[Previous entry: "I have some gmail invites"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "voter suppression efforts in Ohio."]
11/01/2004 Entry: "Rupert Murdoch abuses his monopoly,"
My Tivo is a Republican.
Tonight at around 2am CST I left the TV on in the background and heard the Tivo change channels to record a "Very special Fox News presentation for DirecTV about the upcoming election." In other words, Rupert Murdoch owned DirecTV is pushing Murdoch owned Fox News to my Tivo without my permission. Not just "pushing it" but recording it as a "showcase" which means I can't delete it until the next showcase appears. I watched some of it and predictably it was shrill over-the-top Kerry bashing. These are the fruits of media deregulation. This is like your ISP spamming you with Bush/Cheney emails or your telephone company calling you with an automated voice whispering, "Vote Republican" over and over again. In other words Murdoch is giving me a big one of these as I pay monthly Tivo fees, which now go towards getting Bush re-elected. One day before the election? This makes Sinclair Broadcasting look ethical!
And they still say "liberal media" with a straight face.
Update: I spent a good hour googling to find this program after a whole bunch of Tivo community people told me I was crazy and didn't find anything. Because I canceled the recording I didn't have it in my showcases, but my brother has a Tivo and guess what? Here it is. I also have confirmation from someone at the dailykos too, so its not just Chicago. Screenshot:
Replies: 7 comments
I'm sorry you feel this way, but we're writing to set the record straight. TiVo Inc. accepts no political money and definitely did NOT accept money from Fox or DIRECTV to record any election coverage or election specials. TiVo is neither Republican nor Democrat. Instead, what you experienced was probably a Suggestion. Please see this support article:
http://customersupport.tivo.com/knowbase/root/public/tv1037.htm?
Posted by TiVo Support @ 11/01/2004 10:50 AM CST
Suggestions are off. The device changed the channel itself and started recording right after its daily data download for scheduling.
Technically, I'm not a tivo customer Im a DirecTV Tivo customer as they bought out all the DTivos contracts long ago.
Posted by skallas @ 11/01/2004 12:20 PM CST
If you don't want to watch it... DON'T! TiVo doesn't force you to watch showcases.
BTW if it really was a showcase then someone did pay for it as advertising. I've certainly seen showcases that I wasn't interested in and simply refused to watch them. I encourage you to relax and do the same.
Posted by VoiceOfReason @ 11/01/2004 01:10 PM CST
The issue isnt about watching vs not watching its about abuse of monopoly and the larger issue of deregulation. If things were simply about not watching then every channel would be allowed to show full nudity and speak freely.
Its about ownership bias. The ownership of DirecTV gives Murdoch what is probably legal but very unethical powers with little recourse.
All the more reason to bring back the Fairness Doctrine and stop these mega-mergers which hurt our media ecology.
Posted by skallas @ 11/01/2004 01:16 PM CST
Keep in mind that the DirecTiVos are controled by DirecTV and *not* TiVo. DirecTV can have them record showcases, etc, completely outside the control of TiVo. And DTV is controlled by News Corp, meaning Rupert Murdoch, who certainly doesn't hide his politics. So I wouldn't doubt a DirecTiVo recording biased coverage from Fox News (that's redundant), but you can't blame TiVo. I don't think you were, but I've seen this picked up elsewhere and they're losing the distinction between DTV/DirecTiVo and TiVo. :-)
Posted by MegaZone @ 11/01/2004 01:50 PM CST
that is so disgusting. next, the falafel show will be pushed onto your tivo.
Posted by ghetteaux @ 11/01/2004 03:28 PM CST
I don't know shit about TiVo. But if you ask me, if you're making somebody's hard drive record data that is subliminally stored in Tivo-showcase normalcy, without the audience apprehending the scam-factor of Rupert Murdoch, that there could be considered yet another layer upon layer of gradual brainwashing.
Yup. That's right. Brainwashing.
Fox news channel is easily the most insipid use of sentient language human civilization has ever seen.
Posted by crasspastor @ 11/02/2004 05:26 AM CST
