I dreamed of a Liberal Cable News Channel last night

[pstans]

I was half asleep, sick with the flu, and came up with all of this. It is a little sketchy, but here it is.

There is no doubt that there should be a Liberal News Channel. After seeing the Faux News special on how liberal Hollywood was last night, America needs something to counter their lies. Hollywood has the money, and they have the ability to run a liberal news channel. But how would it go about happening?

I started think about the transformation of TNN into SpikeTV a year or so ago. So i asked myself...

Do you start from scratch and create a station and hope for cable outlets to pick it up?

Or do you buy a current news channel and then reformat it to a Liberal News Channel?

I think it would be better to buy a current cable news channel for two reasons. First, it would be a long haul trying to get cable outlets to pick up a liberal news channel. Air America Radio is successful, but is still only in the largest outlets. Second, by buying one of the current Cable News channels, it reduces the competition.

So now, which cable news channel do you buy? Fox, CNN, MSNBC/CNBC? Fox won't sell, though it would be a douoble pleasure to transform them to a liberal news channel. I would suggest buying CNN (and their sister stations TNT and TBS). I am not even sure who owns CNN, but maybe they would sell it. That would leave Fox (conservative), MSNBC (somewhere in the middle), and the new liberal news channel. TBS and TNT would be helpful to Hollywood because it would give them an outlet to play their movies on.

Once buying CNN, you would have to change the name and come up with a nice slogan like Fox has. Then you would get started coming up with programming. Here were my ideas:

1. Keith Olberman is brought in and given the prime slot. He could keep the current Countdown format.
2. The rights to the Daily Show are purchased and Jon Stewart is brought in to host the Daily Show. Change the format to an hour long. Have it on at 11 pm est. Extend the guests segment and make it that part similar to Leno/Letterman.
3. Have a show hosted by the DNC. Dean could host it, or have a talking head host the show such as MTV News reporter Gideon Yago. Yago would be popular with the younger people. Democrats could come on the show and "frame" their issues and talk directly to the people without having to out yell O'Reilly, Hannity, or Scarbourough.
4. Ron Reagan just got a show on MSNBC. He could be on during the daytime.

Other ideas I had were to give Bill Clinton a show. Not sure what he would do, but it could work. Franken has talked about doing his show on Sundace again, he could be on.

So what do you think?

Can it be done? Who would be some people that would finance it?

What do you think of my ideas for programming? Do you have any other ideas?

Come and dream with me and we can creat our own Liberal Cable News Channel!

[whistle]

1. CBC or BBC perhaps?

[Selatius]

32. Bringing the BBC into the US is intriguing but may have some issues

Yes, they already have the expertise and an infrastructure to operate off of. The BBC is a government corporation financed by taxpayer dollars, but the government has little direct editorial control over it. They wouldn't have the same luxury if they tried to break into US markets. They'd have to turn to companies to advertise, and that could open them up for manipulation.

[Stop_the_War]

2. CNN or MSNBC would be the most likely...

[Jade Fox]

3. What a wonderful dream.....

I think the only way we can get this country back on some sort of sane
track is to get a decent news station. The inroads made into radio are
great, but we've got to get TV.

Like Media Matters' David Brock says repeatedly, "Its the media, stupid"--
meaning that is the key to changing things.

[pstans]

4. Anyone else want to chime in

Who else could be on?

Who has the $ and the political desire to start this happening?

[ThorsHammer]

7. $ is definitely there

Soros, Peter Lewis (Progressive Insurance), and the Sanders couple (CA grocery owners) have said they are willing to spend on a liberal infrastructure. There's also 99% of Hollywood who would likely chip in, and many other wealthy ABB type people who are still pissed off.

[FreedomAngel82]

9. Maybe we can all

pull in and send Emails and everything to them to encourage this. I also remember Gore talking about having a tv station.

[ThorsHammer]

11. Wow, can't believe I forgot Gore

Having someone like him at the helm would definitely attract people. I'm not sure we'll even need to send emails to the Hollywood crowd after the recent GWB "Thanks Hollywood" ad. Gore would also give credibility to the rich ABB people who would donate. There are also several rich elected Dems - Rockefeller, Kerry, Corzine, etc. I think this idea is very feasible if someone steps up and takes charge.

[NYCGirl]

15. See post below.

Al Gore's and Joel Hyatt's INDtv is not a news, nor a liberal channel. It'll be "youth-oriented".

http://www.indtv.tv/vc/

[ThorsHammer]

45. Good point

I had thought it would a liberal news thing, and never knew it was a youth channel. I still think it could serve as a good building point. If Gore is able to run INDtv well, then it would likely make it easier for a new news channel to emerge.

[blondeatlast]

43. Soros, Redford have the capital. nt

[rndmprsn]

5. great dream...

only if it could become a reality...and it could too, we just need backers and know-how and we have them both in great numbers on OUR side...so whats keeping it from happening?!

[rndmprsn]

6. FOX Attacks Hollywood - Will They Fight Back or Cave

http://www.progressivedailybeacon.com/commentary.php?id=424

looks like there are some other ppl out there thinking of just this...

-snip-

Will Hollywood's movers and shakers simply cave, like everybody else and all other institutions have when attacked by Republicans, or will they stand toe-to-toe and fight? What Hollywood should do is get mad as hell and kick some Republican tail.

The Liberals in Hollywood should pool their financial resources, employ their creative capabilities and launch a Left leaning news outlet. Design the network to compete with FOX. Find tested talent, like believe it or not, ESPN sportscaster Dan Patrick and steal Olbermann from MSNBC and build their station around these left leaning, highly intelligent, quick witted and informed professionals. Hire icons like Cronkite, Moyer, Brokaw, soon to be retired Rather and others like Durst, Maher and Stewart to offer weekly commentary on the news and current events.

Hollywood could employ all their technology including special effects, and the latest in graphics to spice up their newscasts. They could build professional looking yet, forward thinking hip sets that keep the viewers craving more. Top off the Patrick and Olbermann early and mid-evening anchor team with fresh, new left leaning talent. Find, nurture and develop news writers, hosts and politically savvy news producers, and shove the Republican assault right back up their ass.

That is what Hollywood should do. My guess however, is that they, like everyone else and all other institutions including Disney, will simply cave in and surrender.

[FreedomAngel82]

8. Sounds like a dream

Really. I would love this. I wish we could do something like this. I also think it'd be cool to give either Rhandi Rhodes or Mike Malloy a show. I don't think Rhandi likes to be on tv so maybe Malloy. Can Dean do anything about this idea? Oh and Al Gore was in my dreams last night. ;) Dunno what but I remember seeing him there. :shrug:

[ProgressiveConn]

10. The American Nightly News with Dan Rather

It would be great to get Olberman and Stewart together BUT I think we need hard newscasters too or it is pointless.

[RealDems]

16. I don't know about that...

It can be argued that Fox doesn't use any "hard news" reporters. Even if you think they DO use hard news reporters, there are definitely demographic differences between most liberals and most conservatives. Liberals tend to be younger and more urbane -- in other words the exact group that would listen to people like Olbermann and Stewart. I don't think Bill O'Reilly would appeal to liberals even if he argued in favor of liberal positions.

[ProgressiveConn]

21. I agree political commentators are great.

But I think to get a liberal news channel going you'd need 1 or 2 "hard news" segments to draw in the 30+. Hell personally I'd have a "Labor News" show to do just that. =)

[calimary]

23. No, it would NOT be pointless. It might be a deviously brilliant move.

It would be an alternative news network, no?

Then why not an alternative evening news show?

Besides, both those guys have bigtime marquee value.

GREAT promotion! Or cross-promotion, in Stewart's case, because he might be able to rig it so he could stay on Comedy Central.

[ProgressiveConn]

24. So you plan to show two shows twelve hours a day each?

C'mon now. There should be hard news shows mixed in with the more comedic programming. Or else why even bother calling it a news channel?

[calimary]

38. Oh for heaven's sakes. You assume that I think that's the ONLY

fare that would be good to have?

I think it would be a humdinger of an alternative idea for the evening newscast - like the ones Rather, Jennings, Williams, and Jim Lehrer anchor - and as brit hume presumes to present. Obviously, you program other shows around it, but it's your cornerstone. Even some more mainstream media critics have suggested that this would be a real kick-ass way to shake up the status quo at CBS. Consider this recent offering from Frank Rich of the New York Times:

The "real" news from CNN was no news at all, but it's not as if any of its competitors did much better. The "Jeff Gannon" story got less attention than another media frenzy - that set off by the veteran news executive Eason Jordan, who resigned from CNN after speaking recklessly at a panel discussion at Davos, where he apparently implied, at least in passing, that American troops deliberately targeted reporters. Is the banishment of a real newsman for behaving foolishly at a bloviation conference in Switzerland a more pressing story than that of a fake newsman gaining years of access to the White House (and network TV cameras) under mysterious circumstances? With real news this timid, the appointment of Jon Stewart to take over Dan Rather's chair at CBS News could be just the jolt television journalism needs. As Mr. Olbermann demonstrated when he borrowed a sharp "Daily Show" tool to puncture the "Jeff Gannon" case, the only road back to reality may be to fight fake with fake.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/20/arts/20rich.html?pagewanted=print&position=

The operating word is "ALTERNATIVE." I think it'd get an audience. It would stand out from the tedium of interchangeable network anchors/newscasts, and frankly, considering the content, Jon Stewart's and/or Keith Olbermann's presentations have a lot more credibility and fearlessness than any of the "majors" do. Besides, the TV Critics Association honored Jon Stewart's show as the best news program not long ago. Whaddya know?

Also, it'd lure a new audience, many of whom are in that hugely-desireable demographic of younger Americans who typically don't watch or express that much interest in the news. That's the same demographic, by the way, that both parties lust after. The republi-CONS want 'em because they're hoping to exploit the deep-down Selfishness Beast within younger people who may regard the elderly as leeches mooching off THEIR hard-earned incomes with Social Security entitlements (that they are being told they're paying in for and will never see) - ie: "ME-publicans." The Dems are wooing this same demographic by giving them what they've been demanding and what turned them on and got them involved and got them to give a damn again during the campaign - Howard Dean.

Of course you don't have one solid evening's repeat of a single show. But you make that news show itself your anchor, and build a whole night's creative, alternative programming around it.

[ProgressiveConn]

42. Of course a cable news network should embrace infotainment. But it...

shouldn't be a majority of the reporting. Not everything has to be dumbed down to the lowest common denominator all the time.

All I was saying was that the channel would need to invest in both infotainment and in hard news aspects of modern reporting.

[FreedomAngel82]

35. That would be cool

And I think the station should be on a network like PBS or something. So everybody can get it. I was listening to Sam Seder tonight and one person called in and said they were pretty much on the leaning fence of being on the democratic side of the SS issue and other things. He said that the reason was because he listened to AAR and heard both sides of the story. Not everybody knows about AAR but if a station was made that was similiar to PBS that had liberal/progressive etc. views and could tell our side of the issues then people could hear them and then maybe if they have an open-mind and aren't totally brainwash could find out the truth on their own. Plus not all people out there who would like to watch this channel could afford another channel add on.

[autorank]

12. Anyone where Gore's channel stands. I thought is was almost ready.

[NYCGirl]

13. Gore's INDTv will not be a left-leaning network, but a "youth-oriented"

one.

http://www.indtv.tv/vc/

[autorank]

18. Thanks. This will do. I'm sure they'll reflect "youth values"...like

not getting killed in stupid wars, not letting * screw them on Social Security, and telling "outrageous truths." This could be very interesting. It think it's brilliant and Jon Stewart has already proved the case for the market. Thanks again.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

27. It sounds more like the "youth values" will be

more like what to wear, what the latest fads are, who the hot new bands are, what the latest slang is, etc. Yuck

It just sickens me that this channel is going to replace Newsworld International, the best news source on all of cable (content provided by CBC and other foreign networks).

I'm in mourning already.

I am really angry at Gore for doing this. If he wants to play Mr. Trendy, why not do it with a station that was already full of airheaded trivia, like one of the shopping channels?

[autorank]

28. Don't despair. This is brilliant! This is going to be a news channel,

and the way it's set up, it will be a bunch of video bloggers. In fact, the bloggers should get some video associates and get on board. You can be sure that the news will reflect reality and not bull shit. I saw some other ads for video journalists and they clearly want investigative work. The other channel is probably great (I don't get it) but it can reconfigure. This could be a real sleeper for us, capture access to an entire generation. Hell, I'll watch it. Need something besides C-Span.
Keep the faith.

[NYCGirl]

31. Those shows don't look too newsy to me. They look like MTV. NT

I'll miss NWI, too. They were struggling financially, so they weren't long for this world.

[autorank]

37. Let's hope for the best. Anything but the CM (corporate media)

Although this will be CM also but with a twist.

I do like that idea of bloggers getting a video arm and going after a portion of this network. That would be very powerful. Make people like KOS and Aravosis instant major news sources.

[NYCGirl]

14. CNN is owned by Time-Warner. They're not about to sell. NT

[zann725]

29. George Soros recently bought a subtantial chunk of it...to change things.

n/t

[NYCGirl]

33. Whether or not his Time Warner shares change things remains to be seen.

He also holds shares in News Corp., Murdock's company.

http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/050215/15/3qm05.html

[Up2Late]

46. I don't think that's true

CNN and CNN/Headline News has been crashing in the Ratings, ever since they were bought by AOL in the merger with Time-Warner. AOL has lost so much value since, they changed the name back to Time-Warner.

CNN and CNN/Headline News are quickly becoming the "Red headed Step-child" of the AOL/Time-Warner merger. I think they would love to quietly Dump CNN.:smoke:

[liberal43110]

17. Might work against us

While it's a pleasant thought to imagine a telvision network that didn't bend over backward to avoid being labeled "liberal," I think we should continue to fight the "liberal media myth" instead of creating a truly liberal media outlet (Air America aside).

For the first time, I'm hopeful that people--broadly--are recognizing that the American media is anything but liberal. I think their response to the Gannon scandal is proving to be a real eye-opener to many people, within the media and out, inside the U.S. and outside.

I think we should continue to break down this liberal media myth, and show people the truth for the first time in a long time.

[suigeneris]

39. I disagree. Fight fire with fire.

For too long we've been bringing knives to gunfights.

[ProgressiveConn]

19. FTV: Freedom Television.

6:00am - 9:00am Presidential Morning with Bill Clinton & Co host.
11:00am - 5:00pm Breaking News
5:00pm - 6:00pm The Blog Report with someone fiery
6:00pm - 8:00pm World News Today (Get someone from CBC)
8:00pm - 9:00pm Countdown with Keith Olberman
9:00pm - 10:00pm American Nightly News with Dan Rather
10:00pm - 11:00pm The Daily Show with John Stewart
11:00pm - 12:00am Newshour with Jim Lehrer
12:00am - 1:00am Tomorrow’s Times Today
1:00am - 2:00am Frontline
2:00am - 6:00am Reruns/Breaking News

[ChipperbackDemocrat]

41. Progressive...I LOVE IT...but don't forget about the weekend

Saturday

6:00 am - 9:00 am Freedom Morning Weekend with Jim Hightower
9:00 am - 11:00 Breaking News
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Tony Brown's Journal
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Breaking News
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Studio FTV with Michael Franti
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Michael Moore on America
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Charles Grodin's Conversations
9:00 pm - 10:00 pm American Nightly News Weekend
10:00 pm - 12:00 am Hardline Saturday Night with Mike Malloy
12:00 pm - 6:00 am reruns/Breaking News

Sunday

6:00 am - 9:00 am Freedom Morning Sunday live from Plains, Georgia
9:00 am - 11:00 am Washington This Week and Next
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Question Time America
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Answering Republican Lies with Howard Dean
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Breaking News
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Sunday Debate: Left vs. Right
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Frontline Sunday
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Michael Moore on America
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm The Randi Rhodes Hour
9:00 pm - 10:00 pm American Nightly News Weekend
10:00 pm - 12:00 am The best of Democracy Now!
12:00 pm - 6:00 am reruns/Breaking News

Freedom Television: America's Fox Hunter!

[Clark2008]

20. Wes Clark would be brought back in as the host for a foreign

policy/military/national security show - as told from a Democratic point of view. He could have guests like Madeline Albright, Gens. Christiansen and McCafferty and James Rubin.
There could be a show for red state Dems - hosted by John Edwards with guests like Harold Ford Jr., Phil Bredsen, Mark Warner, Russ Feingold, et al. - to teach red state Dems how to reach out to moderates.

Those are my ideas, anyway.

[FreedomAngel82]

36. I really like your

red state idea! That would be good. Sometimes us red staters aren't sure what to say. I also think Mike Malloy and/or Amy Goodman should have a show on there and maybe Ed Shultz.

[Rosco T.]

22. MSNBC is up for grabs....

NBC more than once floated a trial balloon to divest it but never did it.

COME ON SOROS! STEP UP TO THE PLATE!

edit: and that way, we get to keep KEITH.

[drbtg1]

47. If NBC-Universal had half a brain...

..., they'd make CNBC conservative oriented in primetime and MSNBC progressive oriented in primetime. This way, they could suck up to both sides of the spectrum and finally attend to a tremendously underserviced audience. Maybe once a month, do some sort of cooperative crossover forum.

[thebigidea]

25. "Yago" is as popular as syphilis

[pstans]

26. Ok, here is someone better than Gideon

CNN's Carlos Williams. He is young and smart.

[FreedomAngel82]

40. I'd rather have someone like

Stewart or Olbermann. Gideon is alright and some of the other MTV VJ's. As long as it's not Carson Daly. Nah. Not thanks on him.

[MAlibdem]

30. ???

At least Fox has pretensions at impartiality...
"3. Have a show hosted by the DNC. Dean could host it, or have a talking head host the show such as MTV News reporter Gideon Yago. Yago would be popular with the younger people. Democrats could come on the show and "frame" their issues and talk directly to the people without having to out yell O'Reilly, Hannity, or Scarbourough."

[proudbluestater]

34. Free Speech TV Channel 9415 on Dish Network

It's MY dream come true, anyway.

[mandyky]

44. I recently read somewhere that Soros and Buffet are buying shares

of MSM - CNN was mentioned and one other (can't remember which).
I might have read this at mydd or kos, but I'm not sure.

One would hope all our wealthy Dems cashing in on the tax cuts would do something to help us even the playing field.

[John_H]

48. This network would also

have "bipartisan" panels discussing every issue, just like CNN and MSNBC have bipartisan panels.

If there are two guests: Republicans like Lincoln Chafee, Snow, or Peter King should be on with Dems like Barney Frank, Dick Durbin, or Rangel.

If there are three the above guests should be balanced by an objective journalist like Dan Rather.

If there are four the above three should be added to by an objective columnist like Helen Thomas.

Hey, the reverse passes for balance on CNN...

[Up2Late]

49. Hey, That's My dream...sort of

I had a similar idea a few weeks ago. I live near Atlanta, and would love to see CNN sold back to some new Left-Thinking owners. I don't think making changes to shows like "The Daily Show," format or other wise, would be wise. Most of the time, that ends up destroying the bonds and chemistry that make a great show great.

"The Daily Show" is owned by Viacom, who own CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, VH1, BET, :crazy:Paramount Pictures, Infinity Broadcasting, Viacom Outdoor, UPN, TV Land, Comedy Central, CMT: Country Music Television, King World, Spike TV, Showtime, and Simon & Schuster.

I bet Ted Turner would love to take back some control of CNN, back from Mega-Corp Time-Warner which includes:

Time Warner Corporate,
Time Inc.,
America Online,
Time Warner Cable,
DC Comics,
Turner Broadcasting,
HBO,
Warner Bros. Entertainment,
New Line Cinema,
The WB Television Network

:think:My idea was to partner with a Good News organization like Reuters, who are much more independent that the BBC and are a more socially focused company than any of the current "news" organization.



Another idea I had, would be to make a "World News Network." The idea being to take the "Prime Time" national news casts, directly, un-edited, un-filtered, from all around the world. That way, we ALL get to hear what the other non-U.S. News organizations are saying about us.

I really think this is one of the MAJOR problems with what has happened to "news" in this country. So many in this country are "offended" when they hear Non-U.S. News because they all seem to report how "Bad" we are. Well, the truth hurts sometimes. I think it would be better to know what they are saying about us, but, of course, the WH would have a
"lot of 'splaining to do."

[jen4clark]

50. This is a dream we need to make real!!

It is painfully obvious that the mainstream corporate media is never going make a big deal about or report truth about any of the scandals that would bring this Regime down.

Seriously, this is the only thing that could ultimately save us. Imagine how many Progressives are as disgusted as we are and would stand behind an actual fact based cable news network!!

We should agree on a couple people to target (soros? Gore?) and start a letter writing campaign to show how much support this has. We could spread the message across all the Progressive blogs and get an idea planted that is probably on a lot of minds, but no one knows how to start.

I hope this thread gets back into play and we can get something going. I'm not a great "leader", but I will put everything I've got into helping get this ball rolling!