I was wondering what the masses here thought about the MSNBC Nightly News decision to limit their commercial sponsorship to only one company (Philips). This has been done, according to MSNBC, to allow for a longer broadcast with fewer/shorter commercial interruptions.
While I think it’s good that there are fewer commercial interruptions during the nightly newscast I cannot help but wonder what does that to the credibility of the newscast. I know I’m exaggerating but does this mean Philips can now dictate that evening’s content?
Certainly Philips is not the only sponsor involved with MSNBC as a whole but when they dominate an entire newscast does it cast doubt upon that enterprise?
Here’s a cite for the issue with some reader comments (all positive from what I could see) … I’m very curious about all of your opinions …
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15750331/
Thank you in advance.
P.S. Long time lurker. I have made a few posts here and there but this is my first thread, I didn’t want to presume this belonged in great debates and there seemed no other place then here for it … if I’d made an error in judgment please accept my apologies.
This does indeed belong in GD and I’ll ask a mod to move it there.
You might also want to note that the ABC nightly news has been doing these single sponsor shows with fewer commercial interruptions on a regular basis all year.
My personal opinion is that no company is so stupid in this day and age to think that they’ll influence the content of the news in this fashion. It’s just a better, more concentrated way of getting their message across.
The comments on that link seem to be overwhelmingly positive. As a regular nightly news viewer, I have to agree. There’s only upside and no real downside to doing this occasionally.
Moved from General Questions to Great Debates.
Gfactor
General Questions Moderator
I’m less worried that Philips is sponsoring one newscast on MSNBC than I am that GE* owns* NBC.
And since a number of conservative commentators tell me that MSNBC is the most liberal cable news outlet, I’m not worried about it at all.
I’m overseas and get all my news through the American Forces Network … thus all the comercials are more public service announcements…
Does Philips sponsor all editions of MSNBC’s Nightly News or do they rotate sponsors? The MSNBC link seems to indicate that Philips’ sponsors all the newscasts but are you saying that isn’t so Kunilou? Again see above, I honestly have no clue.
I did not realize that GE owns MSNBC, it appears they do not own Philips (aren’t they competitors? Interesting IMHO) …
Conservative/Liberal aside it seems to me that if Philips is the sole advertiser on MSNBC NNC (nightly newscast) that MSNBC would be reluctant to cover controversy surrounding that company (unless of course it’s as I think Kunilou implies and they’re only sponsoring one evening news cast, not an entire year’s worth).
Would it be the same if the NYT or the Washington Post only had advertisements from say Microsoft or some other large company?
Oliveritaly