TV Networks Denied Obama Airtime To Tout Obamacare Enrollment

[Capt. Obvious]

The White House reportedly wanted to put President Barack Obama on primetime television Tuesday to tout Obamacare's 7 million enrollees -- but network TV officials denied him the airtime.

BuzzFeed had the scoop, citing three sources with knowledge of the request. Details of the request are unclear from the report, but it appears that the White House was seeking primetime space on broadcast TV networks.

The White House did not comment directly to BuzzFeed.

Obama instead gave an address in the 4 p.m. hour from the White House Rose Garden, simultaneously touting the 7 million enrollments milestone and rebuking Republicans for their crusade to repeal Obamacare.

TPM

My memory is shaded by time but didn't Reagan have tons of Prime Time addresses? Usually on Thursdays but never pre-empting The Cosby Show.

[rurallib]

1. I am older and remember that when

Presidents wanted to go on the air, be it radio or TV the networks made it happen. Ike, JFK, LBJ, Nixon etc.

This is really the first I ever remember the President being denied access to media.

[sheshe2]

2. Unfortunately, not at all surprising.

[liberal N proud]

3. American media - the best damn propaganda machine in the world.

The appearance of free press while bidding the plutocratic message to the people.

[fredamae]

4. No worries-I can deny them

my viewership, and frankly--what in the hell would I miss? Tabloid "News"--Hokey unrealistic theocratic social instruction for "proper behavior and proper consideration of this/that and the other thing"? I can survive quite well without that.
This is but Another way Corporate Media Dismisses/Disrespects THIS President....This ought to Widen our eyes to the bigger picture of WHY Dems have Less Air-Time and are "script managed" so Corporate MSM Fully Controls the Message. Dems have zero control over the "Stage" on which they perform--it's all rigged. We Need a "New Free Speech Stage" that's open to all.
I have Many, Many complaints about Many of PBO's policies--but, that has Nothing to do with the Façade about Everything that is "sold to us via CORP-MSM to the highest bidder" about him. Makes it real easy for the "Kochs/Roves/ALEC" etc to "educate the masses"..in the same kinda way all those folks are taking over our Colleges and Public Schools. They keep the masses divided via fear and hatred.

I choose to skip those fables, fairy tales, fictional stories. It's worthless fodder intended to confuse and distract and distress. Screw 'em.
I might be just One person--but I will NOT give them Any ROI by watching.
"They" Pay those talking heads--they Buy the commercials--what we have today--on air--for the Most part is Worse than having Nothing at all to watch, imo. I mean--look what it's doing to us and our country?

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. You are not alone.

More and more people are cutting the cord, and using their puters, and streaming, and dvds.
there is nothing on tv one cannot get elsewhere, and the internet offers zillions of choices, all on MY schedule.
Plus, as you point out, the benefit of not feeding the beast.

We dumped the old tvs a couple years ago and never looked back.

[fredamae]

6. If I am not alone

(thank God) then that might explain the "ramping up" of extreme propaganda--by desperation?

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. IMHO....

What I have noticed is severe dumbing down of tv offerings.
Most tv offerings seem to be "Fox lite "type shows.

I had noticed, going way back to 2000, very heavy "propaganda"
and was particularly turned off by CNN's coverage of the Iraq invasion in 2003.
In fact, I seem to remember that CNN did several "news" shows BEFORE the invasion,
discussing the "big bombs" that were to be used, the places that would be attacked.
They did a regular "preview" of a war that was to come, with loud colors and frantic breathless announcements,
whipping up excitement for the viewers.
It was nauseating and I turned the tv off, never turned it on again.

[fredamae]

9. I haven't quite

disconnected yet--but that is not far away-since it's either off or "muted" most of the time. Hubby isn't too keen on total disconnect---yet
Good on you, btw--for recognizing the bs early on! I wish I could say the same--but, better late than never

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. I had the same hubby problem.

Even tho he bitterly compained about tv fare.Child of the 50's when tv was a huge deal for families.
He is NOT a sports nut, tho, so that was in my favor.

so, I made him a deal.
we would put our tv connection on vacation for 6 mos. If he found his cravings were too great at the end of that time, we would re-connect.
disconnect timed for late spring, to avoid temptation of new shows in the fall.

After 6 mos. we were both so busy with all the stuff we found online and Netflix and Nook books, that he did not even notice how much time had gone by.
At the end of a year, since we had not been using the tvs, he agreed they could be passed along to someone who could use them..
they were both big boxes, not flat screens nor anything.

We spent some of the money we saved from no cable bills to buy nice flat screen monitors and watch all our movies on the puters.

It is so quiet in the house now, and the living room looks great without a big black eye taking up all the visual space.

[fredamae]

12. Hmmm-Sounds like

my hubby has a lot in common with your hubby--and it's approaching late spring--we are Always busier outside more- well - starting about now..til late fall.
The cable bill gripes me as much as anything--paying (a lot) for a Lot of worthless, mind-numbing crap I don't watch--all for the "hope" something worth watching will magically appear....he Does gripe constantly about that..so maybe I just need to try a bit harder....Thanks...

[lillypaddle]

7. Rat bastards! nt

[frylock]

10. worst. tyrannical. dictator. EVER!

[NightWatcher]

13. Punch the next person who says "Liberal Media" in the throat...

[Fred Sanders]

14. AP does not even bother with real polling. They select a thousand people based on a random selection

of people and then select the Chosen Thousand who they poll over and over again.
Cheap rat bastards are everywhere in the media.

[jwirr]

15. Besides faux which ones did this?

[spanone]

16. media consolidation has destroyed our media. journalism is deceased. dead.