Both from RAW STORY:
Al Gore wants to target the youth first.
A cable channel recently acquired by an investment group led by Al Gore is to relaunch Aug. 1 under the name Current, hoping to generate much of its content from viewers.
And whip up more grassroots.
Then Arianna Huffington decides to start her own political blog for the entertainment industry.
This month the wannabe California governor is launching a Slate-like Web site where a cast of bigwigs, including Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.), David Geffen, David Geffen, Barry Diller, Larry David, Tom Freston, Ari Emanuel, Jim Wiatt, Tina Brown and Harold Evans will each have their own blog from which to spout Big Thoughts about politics.
Huffington wouldn't comment, but it was confirmed that a soft-launch of the Huffington Report would be up and running before the end of April.
Barry Diller's got an opinion? Tina Brown? More after the fold.
Variety got snarky with this observation about
Arianna's prospective blog.
It will be interesting to see how these honchos fare in the Wild West of the 'Net, where contentious, or even off-hand remarks are seized upon within seconds by millions and held up for debate (and often scorn) on scores of Web sites. Or even if Diller or Geffen will actually type their thoughts.
Unlike corporations, the Internet does not provide legions of publicists and spinmeisters to keep the public at bay.
Of course. We'll know exactly where they stand WRT issues, especially when it comes to reportedly rich gays or bisexuals like Geffen and Diller. I mean, the personal is the political. Larry David? If he's anything like the Larry David of Curb Your Enthusiasm, we may be in for a bumpy ride, but we can only hope. And why not? It will be, however, unvarnished, direct contact with who and what is on the Blogosphere. The eventual exchange may become too hot for some of these cats to handle, but I think that it would be worth it.
On Gore's front, while he may try to build a base, I think that he shuts out some mid-late Boomers and GenXers:
The former vice president and his partners, including entrepreneur Joel Hyatt, are taking an unconventional approach to TV programming in hopes of attracting viewers aged 18 to 34. That demographic, heavily sought by advertisers, has become difficult for TV networks and newspapers to reach.
Messrs. Gore and Hyatt say they hope young people will use the channel as a forum to express their opinions on news and current events. Viewers will be invited to submit short films, documentaries and home videos to be aired on the channel. Mr. Gore's group also has struck a deal with Google Inc. to use information from Google in its programming.
Now called Newsworld International, the channel was acquired from Vivendi Universal SA last year for about $70 million. Mr. Gore is chairman of the investment group, while Mr. Hyatt is chief executive. The two will unveil their plans for the channel today at a cable-industry convention in San Francisco.
Now, I liked Newsworld International. It didn't seem schlocky or shrill like MSNBC or CNN when I saw it. I don't know what the quality is at present. Maybe they have lain down like the rest of the MSM at the altar of Faux. I had good feelings about it.
I had hoped, however, that Gore's channel would provide a bit more for some of us who are still progressive but old and about to suck Geritol. Maybe they are starting out like the WB or Fox, who put in urban entertainment (i.e., sometimes really bad comedies featuring blacks) to build up their audience and then ditched the demographic when they got up and over.
I think that we still need a cable channel that speaks to all of us. I know they're trying to attract advertisers, and that is the nature of the beast, but sheesh.
The Joe Flint article continues:
Current will provide a fair amount of its own programming, at least initially, said programming chief David Neuman, a veteran television executive who most recently was a consultant for Time Warner Inc.'s CNN. Mr. Neuman said the channel has hired hosts for different segments. While Current primarily will be a news and information channel, he described it as closer to MTV and VH1 than Fox News and MSNBC.
Even when I did have cable, I wasn't necessarily fastened on MTV or VH1. But if they have news and commentary in the vein of say, John Stewart, I'd watch. If they brought in guys like Joe Conason or David Brock or Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! that cut the bullshyt, I would watch. It would be real news, minus the lies. Not Dem Lite.
If anything this sounds like the stuff that they have now on websites like Free Speech TV, or Indymedia. Comments?