Shocker: People Prefer Entertainment to Politics
Drudge has the siren out for the stunning news that “‘AMERICAN IDOL’ TOPS NETWORKS COVERAGE FOR STATE OF UNION.”
Well, yeah.
Update: The story has a link. It still doesn’t say anything surprising.
Update 2: Ann Althouse agrees and waxes philosophical about the appeal of American Idol.
With respect, I think you missed Drudge’s point (and the point was obscure).
He was ranking on the networks’ audience draw (as opposed, unstated, to cable’s audience). American Idol was on before the SOTU, not at the same time. In fact, FOX, which broadcasts Idol, immediately jumped to SOTU coverage with Shep Smith.
The only “preference” here was cable over terrestrial broadcast.
Careful reading would reveals that not only are the cable
outlets unaccounted for, but that people would rather
watch bad singers than Nancy Pelosi’s botox and Peter
Jenning’s scowl.
John: I don’t think so. “Idol” is, after all, a network broadcast, not off on a cable channel.
True, but in EST, Idol came on at 8:00pm; the SOTU at 9:00pm. They weren’t in competition with each other. Maybe they did compete in CST, MST or PST, but I truly doubt that FOX would pre-empt the Prez for Idol… they’d just delay Idol.
Let’s blame it all on Drudge for a provocative headline without the meat behind it!