No major networks are going to carry the President's Immigration speech tomorrow

[Horse with no Name]

So, I guess this is the only way to keep the mouth breathers from getting the unedited news. Instead, they will allow FUX et al to regurgitate and distort it first.

[bluestateguy]

1. Networks that don't play ball risk losing access and being cut out of the loop

T'sall.

[kelly1mm]

2. None of them are 'playing ball'. Should all networks be cut off? nt

[bluestateguy]

4. That's not my decision

take it up with Josh Earnest and Denis McDonough.

[Horse with no Name]

3. Yep. That is what they should do

Refuse entry to the Press Corps...I mean, if they aren't going to cover the news....why are they there? Can Fuckie Todd get tossed first?

[Cha]

6. Pres Obama made his annoucement in a Vid on FB that he was going to be giving a speech

on Immigration Reform on Thursday night, Horse with no Name..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025841163

I bet they're miffed.. I have a feeling corpmedia does not want Immigration Reform, anyway

Thanks for this

[badtoworse]

5. What about the cable channels?

[dragonlady]

27. It will be on MSNBC

So said Rachel tonight.

[davidn3600]

7. Isn't football on tomorrow?

No one is going to watch the president instead of the NFL.

[moriah]

8. I thought that was Sunday?

I dunno, I don't keep up.

[bigwillq]

10. There's a Thursday night game that airs on NFL network (nt)

[Travis_0004]

11. Im watching football

I can get the cliff notes of the speech tommorow. Im a bit suprised Obama would schedule the speech to compete with football.

[branford]

17. It is my understanding that he wanted to schedule his speech before

the Latin Grammy Awards on Univision that begin Thursday night at 8:00.

He wanted the largest Hispanic audience for what is essentially a political victory lap, and the Latin Grammy audience is the perfect target demographic.

[bigwillq]

9. Good.

If people want to watch the speech, I'm sure they know where to find it.
I won't be watching (I will be at work) but I will read a transcript or an article at some point.
I don't watch a lot of TV (I work second shift) but I really don't like when they interrupt the nightly broadcasts for news.
That's why they have NEWS channels--to air NEWS.
I think the networks should run a scroll and let viewers know that they will be carrying the speech on their website for those interested in viewing it.

[moriah]

12. What about those people who are using digital antennas, without Internet or cable?

There are a lot of them out there.

The President is a hell of a lot more important than Glee.

[bigwillq]

13. Then have it run on their public access channel

Do those users get that channel? Serious question, I really don't know.
I just don't like how it's on every channel.
If folks want to watch, they will. If folks don't, then they should be able to watch their Glee, as insignificant as that show may be.

[yeoman6987]

16. They should have cable then

[moriah]

34. Way to show sympathy to the poor. n/t

[Nye Bevan]

14. Should Netflix and Youtube preempt all streaming video with the president's speech?

No? So why should the networks?

[yeoman6987]

15. Good news! Absolutely no reason for the

Networks to lose money and eyeballs over a speech that will be played over and over again. Great call! Best night of TV. Can't understand why he chose Thursday anyway.

[branford]

18. Latin Grammy's on Univision on Thursday at 8:00pm

It's the perfect target demographic for his speech.

[yeoman6987]

21. So your going to preempt the show?

Yeah that will make friends. Nobody wants to listen to him from 8-11 pm at night. Really!

[branford]

23. The speech is only supposed to be about 15 minutes.

There will be a small delay among targeted at an audience believed to be very interested in the immigration announcement.

I personally have no idea if the delay will actually cause anger or celebration among Univision's audience, I was just relaying what I read about the choice of day and time for the speech.

[yeoman6987]

24. Then start it at 7:45. So out of touch sometimes.

His advisors not you.

[branford]

25. If they started at 7:45, many probably wouldn't watch . . .

Think of the viewers as a captive audience waiting for the start of the Latin Grammys.

[yeoman6987]

26. They wouldn't watch anyway on network tv

That is the other reason they passed. Anytime the President speaks, the viewers do not watch it on network TV. They typically pick Fox or CNN. They lose so much money for little gain.

[Ykcutnek]

19. Unprecedented disrespect.

The White House should move all the Latin American media outlets to the front row in the press room and move the networks to the back... only to call on them when they have time.

[yeoman6987]

22. Lol. Funny. That will NEVER happen!

And talk about disrespect. Giving the networks less then 24 hours notice for something that does not need to be discussed. Just take action. Talking is way passed due. The networks were 1000000 times correct.

[Drunken Irishman]

28. LOL

Most presidential addresses happen on less than 24 hours notice. The President hasn't spoken to the American people from the White House on network TV in a pre-planned speech for years. Yet they had no problem airing most of Bush's television addresses.

FWIW, it was more than 24 hours notice.

[branford]

29. The networks carry the State of the Union every January.

With the ubiquitous cable coverage of presidential speeches, no less the internet, there is simply no need nor motivation for the major networks to carry all requested presidential speeches. As presidential speeches are also on PBS, cable or satellite isn't even required.

The fact that the networks do not want to carry a purely political speech during November sweeps on a Thursday night during primetime, one of the highest rating nights on television, is hardly unsurprising. Nevertheless, no one who wants to watch the speech will miss have to miss it.

If the president wanted access to the broadcast networks, he could have negotiated with them for a different date and time.

I read that he insisted on Thursday night because he wanted to come before the Latin Grammys on Univision. Apparently, he will reach his targeted political demographic.

[Drunken Irishman]

30. Funny how that need was there with Bush.

Yeah, he was denied a few times, but Bush had far more prime-time, non-State of the Union addresses than Obama, whose last, from what I can recall, was when bin Laden was killed.

It's pretty clear the media has an agenda.

[branford]

31. Comparing 2001-2009 and 2009 to today is not equivalent

with respect to availability of alternative media and access. Also note that Bush's presidency was during 9/11, and therefore much of the public had much greater interest in hearing from the president on certain matters. More importantly, as you acknowledge, the networks refused primetime access for Bush on multiple occasions, particularly towards the end of his presidency.

The major networks have a clear agenda, but it's not politics. They care about profit and shareholder value. While once they may have felt the need to provide the White House, in the hands of either party, ready access, numerous cable channels and the internet have rendered such concerns largely moot.

Lastly, on immediate matters that interest their viewers, the networks will respond to the president, as they did with Bin Laden. However, an immigration announcement that has been discussed continuously for days, while the issues have been debated for years, and will be discussed on news programs, blogs and other media for weeks, did not rise to the level of requiring the networks take a financial hit this Thursday evening.

In the future, expect the broadcast networks to carry even fewer primetime addresses from any president, regardless of their political affiliation. There is simply no need.

[Drunken Irishman]

32. Sure it is.

Even in 2006, which was a paltry eight years ago, Bush's speech on immigration reform was carried by all the major networks. This is pretty indefensible. In fact, I'd wager Obama has probably done far less primetime speeches to the nation than any other president and the media won't even give him this one. Ri-fucking-diculous.

[branford]

33. Anyone who owns a television or computer will be able to watch the president's speech,

if they so choose. It will also be discussed for weeks and transcripts will be readily available.

I do not understand the myopic focus on the four legacy broadcast networks in an age of ubiquitous cable television and the internet.

Apparently, the priority of the president was to precede the Latin Grammys on Univision (Thursday 8-10pm), and that speaks volumes about his priorities and target audience. Specific demographics were prioritized over number of potential viewers. As expected, both Univision and Telemudo will be carrying his address, as will all the cable news stations, CSPAN and PBS. If it wasn't scheduled for Thursday night primetime during November sweeps, the broadcast networks would also likely have accommodated the White House's request. Unfortunately, the Latin Grammys were not scheduled on a week with network reruns.

[hugo_from_TN]

20. There are no "major networks" anymore.

Time's have changed. No reason for the traditional networks to crater their ratings/revenue to this.