Those riders aren’t acting in representation of a company when they cross themselves. The newscasters are officially acting in representation of a company which may even be a part of the government.
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The station I watch in Raleigh for news is a master of tuggin’ those heart strings. I can just imagine the producers in the morning meetings, “…try to get someone crying. Oh, and someone mentioning Jesus. If you can get both of those in a story about the military, you get an extra day off.”
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One of my local news stations (WSPA) has a commercial (titled “Carolinas Family”) that they have been airing that I wish was on Youtube so that I could link it. Filled with glurge, showing among other things people hugging soldiers, with a voice-over about how much people love living here and ending with something about “until you finally go home to the one place you love more than here.” (Meaning, of course, until you die and go to Heaven.)
They are sponsored by a company, just like newscasters are. Without those sponsorships, there would be no team in the race. The local news stations in the US are not government run.
That’s marvellous.
Bump
The same station with the “going home to the place you love more than here” commercial has now been advertising for Billy Graham’s funeral. (Being around 100 miles from his birthplace, it is a pretty big local deal.) The commercial starts out “America’s pastor—finally home to his savior” has more saccharine glurge, and ends with your ability to watch the funeral live “here on Channel 7 News”, leaving no doubt that the news program is endorsing the “fact” that Billy Graham is “home to his savior.” I’m sure they’ll have the citations for this rigorous piece of journalism if pushed for it…