real substance. There were silly, basic questions like., "How has your life changed in the last 10 days?" Well... no shock. It's different. Give me better insight into what President Obama will do for me that George W. Bush has not.
Now... the first clip of the interview.


Watch CBS Videos Online
HERE'S PART OF THE TRANSCRIPT FROM CBSNEWS.COM
On His Interaction With Paulson:
STEVE KROFT: Are you in sync with Secretary Paulson in terms of how the $700 billion is being used?
BARACK OBAMA: Well, look Hank Paulson has worked tirelessly under some very difficult circumstances…I think Hank would be the first one to acknowledge that probably not everything that's been done has worked the way he had hoped it would work. You know what we've done is we've assigned somebody on my transition team who interacts with him on a daily basis. And, you know, we are getting the information that's required and we're making suggestions in some circumstances about how we think they might approach some of these problems.
STEVE KROFT: Are they listening?
BARACK OBAMA: We'll find out. On Aiding The Auto Industry:
STEVE KROFT: The Congress has said there are not the votes in Congress to pass any kind of a relief package for General Motors.
BARACK OBAMA: For the auto industry to completely collapse would be a disaster in this kind of environment…So it's my belief that we need to provide assistance to the auto industry. But I think that it can't be a blank check. So my hope is that over the course of the next week, between the White House and Congress, the discussions are shaped around providing assistance but making sure that that assistance is conditioned on labor, management, suppliers, lenders, all of the stakeholders coming together with a plan -- what does a sustainable U.S. auto industry look like? So that we are creating a bridge loan to somewhere as opposed to a bridge loan to nowhere. And that's I think what you haven't yet seen.
On Reading President Abraham Lincoln:
BARACK OBAMA: I've been spending a lot of time reading Lincoln…there is a wisdom there and a humility about his approach to government, even before he was president, that I just find very helpful.
STEVE KROFT: Put a lot of his political enemies in his cabinet.
BARACK OBAMA: He did.
STEVE KROFT: Is that something you're considering?
BARACK OBAMA: Well, I tell you what. I find him a very wise man.
On The Challenges Ahead:
STEVE KROFT: Have there been moments when you've said, 'What did I get myself into?'
BARACK OBAMA: I will say that the challenges that we're confronting are enormous. And they're multiple. And so there are times during the course of a given a day where you think, "Where do I start in terms of moving-- moving things forward?" And I think that part of this next two months is to really get a clear set of priorities, understanding we're not going be able to do everything at once, making sure the team is in place, and moving forward in a very deliberate way and sending a clear signal to the American people that we're going to be thinking about them and what they're going through.

READER COMMENTS -- ADD YOURS BELOW
Anonymous said...
I thought the interview was very well done and I wish president-elect obama the very best wishes.I am praying for him and his family. God be the Glory.
Anonymous said...
I am so proud to be an American! Obama is a very well spoken man with great potential to do wonderful things! We dont expect a miracle worker...we do expect change! And I am sure we are all ready to roll up our sleeves and help make that change happened.
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Washington Post Admits Obama Bias In Coverage

Finally a major news outlet admits what many people said all along, at least conservatives and some bloggers (me included). The mass media was completely biased toward Barack Obama. In this case, the Washington Post admits it. Deborah Howell, the papers ombudsman, said as much in an article posted online tonight. Here's a bit of it.

The Post provided a lot of good campaign coverage, but readers have been consistently critical of the lack of probing issues coverage and what they saw as a tilt toward Democrat Barack Obama. My surveys, which ended on Election Day, show that they are right on both counts. ...
.....The op-ed page ran far more laudatory opinion pieces on Obama, 32, than on John McCain, 13. There were far more negative pieces about McCain, 58, than there were about Obama, 32, and Obama got the editorial board's endorsement. The Post has several conservative columnists, but not all were gung-ho about McCain.
Stories and photos about Obama in the news pages outnumbered those devoted to McCain. Reporters, photographers and editors found the candidacy of Obama, the first African American major-party nominee, more newsworthy and historic. Journalists love the new; McCain, 25 years older than Obama, was already well known and had more scars from his longer career in politics.

.....But Obama deserved tougher scrutiny than he got, especially of his undergraduate years, his start in Chicago and his relationship with Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who was convicted this year of influence-peddling in Chicago. The Post did nothing on Obama's acknowledged drug use as a teenager.

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Tom Brokaw As Vice President

Yes.. it could have happened. Tom Brokaw could have been Barack Obama's running mate. Brokaw talked about it on PBS and Letterman. See the Letterman clip here.

Newsbusters has the story of the PBS appearance.

In a Thursday night appearance on the PBS show Charlie Rose, it was revealed that the Democratic ticket could have been Obama-Brokaw. Rose reported: "I think it was Caroline Kennedy who said that when they have the short [running mate] list for Barack Obama, there was a name down there somewhere?" Tom Brokaw replied: "My name was on it." Rose pestered Brokaw to go into public service after his latest NBC stint ends: "There comes a time, you are reminding me of a conceited anchorman who once said to raise your right hand to enlist." Brokaw didn’t utterly reject the idea of serving a new administration: "I understand the need to step up from time to time, and if the right opportunity came along, I would certainly be willing to take a good, hard look at that."

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MoveOn.org's Creative Election Push -- Did You Lose The Election For Barack Obama?

I have received a number of calls and emails about a MoveOn.org video clip that has to be one of the hottest viral videos in the last 48 hours. It's from a fake news organization CNNBC (or is it? LOL) that paints the picture of one person costing Barack Obama the election over John McCain.

The video allows you to customize it to paint of picture that you (or the person you send it too) cost the election of Obama. It's a very creative, viral last-minute push effort to get Obama elected. I've received more emails and calls about this effort than any of the four debates.

Here's Marketing Daily's take.
According to a tally at the group's Web site, the latest MoveOn viral effort had moved an astounding 9.241 9.258 million people to pass it on as of 1:15 p.m. on Thursday.
What's so compelling? MoveOn made it possible for users to easily personalize the tongue-in-cheek, yet pointed video and send it on to friends and family members. The video's premise is a (so far) fictional scenario in which one Obama supporter's failure to get out and vote ends up in a win for Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain.
It works so well, says brand guru Laura Reis, president of Ries & Ries Focusing Consultants, because "Obama is such a strong and powerful brand, consumers are proud to advertise for him and receive ads from him. Passing along a pure Obama advertisement is something (especially right before Election Day) consumers are happy to do and happy to receive."
When recipients download the video, their names are inserted throughout as the individual responsible for Obama's one-vote election loss. The premise is a "newscaster" reporting on the uproar over the one-vote loss in a "newscast" taking place on Friday, Nov. 7.
Viral marketing--where consumers are asked to pass along advertising--is not easy to do, notes Reis. "Consumers in general dislike advertising and avoid it. So for consumers to pass something along it has to be almost devoid of any brand message or pitch. Without a brand message, why do the viral campaign at all? Many times people don't even remember what the viral campaign was for. They just remember the cute, dancing elves."

Here's more from CNET.

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ABC Gets The Shaft On Obama Million Dollar Spectacular

So.,.. wouldn't you hate to be ABC right now. Barack Obama spends $1 million for a half hour time each on NBC, CBS, FOX and MSNBC. Sure.. they are promoting that 'Daisies' show and saying 'we're the only network not political Wednesday night'. Well... you gotta do something when you get shafted. I wonder what the ratings will be? Can it top the DNC or RNC nominating nights? I bet so.

Some details from the LA Times...
Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s half-hour campaign commercial is scheduled to run Wednesday night on all of the major television networks – except ABC.
The senator from Illinois this month arranged to buy Wednesday's 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. slot on CBS, NBC and Spanish-language network Univision. Fox Broadcasting joined the field after Major League Baseball agreed to delay the start time of Wednesday's World Series game.
Walt Disney Co.-owned ABC, however, initially balked at selling its 8 p.m. Wednesday slot, saying it didn’t want to bump its regularly scheduled series, “Pushing Daisies,” even though the whimsical show has been struggling in the ratings.
ABC executives said the earlier decision not to accept the Obama infomercial was due to the problem of filling the second half hour of the 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. time period – and not for political reasons. (Scheduling conflicts did not stop NBC from quickly clearing its hour to make room for the commercial. NBC preempted its hour-long series “Knight Rider” and expanded the game show “Deal or No Deal” from 60 to 90 minutes to fill the extra time.)
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President Obama: Is The Media Out Of Touch

I posted this original blog a few days ago. Here is a track of some other, similar posts.
The Media Coronation of Barack Obama
Winning The Media
Whining Media 'Out of Touch'
It's amazing how much power the media has... not just in our duty but in our ability to shape and shift the country's direction. This post does not deliver my personal political opinion. That... is still between me and that electronic ballot!
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STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD. I should have listened to my gut before posting tonight. But, I didn’t. So, here it goes.

Why is the mass media so fascinated with Sarah Palin? They will say it is their duty to explore whether this candidate is fit to be vice president. I agree. That IS our duty. But what many in the mass media won’t tell you is that THEY have already determined that Sarah Palin is the cheerleader of the losing team. It's 8:17 Wednesday night. This is the top story headline on CBSNews.com: Hillary Designer: Palin Spending Strange Once the mass media has is fangs buried beneath your skin… there’s no escaping. If the media elected the president this cycle, there would not have even been a McCain-Palin ticket. Obama-Biden would simply have been inaugurated after Denver. Oh wait... they have been.

Why am I so angry? I have an honest passion for our profession. I completely understand and fully appreciate the need to operate as a business. We all need a paycheck. I have worked in journalism since I was 15 years old when I started writing a weekly feature column for my local newspaper. I was proud to tell the stories of the people of my community. I have worked on newspapers, radio, TV and the web. I have carried the torch for doing what is right. I have preached the need for appreciation of what users expect from us. But sadly, I am disappointed in how the mass media, specifically broadcast and print, have covered this election.

Why do I believe the mass media has inaugurated Barack Obama and Joe Biden? Apparently Biden has no background… at least if you watch the mass media coverage of this election. Apparently he has done nothing that’s worth calling into question. He has never cast a vote that may give insight into how he would respond as President, if needed. Apparently, he has never made any personal decisions worth talking about. He has never faced any professional or personal challenges that may give us insight into his ability to lead. Yes… in my assessment, he is far more qualified on foreign policy issues than Palin. But, does that excuse him from the glaring spotlight of examination on any and all issues? No it does not. But you would never know that from mass media coverage. Palin has been the endless target of questionable reporting. Palin has been a victim of the media’s unbalanced coverage.

Obama was vetted lightly during the campaign against Hillary Clinton. I’m sure even Senator Clinton would agree. But her husband may be the only one who would (and did) say it publicly. Obama is truly an engaging personality. But again, that does not excuse him from the final exam. America’s future is too important. The media has given him a free hall pass to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.

The responsibility on our shoulders in the media is to speak as the voice of the people, to be a watchful eye over the government and to hold people accountable who do not have our country’s best interest at heart. It is NOT, I repeat NOT, our responsibility to pass judgment on any of these candidates. But you have to look no further than the blatant, anti-McCain/Palin sentiment that has developed in the mass media to understand why our profession is in a freefall. If the candidates are not qualified to lead our country, please let the voters decide. Inform and education… but don’t decide for them. Unfortunately, I worry the media has now skewed this election so much that the amazing democracy that we live in will forever change. We now live in an era where opinion news is the norm… gracefully waltzing under the guise of ‘entertainment’. What a sham.

You may disagree with me… and everyone has that right. But, consider this new report from the Project for Excellence in Journalism. The findings support that the media has targeted much more negative coverage of John McCain’s campaign than that of Obama. “The media coverage of the race for president has not so much cast Barack Obama in a favorable light as it has portrayed John McCain in a substantially negative one, according to a new study of the media since the two national political conventions ended…. But coverage of McCain has been heavily unfavorable—and has become more so over time. In the six weeks following the conventions through the final debate, unfavorable stories about McCain outweighed favorable ones by a factor of more than three to one—the most unfavorable of all four candidates.” ... "For McCain, by comparison, nearly six in ten of the stories studied were decidedly negative in nature (57%), while fewer than two in ten (14%) were positive." Read much more of the report here.

Finally, after reading my post you may think you know how I intend to vote on November 4. I assure you that this post does not indicate that. However, I worry that the mass media has crossed a line that we should never crossed. We have decided the winners in the Presidential race. That is unfair to the electorate. I still hold out hope for our great profession… and for our great duty to present focused, unbiased content. If we don’t prove our passion in our products, we all should just give up. Stop the madness.

And with that, I’ll step away from the keyboard.

MEDIA COVERAGE
CNN - FOX - MSNBC - ABC - CBS - NYTIMES
PREVIOUS POST
Why I Am Angry With The Media...

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-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts
-CAMPAIGN ALERT: Get Barack Obama and John McCain Soundbites at CAMPAIGN BITES

Obama – Biden Elected President and Vice President Two Months Before The Election

STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD. I should have listened to my gut before posting tonight. But, I didn’t. So, here it goes.

Why is the mass media so fascinated with Sarah Palin? They will say it is their duty to explore whether this candidate is fit to be vice president. I agree. That IS our duty. But what many in the mass media won’t tell you is that THEY have already determined that Sarah Palin is the cheerleader of the losing team. It's 8:17 Wednesday night. This is the top story headline on CBSNews.com: Hillary Designer: Palin Spending Strange Once the mass media has is fangs buried beneath your skin… there’s no escaping. If the media elected the president this cycle, there would not have even been a McCain-Palin ticket. Obama-Biden would simply have been inaugurated after Denver. Oh wait... they have been.

Why am I so angry? I have an honest passion for our profession. I completely understand and fully appreciate the need to operate as a business. We all need a paycheck. I have worked in journalism since I was 15 years old when I started writing a weekly feature column for my local newspaper. I was proud to tell the stories of the people of my community. I have worked on newspapers, radio, TV and the web. I have carried the torch for doing what is right. I have preached the need for appreciation of what users expect from us. But sadly, I am disappointed in how the mass media, specifically broadcast and print, have covered this election.

Why do I believe the mass media has inaugurated Barack Obama and Joe Biden? Apparently Biden has no background… at least if you watch the mass media coverage of this election. Apparently he has done nothing that’s worth calling into question. He has never cast a vote that may give insight into how he would respond as President, if needed. Apparently, he has never made any personal decisions worth talking about. He has never faced any professional or personal challenges that may give us insight into his ability to lead. Yes… in my assessment, he is far more qualified on foreign policy issues than Palin. But, does that excuse him from the glaring spotlight of examination on any and all issues? No it does not. But you would never know that from mass media coverage. Palin has been the endless target of questionable reporting. Palin has been a victim of the media’s unbalanced coverage.

Obama was vetted lightly during the campaign against Hillary Clinton. I’m sure even Senator Clinton would agree. But her husband may be the only one who would (and did) say it publicly. Obama is truly an engaging personality. But again, that does not excuse him from the final exam. America’s future is too important. The media has given him a free hall pass to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.

The responsibility on our shoulders in the media is to speak as the voice of the people, to be a watchful eye over the government and to hold people accountable who do not have our country’s best interest at heart. It is NOT, I repeat NOT, our responsibility to pass judgment on any of these candidates. But you have to look no further than the blatant, anti-McCain/Palin sentiment that has developed in the mass media to understand why our profession is in a freefall. If the candidates are not qualified to lead our country, please let the voters decide. Inform and education… but don’t decide for them. Unfortunately, I worry the media has now skewed this election so much that the amazing democracy that we live in will forever change. We now live in an era where opinion news is the norm… gracefully waltzing under the guise of ‘entertainment’. What a sham.

You may disagree with me… and everyone has that right. But, consider this new report from the Project for Excellence in Journalism. The findings support that the media has targeted much more negative coverage of John McCain’s campaign than that of Obama. “The media coverage of the race for president has not so much cast Barack Obama in a favorable light as it has portrayed John McCain in a substantially negative one, according to a new study of the media since the two national political conventions ended…. But coverage of McCain has been heavily unfavorable—and has become more so over time. In the six weeks following the conventions through the final debate, unfavorable stories about McCain outweighed favorable ones by a factor of more than three to one—the most unfavorable of all four candidates.” ... "For McCain, by comparison, nearly six in ten of the stories studied were decidedly negative in nature (57%), while fewer than two in ten (14%) were positive." Read much more of the report here.

Finally, after reading my post you may think you know how I intend to vote on November 4. I assure you that this post does not indicate that. However, I worry that the mass media has crossed a line that we should never crossed. We have decided the winners in the Presidential race. That is unfair to the electorate. I still hold out hope for our great profession… and for our great duty to present focused, unbiased content. If we don’t prove our passion in our products, we all should just give up. Stop the madness.

And with that, I’ll step away from the keyboard.

MEDIA COVERAGE
CNN - FOX - MSNBC - ABC - CBS - NYTIMES
PREVIOUS POST
Why I Am Angry With The Media...

***GET MORE***
-MORE MEDIA: See the home page of WATCHING THE MEDIA FOR YOU for newest posts
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Anonymous said...
The media has been pulling for Obama sine their first choice,Hillary went down. They have such distaste for Bush,they were going to do all they could to get a democrat elected. I voted for Bush twice. That is a decision I now regret. That being said the media's job is to report the news. Give us the issues and the postions of the two party's. Their job is not to help elect the next President . John Mcain did not have a chance.

Which Moderator Won The Presidential Debates? Bob Schieffer, Tom Brokaw or Jim Lehrer

I watched all three debates. So, which moderator won the Presidential debates with John McCain and Barack Obama? Bob Schieffer hosted the final debate Wednesday. His questions, allowing discussion and more time on an issue when it was needed were strong. Tom Brokaw faced a daunting challenge of hosting a town hall concept. Jim Lehrer was under the spotlight and received varied reaction for his ability to control the candidates, the questions and the issues.
CNN Coverage
My vote? Bob Schieffer wins.
He was focused.
His questions were right on target.
He quietlty challenged the candidates when they didn't answer his question (which programs would they cut).
He didn't appear to be a moderating bully in doing so.
He didn't seem flustered.
He didn't revert to "the rules" comments.
He wasn't candidate-whipped.
THEY knew Schieffer was in charge.
BOB SCHIEFFER FOR PRESIDENT OF THE MODERATORS!
Cast your vote in the right column.

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