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Networks are pulling their shows over to the side of the road to make room for the lights and sirens of president Barack Obama's latest primetime address.
Obama will take to the air next Tuesday evening on four broadcast networks and bump the most popular series on television, Fox's "American Idol."
Fulfilling their scheduling civic duty is starting to seem increasingly cumbersome to broadcasters, however. Between a struggling economy and ratings sagging in midseason, every interruption costs networks advertising dollars and momentum.
"At a time when we're struggling not only financially but to build audiences, this doesn't help on either front," one network executive said. "These repeated interruptions — and the rumor of even more to come — really make it difficult to build audience flow and loyalty. We will all lose one or two million dollars for this."
The presidential election resulted in a fall season regularly interrupted by political news coverage, followed by primetime inauguration coverage, then two primetime speeches about the economy. The White House requesting yet another primetime slot, during sweeps and right after several shows dropped to new lows in last night's ratings, has some executives exasperated.
"I believe in the president and his policies, and as broadcasters we have a responsibility to provide the airtime," said another network insider. "But these frequent primetime requests are wreaking serious havoc with our schedule and our advertisers. Ratings are down everywhere and the airtime is costing us all significant dollars when we can least afford it."
Here's how the Big Four will juggle the speech:
>> Fox is arguably the most impacted network and took the longest to agree to airing the speech. The network will move Tuesday's two-hour performance episode of "Idol" to Wednesday, and the Wednesday episode to Thursday at 8 p.m. That preempts "Lie to Me" and "Bones" and puts mega-rated "Idol" against the mega-rated NCAA finals (which neither Fox nor CBS are all that thrilled about).
>> NBC will move Tuesday's two-hour "Biggest Loser" to 9 p.m., preempting "Law & Order: SVU."
>> CBS likewise is dumping its 10 p.m. procedural ("Without a Trace") and moving its two earlier dramas, "NCIS" and "The Mentalist," forward an hour.
>> ABC will cancel previously planned back-to-back episodes of "According to Jim."
I am tired of his love affair with himself. The Gameshow network is time better spent that listening to that!!!
These are unprecedented times. It is more important for us to hear the President than see the Biggest Loser and prescription drug ads.
And to think, Bush had to beg for a few minutes of time from the nets.
Had Fox decided to stick with “American Idol”, it would have become the top-rated entertainment program of the entire TV season.
Besides, sister network Fox News Channel was going to carry the presser anyway.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there are no more prime-time Presidential TV appearances on Tuesdays or Wednesdays until “Idol”’s season ends in May. If the White House wants a Tuesday or Wednesday night prime-time speech or press conference (barring an emergency of some kind), and Fox refuses to run it to stick with “Idol” (which I think they will next time), the Administration will blink and change either the day or the time to get out of Simon Cowell’s way.
I am so thankful that I can say I did NOT vote for this graceless, brainless, socialist thug.
I hope some of the “smart” people will apologize for their Bush bashing. Things really were very good until the 2006 election of democrat socialists in our Congress. It has been downhill since.
Thank you voters who wanted change and hope.
These are the people who elected Bush those that
watch tv instead of read. Thank goodness the rest of us care enough about our country to give up an evening of entertainment. These people actually have
the nerve to say we are unpatriotic as Democrats and
they are upset about a tv show. Unbelieveable really
the breath and depth of their ignorance is quite
frightening.
If it means taking American Idol off the air, I wish he would speak every night. If we’re lucky, it will interrupt Survivor, Dancing With the Stars, and every other lame, so called, “reality show”.
Anything to get that crap off of TV is fine by me.
Haha all Of You are pathetic Obama is PRESIDENT SucK It Up!!!!!!
There Is NOTHING you can do about it .
so cry all you want to he dose not even know you exist
lol lol OBAMA!!!!!!!!
I voted for and still believe in Obama, but I am
absolutely opposed to having him take prime TV time
for speachifying and press conferences that are so
obviously so much more staged than even Blunderbush.
I never watch when he pre-empts the shows I watch, such as Bones, and resort to my favorite TV shows
which are taped in advance. It is disgusting to read some of these comments that are, quite
obviously the work of little minds with limited and nearly vulgar wording. I was the V.P. of the lobbying arm of a large professional association
during my career(I quite that in sheer disgust),
so this is true. Don’t waste your time with these
things. Instead, E-mail your Senators, Representative
and the President by using: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
Let them know your preferences on this and every other important issue. Why? Because each elected official uses a “rule of thumb” when he/she receives correspondence from people. So, your preference to each official is worth “X” of others that have the
same preference. It may not count as much as the lobbyist “who comes bearing gifts,” but believe me when I say it counts. This is still a democracy.
Take a meaningful part in it.
this is why i do not vote knowing that what they say they will do will never get done. this is all b*ll s*it.
“Change We Need”
That’s what all the major networks wanted, and that’s what they’ve got. As far as the guy that says he’s working hard and Bush was on vacation, how can you say he’s working hard and doing a great job when he spends more time in front of a camera than he does in the oval office? All he’s doing is throwing away more money than our grandchildren can repay and rubber stamping his signature on every liberal spending bill Nancy Pelosi and her cronies can put on his desk. Our only hope is that people wake up before the next election.
he gets more thanks at being americas first black president. do what you say you do and start doing it.
“The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must LEARN TO WORK, INSTEAD OF LIVING ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.”
—CICERO- 55 BC (Dems. this is just a reminder to you and your president)
If NBC and CNN and the others—liberal supporters of Obama are in denial, well that is too bad. Because the conservative FOX news is again the leading network. This just show us what the majority of sane Americans are watching.
Dear president Obama! Last think I need now is to hear more false hopes and promises to fix our economy nor foreign politics from you. I am losing my work hours, I am barely paying my bills and last thing I need is for you to cut my hours of pleasure and peace in my own home by losing time watching my favor shows. Give me some break in my own house president Obama!