The Trump Campaign: Bad for America, but Good for CBS
CBS CEO Les Moonves, who in December (Intercept, 12/10/15; FAIR.org, 1/23/16) said of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, "Go Donald! Keep getting out there!" because "the more they spend, the better it is for us," had more to say about the business of politics at another investors' conference, as The Intercept's Lee Fang (2/29/16) reported.
Speaking to the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference at San Francisco's Park Hotel, Moonves observed that "in local [broadcasting], the No. 1 word is 'political' [advertising]," and continued:
Man, who would have expected the ride we're all having right now? This is pretty amazing.... Who would have thought that this circus would come to town?
But, you know--it may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS, that's all I got to say.
So what can I say? It's--you know, the money's rolling in, and this is fun.
Moonves noted that the election has been a boost for ratings--"We had a debate a couple of weeks ago, it was 14 million people on a Saturday night. You know, it's amazing, that's all I can say"--but, more importantly, the spending by candidates on political advertising goes directly into CBS's coffers:
Yeah, [Trump's] getting a lot of free media, but all that's happening out there, there's a lot of money in the marketplace, there's a lot of money in the marketplace....
They're not even talking about issues. They're throwing bombs at each other, and I think the advertising reflects that. Most of the ads are not about issues; they're sort of like the debates. They're saying, he did this or he did that. Doesn't say what I stand for.
I've never seen anything like this, and this is going to be a very good year for us. Sorry. It's a terrible thing to say, but bring it on, Donald, go ahead, keep going.
Moonves did not want his cheering on Trump--whose campaign promotes xenophobia, war crimes and threats of violence against various groups, including journalists--to be mistaken for an endorsement:
I said that at another investor conference, and the next day some blog put out, "Moonves Supporting Trump Wholeheartedly." I said, no no no, I'm not taking any side. I'm just saying, for us, economically, Donald's place in this election is a good thing.
Moonves chuckles like a Bond villain as he tells his wealthy audience how his company is profiting at the expense of the nation. It's not actually all that funny, though, for a television executive to celebrate how a campaign that's hurting the United States is driving his network's profit bonanza. Among CBS's chief assets are the 16 TV broadcasting licenses it holds, along with its 117 radio station licenses. These licenses each include a public interest clause:
The licensee shall, during the term of this license, render such broadcasting service as will serve the public interest, convenience, or necessity to the full extent of the privileges herein conferred.
When a broadcaster cheers on the electoral "circus" ("bring it on, Donald, go ahead, keep going") that he acknowledges "may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS," can he really be said to be "render[ing] such broadcasting service as will serve the public interest"? Or when he brags about how much money he's making from running ads that are "not even talking about issues...sort of like the debates"--you know, the ones that his corporation helps put on?
Over decades, the FCC has progressively lowered the standard broadcasters have to meet to fulfill their public interest requirements. But as long as there is any kind of standard, surely "the money's rolling in, and this is fun" doesn't meet it.
Hear Les Moonves' remarks, courtesy of The Intercept:
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
CBS CEO Les Moonves, who in December (Intercept, 12/10/15; FAIR.org, 1/23/16) said of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, "Go Donald! Keep getting out there!" because "the more they spend, the better it is for us," had more to say about the business of politics at another investors' conference, as The Intercept's Lee Fang (2/29/16) reported.
Speaking to the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference at San Francisco's Park Hotel, Moonves observed that "in local [broadcasting], the No. 1 word is 'political' [advertising]," and continued:
Man, who would have expected the ride we're all having right now? This is pretty amazing.... Who would have thought that this circus would come to town?
But, you know--it may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS, that's all I got to say.
So what can I say? It's--you know, the money's rolling in, and this is fun.
Moonves noted that the election has been a boost for ratings--"We had a debate a couple of weeks ago, it was 14 million people on a Saturday night. You know, it's amazing, that's all I can say"--but, more importantly, the spending by candidates on political advertising goes directly into CBS's coffers:
Yeah, [Trump's] getting a lot of free media, but all that's happening out there, there's a lot of money in the marketplace, there's a lot of money in the marketplace....
They're not even talking about issues. They're throwing bombs at each other, and I think the advertising reflects that. Most of the ads are not about issues; they're sort of like the debates. They're saying, he did this or he did that. Doesn't say what I stand for.
I've never seen anything like this, and this is going to be a very good year for us. Sorry. It's a terrible thing to say, but bring it on, Donald, go ahead, keep going.
Moonves did not want his cheering on Trump--whose campaign promotes xenophobia, war crimes and threats of violence against various groups, including journalists--to be mistaken for an endorsement:
I said that at another investor conference, and the next day some blog put out, "Moonves Supporting Trump Wholeheartedly." I said, no no no, I'm not taking any side. I'm just saying, for us, economically, Donald's place in this election is a good thing.
Moonves chuckles like a Bond villain as he tells his wealthy audience how his company is profiting at the expense of the nation. It's not actually all that funny, though, for a television executive to celebrate how a campaign that's hurting the United States is driving his network's profit bonanza. Among CBS's chief assets are the 16 TV broadcasting licenses it holds, along with its 117 radio station licenses. These licenses each include a public interest clause:
The licensee shall, during the term of this license, render such broadcasting service as will serve the public interest, convenience, or necessity to the full extent of the privileges herein conferred.
When a broadcaster cheers on the electoral "circus" ("bring it on, Donald, go ahead, keep going") that he acknowledges "may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS," can he really be said to be "render[ing] such broadcasting service as will serve the public interest"? Or when he brags about how much money he's making from running ads that are "not even talking about issues...sort of like the debates"--you know, the ones that his corporation helps put on?
Over decades, the FCC has progressively lowered the standard broadcasters have to meet to fulfill their public interest requirements. But as long as there is any kind of standard, surely "the money's rolling in, and this is fun" doesn't meet it.
Hear Les Moonves' remarks, courtesy of The Intercept:
CBS CEO Les Moonves, who in December (Intercept, 12/10/15; FAIR.org, 1/23/16) said of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, "Go Donald! Keep getting out there!" because "the more they spend, the better it is for us," had more to say about the business of politics at another investors' conference, as The Intercept's Lee Fang (2/29/16) reported.
Speaking to the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference at San Francisco's Park Hotel, Moonves observed that "in local [broadcasting], the No. 1 word is 'political' [advertising]," and continued:
Man, who would have expected the ride we're all having right now? This is pretty amazing.... Who would have thought that this circus would come to town?
But, you know--it may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS, that's all I got to say.
So what can I say? It's--you know, the money's rolling in, and this is fun.
Moonves noted that the election has been a boost for ratings--"We had a debate a couple of weeks ago, it was 14 million people on a Saturday night. You know, it's amazing, that's all I can say"--but, more importantly, the spending by candidates on political advertising goes directly into CBS's coffers:
Yeah, [Trump's] getting a lot of free media, but all that's happening out there, there's a lot of money in the marketplace, there's a lot of money in the marketplace....
They're not even talking about issues. They're throwing bombs at each other, and I think the advertising reflects that. Most of the ads are not about issues; they're sort of like the debates. They're saying, he did this or he did that. Doesn't say what I stand for.
I've never seen anything like this, and this is going to be a very good year for us. Sorry. It's a terrible thing to say, but bring it on, Donald, go ahead, keep going.
Moonves did not want his cheering on Trump--whose campaign promotes xenophobia, war crimes and threats of violence against various groups, including journalists--to be mistaken for an endorsement:
I said that at another investor conference, and the next day some blog put out, "Moonves Supporting Trump Wholeheartedly." I said, no no no, I'm not taking any side. I'm just saying, for us, economically, Donald's place in this election is a good thing.
Moonves chuckles like a Bond villain as he tells his wealthy audience how his company is profiting at the expense of the nation. It's not actually all that funny, though, for a television executive to celebrate how a campaign that's hurting the United States is driving his network's profit bonanza. Among CBS's chief assets are the 16 TV broadcasting licenses it holds, along with its 117 radio station licenses. These licenses each include a public interest clause:
The licensee shall, during the term of this license, render such broadcasting service as will serve the public interest, convenience, or necessity to the full extent of the privileges herein conferred.
When a broadcaster cheers on the electoral "circus" ("bring it on, Donald, go ahead, keep going") that he acknowledges "may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS," can he really be said to be "render[ing] such broadcasting service as will serve the public interest"? Or when he brags about how much money he's making from running ads that are "not even talking about issues...sort of like the debates"--you know, the ones that his corporation helps put on?
Over decades, the FCC has progressively lowered the standard broadcasters have to meet to fulfill their public interest requirements. But as long as there is any kind of standard, surely "the money's rolling in, and this is fun" doesn't meet it.
Hear Les Moonves' remarks, courtesy of The Intercept: