If so, you’re not alone. A poll conducted by TVGuide.com concluded that 62 percent of Americans would rather watch originally-scheduled programming than President Obama’s speech this evening. (Fox, in a typically Fox move, was just gonna show So You Think You Can Dance anyway.)
I don’t know, PopWatchers. As much as I’m a politically involved and aware human being — and as much as I like to scoff at anyone who thinks a televised dance competition is more important than, say, national health care — I will admit that there are a LOT of cable news channels that could show the President’s speech while their sister networks continue to dunk fat people in mud, juggle chainsaws, what have you. And it does seem like causing large media corporations to lose millions in ad revenue tonight might fly in the face of Obama’s ongoing attempts to rescue this country from the dire straits of imminent fiscal ruin. But is airing the speech mandatory under the FCC rules that keep the networks on the air for “free”? (I’m legitimately asking; I don’t know.) And are there still people out there without cable or internet who would miss it if it wasn’t broadcast on the networks? Do you know anyone like that? Is it possible these non-cable-having people hang out with the invisible Nielsen families?
What do you think? Is it a matter of national importance to preempt regular programming for the President’s speech tonight? What if they could just preempt specific shows? Which show could you live without for a week? Can someone just start preempting Entourage for fun?
I know at least 3 people that do not have cable…they are between the ages of 27 – 41! I am not one of them!
I will TiVo the President and watch SYTYCD!
I never understand why presidents air press conferences during primetime. We have like a hundred 24 hour news channels, blogs and the press conference can stream on the internet. There is NO reason for a press conference to air during primetime. I don’t care who the president is.
Honestly? Yes, I would rather watch regular TV. If that makes me a bad person, so be it. But I have CNN, MSNBC, FNC, CSPAN, and who knows how many other channels that will be carrying the speech live, not to mention the internet. And every news outlet (broadcast, cable, print, internet) will be analyzing it to death afterward, so even if I don’t watch it live I can get the content. Just give me my So You Think You Can Dance and I’ll be happy.
Unless we’ve been attacked, I find that there’s very little the President (any President) will say that makes commandeering every TV channel worthwhile.
I’d rather see fat people dunked in mud. not everybody thinks our president is the american idol that he thinks he is.
You have to understand that the President is doing this to talk/inform/update the nation on the current events. If the press conference was only on the news stations, less people would watch. Therefore they go on the broadcast networks to reach a wider audiance. Nothing wrong with that I think.
THAT being said…this is Obama’s 4th since January. That’s a bit much I think. However I would rather be told, than be kept in the dark.
http://tvdonewright.com/
Like most politicians, Obama = lots of words, very little said (no matter how eloquently)
Is there anything good enough on TV during the summer that would be interrupted worth being properly annoyed about this?
Like most politicans, Obama = lots of words, very little said (no matter how eloquently)
The national healthcare debate – while important – is faltering in the house and senate… because it is TOO EXPENSIVE. Our president thinks that by circumventing an already OVERWORKED/OVERSTRESSED/OVERTAXED nation’s only chance to relax and escape (Primteime TV)that he will drum up SUPPORT for more taxes????!!! CRAZY. CRAZY. CRAZY.
Most people are not intelligent enough to understand the complexity of our health care system. But I’ll be watching. Most important issue in the last 40 years.
I’d rather watch my regularly scheduled shows. MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, HDL News are all going to be covering the speech for the next three days. To be honest nothing the president says is going to sway my opinion about public health care, anyways.
I think the main reason people don’t want to watch the press conference is that it will be long and monotonous, especially when compared to television shows that are made to entertain.
We have no need for the broadcast channels to air it when the 24/7 news channels will and the internet will not only cover it but break it down and debate it.
http://toointerestingfortwitter.blogspot.com
I’m going to be watching baseball tonight.Obama seems to have a speech every other month .
i actually much prefer to listen to obama’s speeches on NPR when i’m in the car… if SYTYCD gets pre-empted, i’m going to cry.
I’ll be watching a cable show. I think they should limit Obama’s speech to just 1 news channel and save us the boredom.