# Wed Apr 29: Obama Plans 3rd Prime-Time News Conference



## bitmap

Wed Apr 29, 8PM EDT.

This will at least hit new episodes of Scrubs, Better off Ted, Lie to Me, Rules of Engagement and America's Next Top Model. Others could be affected if the above get bumped to later time slots.

NBC is the winner here, as they had already scheduled only repeats that night. 

It seems as though the president should just set a regular monthly date for these things, so the networks don't have to keep juggling schedules around him on a week notice or less.


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## sieglinde

OK, I repent of wanting Bush to have done more news conferences. I repent repent repent. If they give the hour 8 PM to the news conference. Then they only have to shift an hour of TV. There are a lot of shows ending their season right now so this is a pain. I think the Season Finale for Better Off Ted is on that day, for example.


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## Chapper1

This is getting ri-goddamn-diculous...


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## Neenahboy

Chapper1 said:


> This is getting ri-goddamn-diculous...


Agreed, but at least we have notice so the networks and TiVos can adjust. As I recall, most of Bush's press conferences were on the spur of the moment.


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## bitmap

Neenahboy said:


> As I recall, most of Bush's press conferences were on the spur of the moment.


I'll read that to say that he only called press conferences for things that were actually urgent that he talk to the entire country at once, and not for things that most of us would be happy to read about in the next day's news.


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## ElJay

How dare the Prez think he's more important than our TV shows!!


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## Soapm

ElJay said:


> How dare the Prez think he's more important than our TV shows!!


He generally gets higher ratings than most shows...


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## Bierboy

Soapm said:


> He generally gets higher ratings than most shows...


That's because all of us here time-shift!


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## ldhurley

Bend over again and hold on to your wallet.


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## eaglestvo

Another episode of The Teleprompter.


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## ncsercs

You people voted for change. Be careful of what you ask for.


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## ElJay

I hope we can see Piyush "Bobby" Jindal give a response again. That was better than most scripted comedies.


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## 59er

ElJay said:


> I hope we can see Piyush "Bobby" Jindal give a response again. That was better than most scripted comedies.


+1!

Meanwhile, perhaps Wednesday would be a great night to seed my new Chia Obama (Determined style).


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## Hercules67

At least it's on Wednesday this time -- I don't have anything on Wednesday anymore! Yaay me!

Aah, the good old days of Ronnie (or how soon some of us forget), he used to be on the air, just as much if not more. I remember, because we use to talk about it in class. Back then of course, we didn't have DVRs, we might have been lucky to have had VCRs, and in the end all that was worth watching WAS on the 3 networks. So stop complaining, and be glad that at least this clown is communicating where the last clown was so secretive.


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## EvilMidniteBombr

You've gotta be sh***ng me! Another prime time interruption for the TOTUS?



Chapper1 said:


> This is getting ri-goddamn-diculous...


:up::up::up:


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## leeherman

Why doesn't he just post the text from his teleprompter on TCF so we can read it at our leisure?


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## magnus

Don't ya just love it. I hate reality TV.



eaglestvo said:


> Another episode of The Teleprompter.


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## Jolt

59er said:


> +1!
> 
> Meanwhile, perhaps Wednesday would be a great night to seed my new Chia Obama (Determined style).


Mine just started sprouting. Pretty funny if you ask me.


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## jcaudle

This guy likes all the free press time from the adoring press. I will watch cable channels in order to avoid this. I read the newspaper regularly so I don't need to hear what he says with his pre approved reporters he talks to. Why does every single press conference he holds have to be in prime time?


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## msdonnelly

Just because there is a press conference, the networks don't have to cover it! Maybe they've decided that a press conference announced two weeks in advance is not news because I've seen no indication of changed schedules. The Futon Critic is still showing the normal schedule for Wednesday and I just fast forwarded through a FOX promo for Lie to Me to show at it's normal time on Wednesday!


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## TivoZorro

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/23/AR2009042304605.html

He will take $9 to $10 million dollars out of the purse of broadcast TV because of lost ad revenue during the sweeps period for that night. And for an industry already suffering that is not good. So, yes, they have a decision to make, but IMHO they will all cave. zap2it is only showing CNN as carrying the press conference but about Tuesday things will probably change too late for Tivo to get the changed guide data, making a mess of things once again.


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## jlb

Do we assume they are going to take the whole hour and then the networks will just reschedule the 8pm shows, or could they take part of the hour and then show everything delayed that night? If the latter, then Lost and The Unusuals for us will need to be padded. Oh and Idol results.


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## USAFSSO

This is when it pays of to be on the left coast. It will be on at 6pm. But baseball is on at that time, and he can't even mess with baseball.


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## ronsch

It looks like Lost and The Unusuals as usual with Better Off Ted and Scrubs the following Tuesday.


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## Malcontent

Fox rejects Obama's request for airtime

http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/04/fox-rejects-obamas-request-for-airtime.html


> For the first time since Barack Obama took office, a major broadcast network is refusing to grant the president's request for primetime coverage.


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## USAFSSO

Malcontent said:


> Fox rejects Obama's request for airtime
> 
> http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/04/fox-rejects-obamas-request-for-airtime.html


They have done this before in the last administration. They have a news network that will cover it, they have AI or other shows that more people want to watch. I know AI will be postponed.


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## EvilMidniteBombr

> ABC, CBS and NBC have issued statements saying they will carry the president's 8 p.m. telecast.


:down::down:



> According to one report, the nonpartisan research group Center for Media and Public Affairs found that evening newscasts have covered Obama more than both Pres. George W. Bush and Bill Clinton during the first 50 days of their first terms -- *combined*.


 NO WAY!


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## sieglinde

Tribune and Zap2It have not caught up with this yet.


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## Rainy Dave

Scrubs is moving that night's episode.

From Facebook: Scrubs heads up: the next new episode "My Chief Concern" has been moved to Tuesday May 5th at 8/7c on ABC due to President Obama's press conference. "My Finale" still airs Wednesday May 6th at 8/7c. Seeing new episodes back-to-back is almost as delightful as Steak Night

edit: Doh! Just saw ronsch's post!


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## Rob Helmerichs

EvilMidniteBombr said:


> NO WAY!


Then again, his first 50 days have probably been more eventful than Clinton and Bush's combined, and you could probably even throw in Bush Senior.

May You Live in Interesting Times, indeed!


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## dagap

Malcontent said:


> Fox rejects Obama's request for airtime


Well are they showing it or not? The program guide says "Lie to Me", so it's not clear if that's the scripted drama or BO's news conference.


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## ronsch

dagap said:


> Well are they showing it or not? The program guide says "Lie to Me", so it's not clear if that's the scripted drama or BO's news conference.


I'm not sure how much clearer "rejects request for air time" could be.....

Yes, they are showing Lie To Me as originally scheduled.


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## Rainy Dave

dagap said:


> Well are they showing it or not? The program guide says "Lie to Me", so it's not clear if that's the scripted drama or BO's news conference.


:up:


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## Einselen

ronsch said:


> I'm not sure how much clearer "rejects request for air time" could be.....
> 
> Yes, they are showing Lie To Me as originally scheduled.


Zoom zoom zoom!


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## andyf

Zap2It has the update, maybe our TiVo's will get it after today's call.


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## EvilMidniteBombr

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Then again, his first 50 days have probably been more eventful than Clinton and Bush's combined, and you could probably even throw in Bush Senior.
> 
> May You Live in Interesting Times, indeed!


Eventful? Not so much.



dagap said:


> Well are they showing it or not? The program guide says "Lie to Me", so it's not clear if that's the scripted drama or BO's news conference.


Zzzzzzzzzzing!!!


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## Rob Helmerichs

EvilMidniteBombr said:


> Eventful? Not so much.


I guess not...ignore the biggest financial crisis since the Depression and a war on two fronts, and there's really not much going on...


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## allan

dagap said:


> Well are they showing it or not? The program guide says "Lie to Me", so it's not clear if that's the scripted drama or BO's news conference.


:up:  :up:


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## ronsch

andyf said:


> Zap2It has the update, maybe our TiVo's will get it after today's call.


Yes. Both my SA and DTiVos have the update.


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## msrolla

Fox 2 in St. Louis just caved in. "Lie to Me" will be on at midnight.


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## EvilMidniteBombr

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I guess not...ignore the biggest financial crisis since the Depression and a war on two fronts, and there's really not much going on...


Okay, I'll give you the economy. That is big news. Especially when a President is busy filling his Cabinet with people that don't pay their taxes. Nationalizing the auto and banking industries. Out spending his predecessor by 3 times in the first 50 days. Combined with all the sycophantic arse kissing I could see how that would get you on the news.

Seeing as how things are going relatively well in the war, it rarely gets mentioned in the news. So no points for that one.

I guess I was wrong. It has been an eventful time.


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## Rob Helmerichs

EvilMidniteBombr said:


> Seeing as how things are going relatively well in the war, it rarely gets mentioned in the news. So no points for that one.


I guess you don't watch the news much. The pending drawdown in Iraq was a huge story in the first weeks of Obama's presidency, and increased hostilities in Afghanistan certainly contributed a lot to his coverage in the first 50/100 days.

I don't know if there's ever been a president who has had as much going on at the beginning of his first term as Obama, but certainly not since network news started doing its best USA Today impression. No matter what you think of Obama, you have to admit he's had a ton of stuff dumped on his plate at the beginning, and it's no surprise that this should be considered newsworthy.

These press conferences, however, are a bit much, and I think should be relegated to news networks. That's kinda why we _have _news networks; they should limit prime time interruptions on the entertainment networks to instances where the whole country needs to learn something right this minute.


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## mrmike

I'm shocked that this thread has remained open for so long with so many blatant politically partisan comments in it. Shocked I say.


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## aindik

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I don't know if there's ever been a president who has had as much going on at the beginning of his first term as Obama, but certainly not since network news started doing its best USA Today impression.


Does Day No. 234 count as the beginning?


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## sieglinde

Fdr.


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## sieglinde

I keep editing it and it still was Fdr rather than FDR.


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## Rob Helmerichs

aindik said:


> Does Day No. 234 count as the beginning?


Hardly--I was thinking Day 1.

It would be interesting to compare the coverage of Obama 1-50 with Bush 234-284...


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## Manchot

> Another episode of The Teleprompter.
> 
> Why doesn't he just post the text from his teleprompter on TCF so we can read it at our leisure?


Apparently, neither of you know what a press conference is.

But seriously, it's rather telling that the biggest thing the right wing fanatics have to harp on is the fact that the President uses notes when giving prepared speeches. You know, like every president in history.


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## EvilMidniteBombr

Manchot said:


> Apparently, neither of you know what a press conference is.
> 
> But seriously, it's rather telling that the biggest thing the right wing fanatics have to harp on is the fact that the President uses notes when giving prepared speeches. You know, like every president in history.


I hate to break it to you, but it's not the biggest thing. It's the most frequent. Other Presidents have used a teleprompter. He RELIES on the damn thing and uh cannot uh speak uh..... without it. Every speech he gives it looks like he's watching a tennis match.


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## Rainy Dave

Manchot said:


> Apparently, neither of you know what a press conference is.
> 
> But seriously, it's rather telling that the biggest thing the right wing fanatics have to harp on is the fact that the President uses notes when giving prepared speeches. You know, like every president in history.


Seriously...you think that?


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## mattack

EvilMidniteBombr said:


> I hate to break it to you, but it's not the biggest thing. It's the most frequent. Other Presidents have used a teleprompter. He RELIES on the damn thing and uh cannot uh speak uh..... without it.


Did you ever see the bits on Letterman where they showed clips of Bush speaking?


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## EvilMidniteBombr

mattack said:


> Did you ever see the bits on Letterman where they showed clips of Bush speaking?


No, what was it?

Normally I don't watch any of the late nite jibber jabber unless they have someone one that triggers a recording from one of my ARWLs.


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## Manchot

> Other Presidents have used a teleprompter.


Every president since Kennedy has used a teleprompter for prepared speeches. Before that, they used note cards. You act as if he only gives prepared speeches, and that's simply not true. What do you think he does at debates, town-hall meetings, and press conferences? By the way, polls taken after his debates with McCain showed him "winning" overwhelmingly, so he obviously doesn't do too badly speaking off the cuff.


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## pusta

Interesting enough Lie to Me had higher ratings than the president's speech. That should say something...


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## Rob Helmerichs

pusta said:


> Interesting enough Lie to Me had higher ratings than the president's speech. That should say something...


But did it have higher ratings than the president's speech on all networks combined?


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## Rainy Dave

"President Obama&#8217;s news conference averaged 22.02 million viewers across ABC, NBC, CBS and Univision, and a 6.0 rating among adults 18-49. Lie to Me averaged a 2.4/7 (rating/share) with adults 18-49, and 7.88 million viewers."


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## astrohip

"Audience interest in Barack Obamas news conferences seems to be falling, with Wednesdays press event drawing the presidents smallest primetime audience since his inauguration.

The telecast to mark Obamas 100th day in office was viewed by 28.8 million people, according to Nielsen. That's a 29% drop from the president's last press conference, on March 24, and a 42% fall since his first, on Feb. 9."

From "The Live Feed"
http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/04/obama-press-conference-draws-288-million-viewers.html#more


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## ronsch

Rainy Dave said:


> "President Obamas news conference averaged 22.02 million viewers across ABC, NBC, CBS and Univision, and a 6.0 rating among adults 18-49. Lie to Me averaged a 2.4/7 (rating/share) with adults 18-49, and 7.88 million viewers."


I watched it on CNN.


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## mattack

EvilMidniteBombr said:


> No, what was it?


Look on Youtube for "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches". Here is a compilation someone made (I haven't watched it admittedly)


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## sieglinde

Yeah, I think the people who bring up the teleprompter just make themselves look stupid. The prepared remarks would be off of a teleprompter and the news conference would have to be done without one unless someone with the quickest computer in the world could choose answers to questions that reporters were likely to ask including that lame four part one that was asked. (Obama needed a blue book for that one.)


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## EvilMidniteBombr

ALMOST ALL OF HIS REMARKS ARE OFF A TELEPROMPTER! Mostly because he can't talk without sounding like an idiot without it! 

















I love how people defend Obama when they would have been smearing GWB over the exact same thing.


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## astrohip

EvilMidniteBombr said:


> I love how people defend Obama when they would have been smearing GWB over the exact same thing.


I can't speak for others, this has nothing to do with politics as far as I'm concerned. Don't bump my boob tube!


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## sieglinde

My answer to the teleprompter is so what!!!!

This thread is getting political.


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