Andrew Malcolm, a commentator for the LA Times, has written a long piece covering Glenn's departure from FOX News, the launch of GBTV, and his recent trip to Israel.
Malcolm writes, "When Glenn Beck left his daily Fox News Channel show on June 30, he said the media would "pray for the time when I was only on the air for one hour every day." Beck is still on the radio airwaves, but now he's bet the TV farm entirely on the Web."
Malcolm tackled the ground breaking nature of GBTV:
It's an interesting, multi-platform, multi-faceted experiment to see whether a TV phenomenon can cut the tether with a regular time slot on the tube and exist on its own in cyberspace.Beck has evidently poured considerable resources into the project (the launch special is very slickly produced), with facilities in New York and his new home of Dallas.
Regardless of how anyone in the media feels about Beck or his message, it might be a good idea to keep a weather eye on his venture. He may not be the best friend of the mainstream media -- and the feeling is mostly mutual -- but he's taking the plunge into what may become one of its future business models.
Malcolm also discussed Glenn's recent trip to Israel and the 'Restoring Courage' event:
Beck probably wasn't in Israel just to talk to the legislature, since preparations are underway for hisRestoring Courage Rally, to be held about sundown in Jerusalem on Aug. 24. Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman is among those expected to attend........
Now Beck is wading into the middle of the Israeli/Palestinian issue by speaking to the Knesset and holding an event supportive of Israel in disputed Jerusalem. Fans will be able to watch the rally on ... you guessed it, GBTV (although we suspect one or more TV news organizations will offer at least some coverage).
Provided all goes well in Israel -- or at minimum, Beck emerges unscathed -- the next challenge will be putting the full-fledged GBTV on a paying basis.
Read the article in it's entirety here.