Gore Launches Cable News Network

[Caution]

This is NOT a Dupe. The earlier news item was speculative. This is now an official announcement.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=494&e=1&u=/ap/gore_tv

NEW ORLEANS - An investor group headed by former Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites) launched a cable news network for young adults Tuesday by buying Newsworld International from Vivendi Universal Entertainment for an undisclosed sum.

Newsworld International is a 24-hour channel broadcasting international news produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. that now has about 14 million North American households, according to the Vivendi Web site.

<snip>

[Arugula Latte]

1. Wonderful

Bit by bit, we'll take back this country from the extremists.

[Melodybe]

2. YAY! I hope they are up and running before Nov.

Way to go Al, show them what Liberal Media really is.

[flpoljunkie]

3. Gore says "network will not be political"

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/04/business/media/04CND-GORE.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW ORLEANS -- Former Vice President Al Gore and entrepreneur Joel Hyatt launched a cable television network Tuesday by buying Newsworld International from Vivendi Universal Entertainment for an undisclosed sum. Newsworld International is a 24-hour channel broadcasting international news produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

Following its acquisition by Gore's company, INdTV Holdings, the programming will continue to be provided by CBC. The announcement was made Tuesday during the National Cable and Television Association convention in New Orleans.

"This will not be a political network," Gore said in a statement. "These stories will be in a voice that young people recognize and from a point of view they identify as their own."

_______________________________

What does Gore mean by this statement?

[alexwcovington]

5. Oh great.

He can't even give us the left-wing network he promised.

[David__77]

6. Don't worry, it will be political.

Fox says they're unbiased too. He has to say it won't be political, come on...

[AlGore-08.com]

21. I have somewhat of an "insider" view, since I work in the industry

And you should know that Gore never said the venture would be a liberal news network. Neither did Hiatt. Any time that anybody connected with the project was asked whether it would be a liberal news network, the answer was a short, simple "No". The media, of course, ignored the facts and have been reporting that it is designed specifically as a liberal network, because the conventional wisdom is that liberal media enterprises cannot suceed. Labeling this venture "liberal", wan't just the usual sloppy journalism, it was a not-so-subtle way for industry insiders to mock it.

If you look at the big picture, so much of what is wrong with this country is the way the news media currently operates. Even more than right wing bias, the main reason that all the news organizations parrot the same RNC spin is that these networks do not budget the time or resources to investigate stories or check facts. Far too many of their stories are just verbatim wire stories or pr releases. When one outlet picks up a story, everybody picks it up - - and nobody bothers to check it. It appeared in the New York Times, so it must be accurate!

So how do you change that? One way to try to change it is to create liberal networks, like AirAmerica. Another way is to create news outlets that at least try to practice real journalism - - and practice it in a way that will bring an audience.

You need to do both because there are (at least) two major problems with only creating a liberal media to balance out Faux:

1.) It doesn't solve the underlying problem of how the news media operates.

2.) It lacks credibility with the opposition and independents - - because, by definition, a partisan network cannot be objective. How many of us have ever been pursuaded to change our opinion about something because of a Faux News report? Most of us automatically reject what we hear on Faux as totally inaccurate, and tell other people to reject it too.

What is needed if you want independents and waivering conservatives to learn facts that the right wants to surpress is to have a place that practices journalism, not spin. A place where they can trust that telling the news accurately is more important than the politics of the network owner or the anchor.

IMNSHO, that is more important - - and more radical - - than just creating a liberal version of Faux. Because if this network sucedes, another dynamic will come into play which will have a far greater impact on tv journalism: the complete bankruptcy of ideas in the entertainment industry. If the network sucedes, every idiot in Hollywood and New York will be trying to cash in on that success. Just as some idiot at Time Warner decided that CNN needed to be Faux in order to make an even more obscene profit, some other idiot at some other major will decide that their news organization has to copy INdTV in order to rake in the cash.

Finally, if you're interested, what Gore, Hiatt and the rest have always said the network will be is a youth oriented news and public affairs network. One of the main inspirations (apparently) was the old MTV show "Unfiltered".

[Lisa]

35. I'm glad to see he's getting use out of his undergrad thesis!

Seriously. In the 1960's, Gore pointed out that TV was going to have a tremendous impact on politics, and also on the way in which politics would be reported. Given that this was something the policymakers themselves (and even the networks) generally didn't see coming -- TVs were in something like 80% of households (high but not universal), radio and print were arguably more influential than they are now, and the production values look laughable compared to today -- I think that Gore was pretty farsighted. Actually there are social scientists and cultural theorists I know who have't come up with anything so profound ... let alone before they turned 20!

I haven't read the complete thesis, but the summaries I've seen online suggest that he raised some serious issues regarding TV journalism. And as AG2004 says, they can't be fixed by simply changing a few labels, and applying the same sloppy techniques the right-wingers do. Gore seems to be the kind of person who doesn't settle for cheap window-dressing -- an analogy here is how he approaches climate change. He doesn't go around scaring people by making stuff up, when solid, critical science is more accurate (even if the scenarios aren't as dramatic). He likes approaches that make things better for everybody, not just one side.

If his aim is to turn young people, or a critical mass of them, on to appreciating good journalism -- or better yet getting involved themselves -- that's a long-term project that could have enormous beneficial consequences.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

7. Gore doesn't deserve to be President. He has no...

BALLS!!!

:argh:

:mad:

The ONLY way to get our voice out is to have a Liberal Fox. I want a Liberal Fox "News" Channel! To HELL with fairness.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

10. And you apparently have no...

...sense. Do you really believe that Gore's network won't reflect his thinking on the issues? Is that not political to you?

[PROGRESSIVE1]

11. It better be left wing. It BETTER be like Fox with a....

symbolic "Conservative" for us to bash and hate!

[Democat]

9. Good - Fox says they aren't political too!

The best way to present the truth is as the truth.

If you say "this is liberal" less people will listen than if you say "this is truth".

[pacifictiger]

24. perhaps he will focus on real issues

affecting global humanity rather than merely the 4year US election cycle. The audience he is targeting are the future politicians. Their decisions and opinions will shape the earth's future and I'm sure his interest in the environment will play a part. He was wise enough to see the value of the internet, I trust his instincts on this for the bigger picture than just this election.

[Politicub]

25. I don't know

But I can't wait to find out.

Perhaps it means it won't be overtly about politics. But to be an effective news network, it will need something both unique and informative. I'll be interested to see how it evolves. It may be more progressive than this article appears to indicate.

[alexwcovington]

4. Damnit! Now how am I gonna watch Deutsche Welle?

Can't Al get a camera and a satellite dish and start his own channel? I liked NWI as is.

[John_H]

33. Do they have a stream? In any event, balancing the RW media

is a teeny bit more important than your ability to watch German TV, isn't it?

[AlGore-08.com]

34. They're going to continue current programming for a couple months

At least, while they finalize their programming decisions and hire staff etc.

Newsworld's current website is:

http://www.nwitv.com/

INdTV doesn't have a site yet.

[hang a left]

8. I never got Newsworld.

Anyone know if they have plans to expand their broadcasting?

[maggrwaggr]

12. if you get DirecTV you get it, channel 366

a good reason to switch to satellite.

[hang a left]

19. Thanks.

Have to fight with the hubby on that one. He won't give up his HD cable.

[leftchick]

20. If you can get digital cable ....

I have time warner cable and upgraded to digital just for NWI and BBCAmerica. See if your local cable provider offers it.

[Galley_Queen]

13. Woohoo!

I watch NWI all the time and this is GREAT news! I was afraid the 'big boys' had screwed things up. The last report I got was that a snag had developed at the last minute when another network (can't remember which one) made a bid.

Political? NWI is all about politics...but not the Faux News kind.

Go Gore!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[CHIMO]

14. Some More

Info

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/05/04/business/goreNWI_040505

Gore is buying the channel with entrepreneur Joel Hyatt, a former finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee.

At the U.S National Cable and Television Association convention in New Orleans, Gore said the channel will focus on issues for 18- to 34-year-old viewers.

"This will not be a political network. These stories will be in a voice that young people recognize and from a point of view they identify as their own," he said.

[rocktivity]

18. If this station isn't up and running before the election

It won't have an audience, becuase all the 18-34 year-old news junkies will be fighting in Iraq!

:headbang:
rocknation

[robbedvoter]

15. When? How long before Murdoch kicks ot off Direct TV?

I hope I get to see it until that time - and I hope it's good.

[Judi Lynn]

16. This is great news.

Can't wait to see how it developes. There'd be no point in giving out every detail before they're really underway. That would be truly stupid.

The news that he's on the way is good enough for me. More people voted for Al Gore than for _Bush. And that's just the votes which were counted.

[rocktivity]

17. WHEN? WHEN? WHEN?

Will it be here in time for the election?

:headbang:
rocknation

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

22. al gore creates more jobs than bush!

breaking news on cnn... not.

[Politicub]

23. Cool

I don't know how good he's going to be at running a network, but I know he would have done an amazing job of running the country.

Can you imagine how much better things might have been under Gore?

But I am happy about the new news network nonetheless! WTG!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Toucano]

26. That man is GREAT! n/t

[Misunderestimator]

27. Gore: "a venue to compete in a meritocracy of ideas"

Can you imagine that stumbling out of dubya's gaping chasm?

[liveoaktx]

28. Dish doesn't carry Newsworld-CALL THEM and put in a request

[Qutzupalotl]

32. Dish Network phone number: 888-200-0451

email [e-mail]

(leftovers from the Comedy Central dustup)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

29. But what I want to know is...

who will take over the job of providing foreign news reports?

[CHIMO]

31. Try

The web site for NWI for information.

http://www.nwitv.com/

[AP]

30. He helped deregulate the industry, and now he's going to work in it.

Good for him.

[President Jesus]

36. Hyatt, Gore campaign contributions

Joel Hyatt campaign contributions

Al Gore campaign contributions

[ufansdilligaf]

37. What channel is it on Direct TV?

Any idea?