Sorry, Fox News boycotters -- Glenn Beck's not going anywhere
A boycott aimed at getting batty Fox News host Glenn Beck off the air has been remarkably successful, attracting support from Wal-Mart, CVS, Best Buy, and a slew of other major advertisers. Too bad it's not going to work.Some people, including my DailyFinance colleague Peter Cohan, think all this pressure could soon convince Fox to jettison Beck, who, in just seven months at the network, has already racked up an impressive highlights reel of offensive non-sequiturs. Calling President Obama a racist with "a deep-seated hatred for white people" is only the most recent.
But the idea that Fox News chief Roger Ailes or his boss, Rupert Murdoch, knuckle under and toss Beck is the purest fantasy. Beck has been a ratings hit for Fox from day one, giving the network a big boost over its previous performance in the 5 p.m. timeslot. His antics might make some sponsors uncomfortable, but, as a Fox spokeswoman told The New York Times, those marketers haven't actually canceled their ad buys; they've merely asked that their spots run during other programming -- and only until this brouhaha quiets down, most likely.
And it's not like Fox is up against a wall, financially speaking: On News Corp.'s fiscal-year-end earnings call, CFO David DeVoe announced that the network had just achieved its highest quarterly operating profit ever.
Then there's the issue of stubbornness. Some people back down in the face of a challenge, and some people instinctively dig in. Murdoch's a digger. He didn't fire Bill O'Reilly after the combative host was accused of sexually harassing an underling, or when he made boneheaded comments about the African-American patrons of Sylvia's, a restaurant in Harlem. Michael Wolff's prediction notwithstanding, he didn't fire New York Post editor Col Allan over a cartoon that equated Obama to an out-of-control chimpanzee, drawing fire from Al Sharpton and the NAACP.
Beck has nothing to worry about.



























Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
8-18-2009 @ 4:09PM
Di said...
At least Glenn is willing to address the hard issues. Don't see the drive-by media doing much other than throwing soft balls.
Reply
8-19-2009 @ 11:04AM
Reality said...
Glenn Beck has every right to keep spreading his lies to his gullible and low IQ audience. There is a market for morons who think that our President is a Muslim, an illegal immigrant, and a Marxist and somebody has to keep giving those cretins what they want to hear.
8-19-2009 @ 5:37PM
Hernan Reeyes said...
"Address the hard issues" ??? What planet are you coming from?
8-19-2009 @ 5:38PM
Keith said...
Drive by? What the heck is that?
8-25-2009 @ 1:05AM
Ken said...
Hard issues? Beck wouldn't know a issue if it walked up and slapped him in the head.
What he does do quite well is get a rise out of his low IQ, bigoted audience.
It's very sad to hear these people try to make argument when all they have is lies and disinformation from Beck.
They can be loud and obnoxious but very seldom right.
8-28-2009 @ 6:42AM
Carrie said...
More people should listen to Beck and wake up before we find ourselves in Cuba's shoes.
Just pay attention to what is going on in Washington today. Keep your eyes on the govt. and what they are doing to our freedoms.
Be afraid; be very afraid!
9-21-2009 @ 1:43PM
Floyd Long said...
. Don't call me a low IQ, bigoted audience. We are the ones that built the rocket and sent men to the moon. What have you done for this country? At least we were not stuiped enough to vote for some one that has not even managed a candy store to manage this great USA.
8-19-2009 @ 11:04AM
Brenda said...
At least Glenn Beck is looking out for the American people good grief people wake up and pay attention before we have to ask the government before we wipe our butts.
Reply
8-19-2009 @ 2:09PM
Rick said...
Do you really have to call the government to do that? Or did you just make that up? Or, can you name one incident in which you've had to call the government to do something so mundane?
Or are you just blowing smoke--repeating slogans from misleading programs, from Glenn Beck?
8-19-2009 @ 3:24PM
atuxen said...
It is time you educate yourself instead of being just another sheep getting all hyped by the likes of Beck, Limbaugh etc. it is really sad to think you have stooped to their level. Please, seriously, start really getting TRUE FACTS. We certainly don't need any more like the afoementioned mouthpieces.....
8-19-2009 @ 5:36PM
DevonTexas said...
DUH! America elected this President! You obviously didn't. So wait the four years and vote again. But, if you lose again, don't come whining to the rest of us. We got what we wanted and we're quite content. Thank you.
8-19-2009 @ 5:37PM
sheikwil said...
What a bunch of morons you idiots are for listening to this idiot Glen the drunk Beck is saying, he doesn't even believe the bull he is telling you idiots, it's all about his ratings and his 30 million dollar contract. Most of you are struggling in a run down trailer somewhere and he is living in a home probably costing several million dollars.
8-20-2009 @ 12:29PM
Rhonda said...
Q: What in your life has changed since the election?
A: Nothing!
Glenn Beck has made you stupid.
8-25-2009 @ 5:06PM
Don said...
Glen, when pushed, will say he did not like Bush and republicans either. In other words, he loves to complain no matter who is there. He is getting very rich by doing this. How many times on his show does he push buying his book? With Democrats in the majority , his conservative audience is growing. Wonder how he will sound to the republican audience whenever the republicans get the majority again and he complains about them? Maybe he will have to then work for MSNBC
8-19-2009 @ 11:04AM
joi said...
IF FOX WANTS TO KEEP BECK THAT'S THEIR LOSS. WILL NEVER WATCH THIS REPUBLICAN THAT KNOCKS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATS
SHAME ON FOX
Reply
8-19-2009 @ 2:11PM
Bill said...
You were not going to watch glenn anyway. You are too busy smoking dope and wathing dancing with the stars.
8-19-2009 @ 11:04AM
starfalcon said...
Beck's analysis is very thought provoking...and that is a good thing...
Beck's delivery is unlike no on elses on the media... and that is a good thing.
Beck tends to overemphisise by sarcasm and wit...and that seems to be working.
so... why get rid of a working good thing?
as is often the case...people cannot stand the truth..
sad...
Reply
8-19-2009 @ 2:36PM
geroldf said...
You gotta be kidding. Beck is amazingly stupid, his density is only matched by his duplicity. (If you're confused, what I mean is, Beck is not only a dimwit but a liar.)
8-19-2009 @ 5:37PM
sheikwil said...
you need to stay off that meth you are smoking if you believe Glen Beck knows what he is talking about. You are showing the world what a idiot you truly are.
8-19-2009 @ 5:38PM
Evelyn said...
Yep. Truth hurt. But on the other hand, people, Obama won. Why worry. He can dealt with any criticism, can he? Just like all the other presidents, isn't it? Don't be over protecting.