“The View From the Phlipside” is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY. It can be heard Monday through Friday around 7:30 AM. The following are scripts which may not exactly match the aired version of the program. Mostly because the host may suddenly choose to add or subtract words at a moment’s notice. WRFA-LP is not responsible for any such silliness or the opinions expressed. You can listen to a live stream of WRFA or find a podcast of this program at wrfalp.com. Copyright 2013-16 by Jay Phillippi. All Rights Reserved. You like what you see? Drop me a line and we can talk.
The podcast of this week’s programs:
Program scripts from week of July 25, 2016
My name is Jay Phillippi and I’ve spent my life in and around the media. TV, radio, the movies and more. I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion. Call this the View from the Phlipside.
Convention Season
We
find ourselves right in the middle of political convention season.
The Republican convention ended last week and the Democrats will be
doing their political theater this week. You might think that this
would be a high old time for the media, as the two major political
parties in America today yell and scream, speechify and show off for
all the world to see.
find ourselves right in the middle of political convention season.
The Republican convention ended last week and the Democrats will be
doing their political theater this week. You might think that this
would be a high old time for the media, as the two major political
parties in America today yell and scream, speechify and show off for
all the world to see.
Not
so much really.
so much really.
It’s
not that nobody watches. This year’s GOP convention drew around
thirty two million viewers over three nights. Compare that to NCIS’s
top drama numbers of around twenty-one million viewers for the
season. Sounds pretty good right? The problem is there’s an apples
and oranges problem here. Compare it to the last two GOP
presidential conventions. While the 2016 convention did better than
the 2012 by around two million viewers, it got thumped by the 2008
convention. The difference between the Trump and McCain conventions
is in the range of seven million viewers. That’s sounds a little
disturbing given the familiarity with the media of the current
Republican candidate.
not that nobody watches. This year’s GOP convention drew around
thirty two million viewers over three nights. Compare that to NCIS’s
top drama numbers of around twenty-one million viewers for the
season. Sounds pretty good right? The problem is there’s an apples
and oranges problem here. Compare it to the last two GOP
presidential conventions. While the 2016 convention did better than
the 2012 by around two million viewers, it got thumped by the 2008
convention. The difference between the Trump and McCain conventions
is in the range of seven million viewers. That’s sounds a little
disturbing given the familiarity with the media of the current
Republican candidate.
The
question is this – do the TV ratings really tell us anything about
the election to come?
question is this – do the TV ratings really tell us anything about
the election to come?
According
to a study done by Geoffrey Skelley, a political analyst at the
University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, the answer is –
probably not. Skelley took a look at the conventions of both parties
from 1960 to 2012. That’s the hardcore television era for political
coverage. He noted that in those fourteen election cycles the
televisions ratings split right down the middle. Seven times the
candidate from the convention with the better ratings won. And seven
times the candidate from the convention with the worse ratings won.
Some of that can easily be explained. 2008, for example, had the
media circus that followed GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah
Palin around. The Republicans won the ratings battle handily. The
election turned out to be something else.
to a study done by Geoffrey Skelley, a political analyst at the
University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, the answer is –
probably not. Skelley took a look at the conventions of both parties
from 1960 to 2012. That’s the hardcore television era for political
coverage. He noted that in those fourteen election cycles the
televisions ratings split right down the middle. Seven times the
candidate from the convention with the better ratings won. And seven
times the candidate from the convention with the worse ratings won.
Some of that can easily be explained. 2008, for example, had the
media circus that followed GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah
Palin around. The Republicans won the ratings battle handily. The
election turned out to be something else.
Here’s
the other thing to remember, overall there’s is an ongoing slide in
the ratings for the conventions. A couple things probably play into
that. First, there hasn’t been a convention where the winner was not
already known before it began since the GOP in 1976. Second,
conventions are relics of a by gone age. Originally intended to be a
way to bring the presidential selection process out of the backroom,
the move towards more direct primaries is making them obsolete.
Finally, modern media gives the voters many more chances to see and
hear the candidates. There’s very little suspense left when the
chosen candidate strides out onto the stage.
the other thing to remember, overall there’s is an ongoing slide in
the ratings for the conventions. A couple things probably play into
that. First, there hasn’t been a convention where the winner was not
already known before it began since the GOP in 1976. Second,
conventions are relics of a by gone age. Originally intended to be a
way to bring the presidential selection process out of the backroom,
the move towards more direct primaries is making them obsolete.
Finally, modern media gives the voters many more chances to see and
hear the candidates. There’s very little suspense left when the
chosen candidate strides out onto the stage.
Mostly
people watch so they can cheer on their team. It’s likely that that
audience will continue to dwindle in the future.
people watch so they can cheer on their team. It’s likely that that
audience will continue to dwindle in the future.
Media Spotlight
The
topic today isn’t technically just a media one. And it’s one that I
will be approaching carefully. If you have small folks around or
just don’t feel like taking on an awkward and rather adult subject,
you might want to take a couple minutes with the volume down.
topic today isn’t technically just a media one. And it’s one that I
will be approaching carefully. If you have small folks around or
just don’t feel like taking on an awkward and rather adult subject,
you might want to take a couple minutes with the volume down.
The
sudden end of the Roger Ailes era at the Fox Television News network
reminds us once again that we never completely leave the past behind.
Ailes has been accused of sexual harassment in a lawsuit brought by
former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson. She claims that Ailes, the
seventy six year old CEO and founding visionary for Fox News, made
unwanted sexual advances on her and when she turned him down, he
demoted her, eventually firing her. Since that 25 more women have
come forward with accusations dating back decades.
sudden end of the Roger Ailes era at the Fox Television News network
reminds us once again that we never completely leave the past behind.
Ailes has been accused of sexual harassment in a lawsuit brought by
former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson. She claims that Ailes, the
seventy six year old CEO and founding visionary for Fox News, made
unwanted sexual advances on her and when she turned him down, he
demoted her, eventually firing her. Since that 25 more women have
come forward with accusations dating back decades.
I’m
not here to discuss the claims or the lawsuit. But with this kind of
alleged behavior suddenly getting high profile attention in the
media, it is time to perhaps take a look at the place it still holds
in that media. Ailes joins Bill Cosby as high profile, men of
influence to face serious allegations against them. The reality is
that this isn’t some new, terrible behavior pattern. The media has
been a boys club for generations. That’s hardly news as well. Most
of the centers of power in our society have been the domain of the
male of the species.
not here to discuss the claims or the lawsuit. But with this kind of
alleged behavior suddenly getting high profile attention in the
media, it is time to perhaps take a look at the place it still holds
in that media. Ailes joins Bill Cosby as high profile, men of
influence to face serious allegations against them. The reality is
that this isn’t some new, terrible behavior pattern. The media has
been a boys club for generations. That’s hardly news as well. Most
of the centers of power in our society have been the domain of the
male of the species.
In
the movie industry they even created a name for this practice. It’s
called the “casting couch”. The earliest references to this go
back to about 1910. Over the years victims have been mostly women,
but also men and children.
the movie industry they even created a name for this practice. It’s
called the “casting couch”. The earliest references to this go
back to about 1910. Over the years victims have been mostly women,
but also men and children.
Some
folks will try and shrug it off as “It’s always been that way”.
What interests me is that because it is no longer conveniently kept
out of the spotlight, we actually may be making some headway in
pushing back.
folks will try and shrug it off as “It’s always been that way”.
What interests me is that because it is no longer conveniently kept
out of the spotlight, we actually may be making some headway in
pushing back.
In
the media today, it would hard to argue that there are many people
with more power than Roger Ailes had prior to his resignation. I
believe that with the help of the spotlight that the modern media
can bring, victims of this kind of unethical behavior may finally be
able to push back hard. When the media was still an industry with
only limited outlets, it was easier to hush this kind of story up.
Today, with so many different ways to keep the spotlight shining, the
powerful are finding themselves with little room to maneuver.
the media today, it would hard to argue that there are many people
with more power than Roger Ailes had prior to his resignation. I
believe that with the help of the spotlight that the modern media
can bring, victims of this kind of unethical behavior may finally be
able to push back hard. When the media was still an industry with
only limited outlets, it was easier to hush this kind of story up.
Today, with so many different ways to keep the spotlight shining, the
powerful are finding themselves with little room to maneuver.
As
the father of a daughter who is making her way in the world, I think
I’m OK with that.
the father of a daughter who is making her way in the world, I think
I’m OK with that.
Summer Movies
So
far this summer has been what folks in my family used to call a
stinker. Hot and humid. The movie industry has much the same
feeling about this summer. It stinks. And all because it hasn’t
been a hot one.
far this summer has been what folks in my family used to call a
stinker. Hot and humid. The movie industry has much the same
feeling about this summer. It stinks. And all because it hasn’t
been a hot one.
According
to numbers from two weeks ago, 2016 is on course to be the worst
ticket sale summer in decades and the worst ticket per person average
going back a century. That’s a whole lot of stink in one of the two
most important movie sale seasons of the year.
to numbers from two weeks ago, 2016 is on course to be the worst
ticket sale summer in decades and the worst ticket per person average
going back a century. That’s a whole lot of stink in one of the two
most important movie sale seasons of the year.
The
problem has been movies that simply haven’t been the usual summer
blockbuster. “Finding Dory” is the current leader at four
hundred sixty million dollars so far. The fall of from “Dory”
however is pretty steep. “Capt. America – Civil War” is some
sixty million behind and movies in the third and fourth slots, “The
Jungle Book” and “Zootopia” are both around one hundred million
out of first. “The Secret Life of Pets” is fifth and is yet
another hundred million dollars behind.
problem has been movies that simply haven’t been the usual summer
blockbuster. “Finding Dory” is the current leader at four
hundred sixty million dollars so far. The fall of from “Dory”
however is pretty steep. “Capt. America – Civil War” is some
sixty million behind and movies in the third and fourth slots, “The
Jungle Book” and “Zootopia” are both around one hundred million
out of first. “The Secret Life of Pets” is fifth and is yet
another hundred million dollars behind.
A
boatload of “meh” sequels, plus some movies that simply didn’t
generate much excitement seem to be the primary culprits.
boatload of “meh” sequels, plus some movies that simply didn’t
generate much excitement seem to be the primary culprits.
With
all of that said, there may be more dark clouds on the horizon for
the movies. A new movie service, called “Screening Room”, may
drive yet another nail into the movie theaters coffins. The startup
service is being underwritten by Napster founder and former Facebook
president Sean Parker and his partners. The concept is simple. You
would be able to watch new movies, starting on the day of their
release, at home. The price tag strikes me as hefty. One hundred
fifty dollars for equipment and then fifty dollars per movie. Parker
and company claim that Screening Room will be good for the movie
industry. Unsurprisingly, movie theaters are not fans of the idea.
Meanwhile, Stephen Spielberg and JJ Abrams seem to think it will save
the movies.
all of that said, there may be more dark clouds on the horizon for
the movies. A new movie service, called “Screening Room”, may
drive yet another nail into the movie theaters coffins. The startup
service is being underwritten by Napster founder and former Facebook
president Sean Parker and his partners. The concept is simple. You
would be able to watch new movies, starting on the day of their
release, at home. The price tag strikes me as hefty. One hundred
fifty dollars for equipment and then fifty dollars per movie. Parker
and company claim that Screening Room will be good for the movie
industry. Unsurprisingly, movie theaters are not fans of the idea.
Meanwhile, Stephen Spielberg and JJ Abrams seem to think it will save
the movies.
The
system seems to work this way – for your fifty dollars you get to
see the movie on a specifc day. Plus you get two tickets to see it
in a theater and the theater chains get twenty dollars of the fifty.
system seems to work this way – for your fifty dollars you get to
see the movie on a specifc day. Plus you get two tickets to see it
in a theater and the theater chains get twenty dollars of the fifty.
That
strikes me as a high cost, with a lot of extras I don’t necessarily
want. If I don’t like the movie, what do I do with the two tickets?
Plus is the twenty dollar kickback going to be enough to balance the
loss of food sales, the real core of the theaters bottom line?
strikes me as a high cost, with a lot of extras I don’t necessarily
want. If I don’t like the movie, what do I do with the two tickets?
Plus is the twenty dollar kickback going to be enough to balance the
loss of food sales, the real core of the theaters bottom line?
The
Screening Room is still having the bugs worked out. The goal is to
bring back to the movies the Millenials who aren’t showing up any
more. My questions are whether this really meets the needs of the
movie viewer or the movie theaters. This seems like an expensive and
rather convoluted solution.
Screening Room is still having the bugs worked out. The goal is to
bring back to the movies the Millenials who aren’t showing up any
more. My questions are whether this really meets the needs of the
movie viewer or the movie theaters. This seems like an expensive and
rather convoluted solution.
A
solution that may not actually solve anything.
solution that may not actually solve anything.
Call that the View From the Phlipside
Copyright Jay Phillippi, 2016
Theme music for “The View From the Phlipside” and “TVFTP – Podcast” is “Hustle”
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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