Can we change MSM by boycotting cable?

[kitkat65]

If a general boycott will do nothing then, how about targeting one area we can all agree is a major problem? The media and their unwillingness to tell the truth. One can always change the channel but you are still paying a premium for that that BS to continue.

Could this affect change and how could such a plan be spread and implemented? Start by petitioning cable companies to remove channels like FOX and if that doesn't work, boycott?

Input please....



This is an extension of a discussion started last night.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4217803

[eternalburn]

1. Don't watch and become the competition.....

Blog and message board articles that aren't shown on the MSM or even write your own. Lots of sources out there.

[noamnety]

2. Personally I wouldn't boycott it

I want access to C-Span, The Daily Show, and Countdown.

So maybe even more targeted - like pick the worst of the worst and pressure the advertisers that support them.

[kitkat65]

3. I thought about that - I would REALLY miss those same programs as well

However, there are alternatives.

CNN does live streaming and there's a web site that shows highlights of The Daily Show and Countdown. (They post here frequently with links but I can't remember the name.)

Of course a boycott is a sacrifice. I guess one has to weigh how much they are willing to give up against how sick of the situation they are.

[kweerwolf]

4. I've been doing a one-person boycott for years ...

The local cable company is always sending out promotional material. Every time they do, I call and ask if I can opt out "basic cable" services like FAUX News and all the K-GOD religious reich channels. The company's response is "You can block whatever channels you like." That's when I tell them that I find it unacceptable for even a tiny fraction of the money I pay for cable to go for services like that. Then I ask them not to send me any more material until they change their policy. (Of course they don't take me off their mailing list, so in a few months time I get to go through my complaint all over again.)

At the high rate of turn-over for company executives, I figure I get to talk with a new one a couple of times a year, so maybe somewhere down the line it might make a difference.

[kitkat65]

5. They're still getting your money every month so why should they care?

A sudden drop in revenue from people cancelling their service just might get their attention.

WTF? Why are people hell bent on paying for services that they're not happy with? Is it to give them something to complain about while on the DU boards?

[kweerwolf]

8. Maybe I wasn't clear ...

... but I don't have cable service. The promotional flyers I get are to get me to sign up for cable.

[kitkat65]

10. Ooh, sorry then.

:blush:

Can you tell I'm borderline frustrated?

[bunny planet]

6. I boycott everything considered news on cable except Countdown with

Keith Olbermann. Not sure how it works, if everyone did that, only watched Olbermann's news round-up show (which is great by the way if you haven't seen it) wouldn't the ratings reflect that for every other cable news show, in other words, they would tank. I'm still convinced that three quarters of the audience for O'Leilly, Tweety, Hannity, and Russert is Dems trying to scope out what the other side is saying. We already know what they are saying, they are lying and misrepresenting the liberal/progressive agenda. Let's just listen to Stephanie Miller do the 'Right Wing World' portion of her show instead, her motto is 'We watch, so you don't have to'. Sounds great to me. Except keep watching Olbermann, then the networks will get the idea that his kind of truly 'fair and balanced' (and classy too I might add) is what we really want to see.

[realFedUp]

7. Olbermann's show is highest rated msnbc show...

which proves that when you lean left, you
get viewers. Tucker's show is last
and Hardball isn't doing as well.

Not really hard to figure out, but some people
are slower to learn.

[Nightjock]

9. When I first came to DU

Many, many people here said "don't watch Cable news" because they don't actually report REAL news and they shill for bush.

I thought "wow, these people are really left, left wing radicals."

"Didn't they ever watch Inside Politics? That's a great show."

"Fox sucks but CNN and MSNBC pretty good."

****WHAT A NAIVE, MISGIUDED FOOL I WAS!!!!!!!!!********************

Cable news is bullshit. The most underinformed people in this country watch CNN, MSNBC and Fox.

JUST Stop watching!!!

That's the best way to get them to become real news reporters.
Thier viewership is already down 30% (last time I looked.)

This country is slowly waking up from a deep sleep which could not have happened without our compliant media.

[LSK]

11. then how would I watch CSPAN and know whats going on???

[wli]

12. download videos from their website

[kitkat65]

13. Don't they have live video stream?

Are you currently able to do that on your computer? The software to run it is free and the person providing the stream will usually tell you what software you need and provide a link to get it.

A lot of people here were able to watch the DSM hearing that way because a lot of us didn't get CSPAN3