PrintJuly 9, 2008
Obama's Stadium Speech to Cost Networks a Bundle
Totalitarians don't seem to have this problem.
It seems that Obama's little deviation from the original convention script that will have him speaking before 80,000 adoring, fainting, orgasming people at Invesco Field has thrown a monkey wrench into TV coverage.
Apparently, moving the speech will cost the cash strapped networks hundreds of thousands of dollars in unanticipated costs - a turn of events that has executives pondering ways to cut costs:
It seems that Obama's little deviation from the original convention script that will have him speaking before 80,000 adoring, fainting, orgasming people at Invesco Field has thrown a monkey wrench into TV coverage.
Apparently, moving the speech will cost the cash strapped networks hundreds of thousands of dollars in unanticipated costs - a turn of events that has executives pondering ways to cut costs:
Among the options now being considered by broadcast executives is a reduction in staffing at the Democratic convention, with some news staff being asked to stay back in New York or Washington instead of traveling to Denver - though that is a measure the networks hope to avoid.
Another alternative that several networks are mulling involves the long-standing idea of anchoring the convention from someplace other than the Pepsi Center, where it is scheduled to be held in August.
One network planner explained that the stadium staging might have only minor repercussions if the networks decide to pool the coverage of the final night's speech and station their anchors at another Denver location.
The latter possibility - anchoring from somewhere in Denver other than the Pepsi Center or Invesco Field - would save money for the networks on expensive cabling fees, large set costs, staging and staffing, and would allow the networks to plan for the convention with significantly more independence from the convention staff, a pleasing notion to the networks.
Unspoken among the executives is the guarantee of increased ratings and stunning visuals from Invesco that could offset some of that larger than expected expenditure. But there's no doubt that the extended primary season by the Democrats have the networks pinching pennies and looking for ways to keep costs down in Denver.
Maybe if we're lucky, the news nets will cut a few speeches from the program. Given the long windedness of most Democrats, this can only be a good thing.
Maybe they could put Bill Clinton's speech on tape delay.
