Did you know that 39 percent of the country identifies themselves as conservative and 37 percent as moderate, only 23 percent see themselves as liberal? And yet, the vast majority of the mainstream media networks deliver the news with a liberal point of view. Today on radio, Glenn kicked off a major grassroots campaign to get TheBlaze on TV channels across the country.
This morning, The New York Times reported:
Glenn Beck is beginning a campaign to get his Internet channel, TheBlaze, onto cable and satellite television systems across the country, and the one system that already carries the channel, Dish Network, is backing him up.
The campaign will begin on Monday when Mr. Beck starts promotingGetTheBlaze.com, a Web site that asks fans to contact their television provider and request the channel. He will talk about the site on his nationally syndicated radio show and link to it on his social networking Web sites.
“You probably pay good money every month to your TV provider for access to channels like MSNBC and Al Jazeera America — channels that you might not watch, or even agree with,” Mr. Beck wrote in a letter on the Web site. “Adding TheBlaze will ensure that you and your family have a source of news and analysis that you can trust and that doesn’t betray your values.”
Mr. Beck has previously indicated that he plans to position the channel as alibertarian news and entertainment source, which would put it into relatively direct competition with Fox News Channel, where he hosted a hugely popular 5 p.m. talk show for nearly three years. The plan is rather audacious, partly because TheBlaze is owned by Mr. Beck’s company, Mercury Radio Arts, not by a media conglomerate like Fox’s parent, News Corporation.
“Let me make this very clear. I am not in this for the money. I am not in this for the competitive nature. I really don’t care,” Glenn said.
Glenn explained that he doesn’t believe in the idea that TheBlaze is competing with Fox News. He said that when he worked for other networks, he would always promote other programming that promoted the truth, and he would continue to support anyone who was standing up for the truth.
“We’re all in this together. I’m not in competition. I believe all of us are in competition with the progressives,” Glenn said.
“If you want something that is Paul Ryan on the ‘crazy Republican side’ to Penn Jillette – this is the channel.”
“What we want to do here is different. What we want to do is make a place for people who may not agree with me, and I may not agree with them. But a place where their voice is heard and valued. We want to put the seat back at the table. That’s what we’re trying to do. Not compete,” Glenn said.
According to Gallup, 39 percent of the country identifies themselves as conservative and 37 percent as moderate, only 23 percent see themselves as liberal. And yet out of all the networks, only FOX News brings a conservative perspective into the conversation. On the other hand, CNN, MSNBC, Current TV, and others are on the spectrum of left of center to unabashed progressive. And in July, Current TV will be switching over to Al-Jazeera America.
Each month when customers pay their cable or satellite bill, a portion goes to each of those networks. That means that people who don’t agree with the progressive values of hosts on MSNBC, Current TV, and Al-Jazeera are having a portion of their money being used to fund those networks. However, those same customers are left with only one option that comes close to representing their own values.
“Here’s what I think. If you write a check that goes to support networks that overwhelming represent a viewpoint you don’t agree with, the least your cable or satellite operator can do is listen to you,” Glenn said.
Glenn is relying on a grassroots efforts from it’s audience to give families across the country the option of watching TheBlaze on their channel lineup. Every day hundreds of Blaze listeners, viewers, and readers, email or call with the same question: ‘When will I be able to watch TheBlaze on my cable or satellite system?’. While TheBlaze’s executive team has been meeting with TV providers across the country about adding TheBlaze, many of them aren’t sure that there is enough demand from their customers for the channel.
Glenn explained that the “Get TheBlaze” campaign is designed to show beyond a shadow of a doubt that millions of Americans value truth, the Constitution, and family values, and want TheBlaze television network on their cable or satellite system.
He encouraged viewers and listeners to visit GetTheBlaze.com or call 1-800-996-2529 to let their TV providers know they want TheBlaze added to their channel lineup.
One TV provider that Glenn praised was DISH Network, which stepped up early on and recognized the value and quality of TheBlaze and was the first provider to give their customers the choice of watching TheBlaze.
Dave Shull, senior vice president of programming at DISH, said they saw a marked rise in customers after picking up TheBlaze.
“TheBlaze and Glenn Beck bring a unique perspective to DISH’s broad spectrum of political programming on all sides,” Shull said. “We had customers sign up quickly, and we saw new customers join DISH. In fact, subscriptions attributable to TheBlaze outpaced our projections by 80 percent, proving that DISH is giving customers what they want with a choice in programming, not to mention the technology to choose how to watch it.”
