Glenn Beck promotes gold to audience while profiting from gold investment firms

[NNN0LHI]

http://mediamatters.org/research/200912020029

In recent months, Glenn Beck has repeatedly used his television show to plug gold as a way for his audience to "protect" themselves from the possible economic collapse of the U.S. dollar and economy. At the same time, several precious metals investment firms have regularly advertised on his television show, and Beck is a "Paid Spokesman" for Goldline International, which has an "exclusive" sponsorship deal with his radio show and bills itself as "Glenn Beck's Choice for Gold."

Beck promotes gold on his TV show without disclosing Goldline deal

Beck "Three G's" solution to possible U.S. economic "collapse": "God, Gold, and Guns." On the November 23 edition of his Fox News show, Beck told his audience that in the event of a possible U.S. economic "collapse," they should practice "the 3 G system" of "God, Gold, and Guns."

Beck: "protect yourself" with gold. As Think Progress noted, on the October 6 edition of his Fox News program, Beck suggested that viewers could "protect yourself" from "the end of the almighty dollar" and possible hyperinflation by purchasing gold. In an October 7 blog post, examiner.com's Ryan Witt commented:

So what does Beck tell his audience they can do in response to the coming crisis of hyperinflation? Buy gold of course. Beck interviews a professor from Columbia University and in the end one of the things they advise the audience to do is buy gold. So Beck essentially scares his audience into believing that hyperinflation and economic collapse is a near sure thing and then advises them to buy gold to protect themselves. All along Beck never mentions that a gold-buying company happens to be one of his few remaining sponsors. Beck also never interviews other economists who believe that we are nowhere near the economic conditions necessary to see hyperinflation. Finally Beck also never informs his audience of the risks involved in buying gold. Gold has seen its price skyrocket with the economic troubles of the last few years and there is a real danger that the price of gold may actually decrease if the economy improves in the coming years. Quite simply if one buys gold high right now they may be forced to sell low later.

Numerous gold investment firms advertise on Beck's TV show

[cbdo2007]

1. Yes, he's a salesman selling a product (his talk show). I'm not sure why this is

a conflict of interest. That's like the head of Walmart saying you should use Tide detergent because it works the best. Right, because he's probably getting paid by Tide to say so.

Now if he was an actual news man it would be a different story as there would be some ethics he would have to follow and he would have to disclose it to the audience, but as an entertainer he can do/say whatever he wants. That's the problem with the blurriness between news stations and entertainment on news stations. The idiots who watch can't tell the difference and they all parade themselves around the same way.

[imdjh]

2. All the right wing radio shows promote buying gold. They also hawk the home purchase program.

And all kinds of "get out from under debt" kind of chit. They have no integrity whatsoever.

[Johonny]

4. So don't all the liberal shows

so don't throw too many stones

[AllentownJake]

3. Something tells me that Gold will come crashing down

When an investment starts being sold to the rank and file it is a sign the wealthy are getting ready to dump it.

[cbdo2007]

5. I'm pretty sure that's something we can all agree on but we've still got some months to go...

[AllentownJake]

6. It will be timed and planned

Probably with the aid of Bernake.

[imdjh]

7. The price of whores is stable.

[zbdent]

11. I remember back when Bill Press was still on the radio in Akron (mid-late 2005)

and the "lead-in" show just before he came on at 6am had one interesting programming note ...

I heard a "Wall Street" guru saying that the general population could invest in "oil futures" and such ...

Of course, that was before the price of a barrel of oil really started going nuts ...

And then, in 2007 through a lot of 2008, the price of oil really did go nuts ...

and then, last year, ALL the radio stations were saying about "buy gold" as an investment ... not a peep about oil futures now ...

I smell bubble ...

[Kali]

8. are you saying this wingnut shit stirrer is UNETHICAL?

oh my...

[Cirque du So-What]

9. Yes, buy every bit you can afford, gold bugs

Have you actually given serious thought to how you're going to barter with gold in your post-apocalyptic dystopian fantasy world? Are you going to carry around a sack of gold coins? In a malnourished, paranoid, frenetic world, little things like that tend to get noticed. You're likely setting yourself up to get robbed, kidnapped or shot.

I believe it would be better to invest in useful commodities; you can't eat gold. Food, fuel & tools can be bartered more readily than gold, which invites too much drama for useful commerce.

[AllentownJake]

10. Yes the entire society collapsing

because the dollar is worthless but I have a huge vault of Gold is more likely to get them killed. Particularly since they have probably bragged about investing in it to anyone who would listen.