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How Trump Bent Television To His Will
This account of remorse among staffers at the major news networks caught our eye:
… Two network sources also confirmed the unprecedented control the television networks have surrendered to Trump in a series of private negotiations, allowing him to dictate specific details about placement of cameras at his event, to ensure coverage consists primarily of a single shot of his face.
Network officials say the ratings have borne out commercial incentives to devote their campaign coverage to largely unfiltered streams of Trump talking. Trump’s presence in the race has also been good for local television stations who reap the benefits of increased spending on advertisements. CBS CEO Les Moonves quipped that Trump “may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS, that’s all I got to say.” …
The symbiotic relationship between television news and Trump began, innocently enough, as a summer fling. The cable networks found their answer to the typically slower summer news cycle the moment Trump descended the escalator at Trump Tower to announce his candidacy to a lobby full of onlookers, some of them paid actors. Producers at several networks said they initially treated his candidacy as a joke, albeit a highly entertaining one.
Trump’s rallies became must-see daytime and primetime television on cable, pre-empting regularly scheduled newscasts and driving the day-to-day news cycle. Even when he was embroiled in controversy, Trump’s availability to the media for interviews, either on camera or by phone, shocked producers accustomed to dealing with difficult-to-book candidates.
As one veteran producer said, “He’ll throw a hand grenade in, and then will come on to us to talk about it.” …
Trump fever continued into the fall, even as challenges emerged between the networks and the Trump campaign over press access at the candidate’s rallies. After several incidents of Trump campaign aides threatening to revoke credentials for reporters who left the fenced-in press pen, representatives from ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, Fox News, and CNN organized a conference call with Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to negotiate access.
According to two sources familiar with the call, the Trump campaign, citing security concerns from Secret Service, dictated to the networks that their camera crews could only shoot Trump head-on from a fenced-in press pen.
Under the Trump campaign’s conditions, camera crews would not be able to leave the press pen during Trump’s rallies to capture video of audience reactions, known in the industry as “cutaway shots” or “cuts.” Networks would also not be able to use a separate riser set up to get cutaway shots.
The terms, which limit the access journalists have to supporters and protesters while Trump is speaking, are unprecedented, and are more restrictive than those put on the networks by the White House or Hillary Clinton’s campaign, which has had Secret Service protection for its duration.
Facing the risk of losing their credentialed access to Trump’s events, the networks capitulated. They did, however, get one concession: When Trump finishes speaking, one person with a camera is allowed to exit the press pen to capture him shaking hands on the ropeline while he exits. That footage is then shared among the networks.
When Trump complains that the media does not “turn the cameras” to show the size of his crowds, it’s because, unless they turn or zoom out the head on camera, there is no separate angle to show the crowd. …
Fascinating. We also initially treated his candidacy as a joke, albeit a highly entertaining one, and welcomed the interest and controversy he generated as “good for business.”
Your thoughts?
Published in Culture, Elections, Politics
This could make you cry…..for those of us who aren’t controlled by the tee vee, the nature of the trump campaign juggernaut is very plain. Plus it may explain why some of us, who don’t watch tee vee, didn’t see the train coming for months after it had left the station. I dismissed the whole thing as an artificial infatuation that would soon fade, then the real campaign would get underway with the debates.
I think FoxNews scored the ultimate coup, though. They peddled and coddled trump from the beginning, but they also got their gal Meg embroiled in a food fight with Donny, keeping both trump boosters and trump haters seething, and putting just enough lipstick on the pig to preserve a thin veneer of integrity. I notice today Fox is putting out the next chapter in the soap opera, accusing Donny of obsessing over the gorgeous bait. It’s all so lurid and B movie quality. And it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the Kelleys were having dinner once a week in the trump penthouse.
Also, note well, after all the faux handwringing in the article about ‘their role in creating the orange godzilla’ what’s the plan going forward? More trump, of course! I think the real divide in America is ppl living inside the box v. ppl outside the box. I would conclude with, “wake up, folks!” but that hardly addresses the point of what ppl are streaming into their heads 24/7 when they’re allegedly wide awake
I don’t think you have to worry about that scenario. Look at how their far-left propaganda films sell… The market ain’t buying. “Truth“, anyone?
For all the complaints about Trump’s intelligence, he’s clearly no fool.
Much as I admire the guy, Ben Carson is as much a media creation as is Donald Trump. Carson was already a world-class surgeon unknown to the general public, until he lectured Obama at a prayer breakfast a few years ago. Then the media gave him plenty of face time. There is no way that Carson would have ever gotten off the ground without the (witting or unwitting) help from the media.
Media coverage, good or ill, is increasingly the mother’s milk of politics. It was as true for Carson as it is for Trump.
What is the campaign trying to hide about the audience?
And by hide I mean keep off television screens.
It’s just about controlling the message and producing a $2 Billion infomercial, free of charge, for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Not hiding anything, just focused on the prize – capitalizing on the votes of the low-information crowd.
That they aren’t that many in his audience?
That he is the main focus, not the audience?
That protestors are there?
I’m curious if there are positive reasons for the restrictions.
Nope. Never happen. I hate it, but that’s the way things are. People in that class of power don’t go to prison. Some underling will get indicted and take responsibility, striking a plea deal for minimal jail time. Hillary will give a brief statement about how “mistakes were made”, and while she wasn’t a fault, it’s made her a better candidate for President.
Barack Obama is now telling Democratic donors to back Hillary for POTUS. That’s as strong a sign as any that the Justice Department is never going to be allowed to touch her.
Sadly, “that Schtick” is what the role of President of the United States has become. Seeing as this tv personality at least was both a successful and unsuccessful business man in a variety of different areas for 30 years prior to doing the tv thing is an indicator that he likely has skills in both tv and management.
All in all, having someone who knows how the TV game works, and who is on your side, should be viewed as a positive. Rather than seeing Trump as a man who wants to take charge (e.g., the QB or the RB), I would see Trump as the guy who wants to clear the path (e.g., FB or OL) so that true Conservatives (like Cruz and others in congress) can do their job without the media shutting them down.
You have to admit that Trump would be one heck of an ally to have in the bully pulpit if his purpose was not to make policy but rather to open the legislature, joint chiefs, state dept and others to free speech and honest debate?
Boy, am I getting cynical. I saw your opening statement, and I couldn’t help giggling, yep, that’s Donald. His worry about camera angles is right in line with the superficiality of his positions and opinions. We shouldn’t be surprised.
Trump did not bend the networks to his will.
The networks cowed to him, gave him 24/7 coverage, ignored our other serious candidates, in order to marginalize our astonishingly talented pool and assure a Dem victory in November.
So far it’s working.