The advertiser boycott against Glenn Beck has grown beyond the expectations of many, including me. Currently there are 62 major advertisers who have indicated that they do not want their brands associated with the hatred and hostility for which Beck is known. Color of Change, the group spearheading the action, is continuing to apply pressure and they are also asking supporters to thank the advertisers who have bailed on Beck.
Fox News has desperately tried to minimize the impact of the boycott by saying that, despite the exodus of advertisers, they haven’t lost any money because ads were just shifted to other programs. I never bought that argument because advertisers shifting to other programs would only displace the ads those programs already had. There is only so much inventory in TV. Therefore, at best it would neutral, assuming that Beck brought in replacement ads. But he didn’t, except for low-paying direct marketers and locals. That can’t possibly raise the same revenue as Geico and Procter & Gamble.
Now, a prominent industry analyst has compiled data that confirms the fact that Fox is losing revenue due to the boycott:
“According to the data collected, the amount of money spent by national advertisers on Beck’s program per week was at its highest at approximately $1,060,000, for the week ending August 2, 2009. ColorOfChange.org launched their campaign at the end of that week and since then, 62 advertisers have distanced themselves from Beck. Data collected for the week ending September 6, 2009 shows Beck’s estimated ad revenue at $492,000, equal to a loss of $568,000.”
Fox publicists can dissemble all they like, but a rational examination of the facts can only lead to the conclusion that Beck is a bed sore on the butt of Fox News. With his ratings increasing, Fox is incapable of converting them into dollars. At some point Fox will have to decide whether covering for Beck is worth it. Eventually the taint will rub off on the network (more so than presently). Do they want to be regarded as so committed to promoting Beck’s beastly behavior that they will do so no matter how much money they lose? The likely result of that will be that advertisers will pull back from all Fox News programming.
People should stop patronizing all of News Corp’s businesses, not just Glenn Shrek or Faux News.
damn… more than a half million lost revenue? that is a truckload. good job color of change… they really stepped up. obviously, beck’s ratings are doing really good post-boycott, but they are still losing money, and that might lead to beck being more of a liability than anything.
Glenn Beck is the Paul Revere of our time. First went Van Jones now Acorn is teetering on the abyss, Fox News has better ratings now then all the other fringe* news combined. He has driven them to the fringe by asking the questions they either didn’t have the guts to ask or are in the pocket of the socialist progressive party (used to be democrats).
If I had anything to do with “color of change” I would bail now.
Watch!
* MSNBC,ABC,CBS,Etc.
Paul Revere? Ha!
And it’s good to see you obediently following Master Beck’s instructions to start calling the media fringe. You’re a good little soldier.
FOX’s ratings encompass less than 1% of the American population.
Don’t you guys ever ask yourself why almost all of Glenn Beck’s stories seem to come true? Van Jones is forced to resign, the stimulus has done jack sh*t! ACORN is proven to be completely corrupt-yet almost all of the other news stations don’t even question President Obama when he says that he “didn’t know ACORN was receiving federal funds” That is a blatant lie- WAKE UP PEOPLE. You don’t have to agree with Beck to see that the media and this government (Obama, Dems and Repubs) are ruining our country!
They are spending us into oblivion. You did see that the arab nations, china, russia and france are having secret talks to stop using the USD when buying/selling oil. This is because our govt has spent us so far into the red that we are not respected. WAKE UP!!! Stop being so partisan- please before our country is no more.
Glenn Beck is a walking LIE factory.
Van Jones was sacrificed by the admin to avoid controversy. He didn’t do a single thing wrong. The stimulus is working so badly that the economy has had its best rebound in 40 years. ACORN has never been proven to be corrupt in any respect. And even if there are some bad apples (as with every large organization) they still aren’t “completely” corrupt.
I’ll stop being partisan when you stop believing all the crap Beck dishes out.