The Co-dependent relationship of the media, politicians, entertainment and special interest groups with Phil Kent

Description

Week One: "Follow the money...the art of stickiness"

The cable news networks, where most of the dialogue on issues is loudest, are driven by two sources of revenue: advertising and affiliate fees. Both are driven by viewer loyalty and duration. Today fans are more important than casual viewers, and seemingly endless discussion of the hot topics of the day cater to fans and to length of viewing which creates high ratings. What this means is that there is an endless appetite for talking heads. We will examine who these people are, where do they come from and why they like to be called by the cable news show booking departments. Understanding this dynamic lays the foundation for future weeks and topics because the underlying economics of the news media – more than any political agendas - create this appetite for endless discussion and debate.

Room: FDR

***All study groups are off-the-record and not for media coverage***