It was a Wednesday, right? I don’t watch TV at all on Wednesdays unless I’m on MSNBC or Comedy Central or maybe sports. There’s definitely nothing I want to see on the networks. I am actually more likely to watch an Obama press conference than any give thing on TV, although I missed the last one. There has to be some people like me who might not have watched TV at all and still tuned in for the President.
While the President has made a brief opening statement during each of his press conferences, they are exactly that – press conferences, an opportunity for the news media, on behalf of the American people, to ask questions of the President and get answers. The President is not asking for a primetime slot to make a pre-written and rehearsed speech from the Oval Office. That would be more appropriate for impending war or space aliens. He is simply putting himself in front of the press and the people, and allowing them to determine the agenda (with the understanding that he calls on specific, pre-selected news organizations). If the networks aren’t getting the interest they require, they should try asking better questions. I seem to recall three of the four major networks being called on during the most recent press conference.
Of course the networks have the right to choose not to cover the press conferences – Fox has already made that decision. But I appreciate the opportunity to hear the President answer questions on a variety of topics. It’s the next best thing to sitting down with him and asking him questions myself.
Yeah, but this isn’t 1963, when airing on two or three channels simultaneously would cover most of the nation. He’s competing successfully, as is shown by his numbers against the ratings powerhouse that is FREAKING AMERICAN IDOL!
[aside]Really? That many people watch The Mentalist?[/aside]
- raises hand *
They aren’t getting paid for the air time so there is nothing in it for the networks. That’s why it’s traditionally been limited to the State of the Union and major events. There are plenty of paying outlets the President can use.
Let’s try this again: they’re not getting paid for the air time, but they’re not required to show the press conference! Someone upthread mentioned that a network may not want to seem the only “unserious” one that doesn’t cover the PC, but that’s simply another factor in a given network’s cost/benefit analysis. The networks have, up until this point, decided that they do benefit from showing the PCs. If at some point they decide to stop showing them, it’ll be because they reevaluated the costs and benefits, and that’s their prerogative. No one is forcing them to do anything.
And this is the problem with network news (including cable) today. The news isn’t supposed to be profitable. The news is a public service. The media aren’t supposed to be chummy with the politicians. The relationship there is supposed to be adversary…the media is supposed to be keeping an eye on them for us.
The whole news “industry” has become a vacuous sac of shallow ratings-grabbery in the last 30 years.