Brent Budowsky: Oprah for president

[Caro]

Brent will be starting to put together some specific deals soon, with the goal of bringing the various types of progressive media together for the enhancement of all. If you have any ideas you want to share with him, let him know at [e-mail].

From The Hill:

Oprah for president

By Brent Budowsky

Oprah Winfrey’s bold move supporting Barack Obama, and Fred Thompson's candidacy for president, represents a new wave of an old relationship between entertainment and politics.

The famous example was Frank Sinatra championing John Kennedy in the 1960s. Less well known was Hollywood mega-mogul Lew Wasserman’s advising presidents while his business moved from nightclubs and radio to motion pictures, television and global mergers…

Twenty-first century issues bring together personal, political and financial interests of both the talent and business sides of entertainment. As record labels learned the hard way, technological change forces all entertainment sectors to change the way they do business, and advocate their interests in Washington.

As the Internet fuses with music, motion pictures and television there are profound new issues of piracy and digital rights, and major new opportunities for business expansion…

Movie studios, record labels, publishing houses and sports leagues can bring Jerry Maguire to national politics and advance their business interests while supporting causes that move large numbers of Americans and leaders of both parties in Washington…

Progressive stars have enormous potential to support progressive cable, radio and Internet outlets through their investments and their appearances while their studios and record labels market their movies and CDs.

Conservative stars could expand cause-related projects in new media to advance their values, products and candidates.

Major talent agencies and K Street firms with entertainment clients can spearhead high-profile projects for causes and reap high-level good will in both parties, with value equal to millions of dollars of campaign contributions, with Democrats and Republicans lining up in support.

In an age of cynicism toward politics, radical changes in media technology and new ways of achieving influence in Washington, the new Hollywood-Washington engagement is coming to a theater, and campaign, near you.


Click the title, above, to read more. And send a message about this essay to [e-mail]. If your letter is good enough to be published, it may be read by your senators and congressman!

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

The excerpt above is posted with the full knowledge and permission, even encouragement, of the author, who wants his essays to be read by as many people as possible.