Monday, June 4, 2007

Kill Your (XM) Radio

I’d love to meet the person who thought this was a good idea:
XM Radio to Launch First National Radio Channel Dedicated to the Presidential Election

XM Partners with C-SPAN, other media outlets on 'POTUS '08' - a 24-Hour, Commercial-Free XM Radio Channel Devoted to 2008 Presidential Campaign

WASHINGTON, May 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- XM Satellite Radio today announced it will launch a new radio channel dedicated to the 2008 presidential election, marking the first time that a national radio channel has been devoted to a presidential campaign. The 24-hour, commercial-free channel, created in association with C-SPAN and other media outlets, will be called "POTUS '08." The channel's name (pronounced POH-tus) is the acronym used by government insiders for the President of the United States.


The channel previews on XM 130 this month, and officially launches in September.

Does anyone seriously think we need more media coverage of the 2008 presidential election at this point--as in, the 24-hour, commercial free kind? I’m a little burned out on all the primary coverage we already have right now.

And anyway, since when has the presidential primary received this kind of intense focus, months before the first primary vote is cast? No wonder this is shaping up to be the most expensive presidential election in U.S. history.

I’m already tired of the horse race coverage and for crying out loud, it’s only June. Don’t we have other stuff to talk about right now?

I think the media is just being lazy. It’s so much easier to cover a campaign, just book another Meet The Press panel featuring “campaign strategists” Mary Matalin, James Carville and Bob Shrum so everyone can hurl insults and talk over each other. Fun, fun, fun.

Meanwhile, we can continue to ignore real issues facing the country, like the need for affordable healthcare, for example, or that business in Iraq. We’ve got more media than ever now, and we’ve never been so uninformed. It’s exhausting.

I’m sure I’ll give POTUS ‘08 a listen--in ‘08. Right now, round the clock presidential primary coverage is a little too soul-sapping for me.