On Mon, Sep 6, 2010 at 11:28 PM, PGage <[email protected]> wrote: > > I would like to see a financial analysis and comparison of ABC's news budget > for this year compared to, say, 35 or 40 years ago. Particularly, I would > like to see how the anchor's salaries as a percentage of total expenses, and > total revenues, compare now vs then. Also, how the news division's budget as > a percentage of ABC's total revenues and expenses compare now vs then. It > seems that there was a time when network news was not seen primarily as a > revenue center, and the network's were willing to run them at break-even, or > perhaps at a loss, to justify their broadcast license. > > I am willing to believe the cuts at ABC news would have been even bigger had > it not been for Westin, but I would have had more respect for him had he > resigned X years ago (and the value of X can be almost any integer between 1 > and 10) to protest cuts to his budget, rather than retiring after yet > another round of deep cuts. > > I am not a big fan of MSNBC, but it may be that broadcast network news > divisions are going to have to have some kind of cable outlet to maintain a > decent budget. The truth is we probably don't need a huge network news > division every night, but we do need the networks to have professional and > vibrant news operations for those times when bug resources are necessary. > Having a cable presence can help amortize the expenses of a big news > operation, even if it is something like using a stable of world class actors > to make straight to DVD pornography just so you have them under salary the 6 > nights a year you want to put on a Broadway play.
The stat I'd like to see is what percentage of evening news viewers tune in solely because of the reader on the screen, and compare that to 35 to 40 years ago. In other words, why did viewers pick who they picked then versus now. I don't watch enough cable news to answer the analogy at the end, but I'd say Sam Bee's analysis of NILF from three years back is as good a jumping off point as any. http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-may-16-2007/news-i-d-like-to-f--k -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en
