Ed Snider's newest right-winger
Ed Snider's newest right-winger
Tomorrow's news today:
Flyers’ owner Ed Snider has just picked up another right-winger.This one won’t help Philadelphia finally win another Stanley Cup, though.The local sports mogul and long-time backer of conservative causes says he’s a major investor in a new cable TV network that may have an even more difficult task than bringing hockey’s crown back to Philly, and that is toppling the right-wing ratings champ, the Fox News Channel.
The Snider-funded RightNetwork — with a looser approach to conservative topics, including a comedy show and a jocular frontman in sit-com star Kelsey Grammer — is hoping to come to your cable box as early as this summer.
Snider — whose investment in RightNetwork is personal and not linked to his role as chairman of Comcast-Spectacor, which already owns the locally popular Comcast Sportsnet on cable as well as the Flyers, 76ers and the Wachovia Center — was not available for an interview.
But he had earlier posted a statement about RightNetwork.
“We’re creating a welcome place for millions and millions of Americans who’ve been looking for an entertainment network and media channel that reflects their point-of-view. RightNetwork will be the perfect platform to entertain, inform and Connect with the American majority about what’s right in the world.”
Snider, 77, a longtime backer of programs related to the iconic libertarian philosopher-novelist Ayn Rand, has been more public in his support of conservative causes in recent years. He was a major donor to a now-defunct group called Freedom’s Watch that supported the terrorism and Middle East policies of then-President George W. Bush, and his decision to invite then-GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin to drop the puck at the Flyers’ 2008 home opener drew a mix of cheers and boos.
Now, in entering the crowded and competitive world of politics on cable TV, Snider and his partners in the RightNetwork may have taken on a tougher mission than getting the 76ers back to the playoffs.
Ed Arke, who chairs the communications department as Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., said it will be difficult to convince conservatives to change the channel away from Fox News and its star line-up of Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, and Sean Hannity. “Fox in particular, is a very personality driven network,” Arke said. “They recruited star-power when they initially went on the air and had the benefit of having a stable of recognizable talent as they were building audience. 24/7 cable news can't survive on the promise something big is going to happen.”
Like any cable start-up, the prospect of success for a venture like RightNetwork depends to some extent on the quality of shows but also its ability to get the nation’s cable and satillite providers to carry it in a good spot on the dial.
As for programming, the proposed line-up on RightNetwork — as posted for a preview on its website, rightnetwork.com — is slanted more toward what could be called “conservative entertainment” and away from the newsier approach of Fox.
There is, for example, a right-leaning comedy show, “Evan Sayet’s Right 2 Laugh,” with standup comics making jokes about President Barack Obama’s teleprompter and buying an Obama coin “because any collector will tell you a coin is worth a lot more when there’s an obvious mistake on it.” There’s also a reality show called “Running” about six novice conservative candidates, and “Politics and Poker” with bombastic new-media star Andrew Breitbart.
The previews are introduced by “Cheers” and “Frasier” star Grammer, one of Hollywood’s best-known conservatives, who hails the network as “all that’s right in the world.”
There was considerable discussion yesterday — fueled by some confusion in initial news reports -- over whether Snider and the network would receive backing from another Philadelphia institution — Comcast Corp., which is currently seeking approval for its majority stake in NBC-Universal. Comcast Corp. issued a statement late yesterday that it is not an investor in RightNetwork and that it is evaluating the content of the new channel for possible addition to its channel lineup, as it would with any other start-up cable network.
Comments (74)
Excellent. It will be nice for the righties to have another unreliable source to cite as proof of liberal failure. Seriously, though, at least regular media has competition. I would like to see another right-leaning news network.— HandNik- What a hypocrite! He's a major investor in Foxwoods Philadelphia, which is a part of a government mandated oligopoly. Free market? Hah!— NotADoneDeal
- I just realized that this won't work, because conservatives don't have the ability to laugh at their own absurdities.— HandNik
- HandNik- conservatives won't be poking fun at themselves only Obama, Pelosi and Reid. A shame too, there is so much material with Rush and Glenn Beck.— notch44
- This reminds me of the new Sarah Palin Network http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/sarah-palin-network/1217966/
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That reminds me, does Algore's "Current TV" still exist?— jmc- Comment removed.
This won't work. Too manufactured. Like Air America was a dismal failure, no-talent ideological entertainers trying to cram their ideology into a network, instead of trying to bundle proven, on-air talent who happen to be ideological into a network.— Mr. Smith- Comment removed.
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- BO and his gaffe-a-day guy VP Joe together could provide enough material for a daily comedy show. You wouldn't even need many writers, just a couple copy editors to clean up mistakes in grammar and spelling and delete the gazillion "Let me be clears" from BO-speak.— pj katauskas
- The last thing this country needs is another Fox "News" whose sole goal is to twist and manufacture the news to fit it's ideology. Luckily this idea smells like a failure.— birds
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- Let's see, there's CNN, MSNBC, the three left-leaning networks, ABC, CBS and NBC, five total,right? Then there must be 5 conservative-leaning networks, correct? Oh, wait, there's only Fox. Gee, that's fair, I guess, if you're a liberal.— pj katauskas
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- Love it, bag o. That format is just one step removed from canned laughter.— pj katauskas
- sounds very un newsworthy, I wonder why Will is discussing this. I just finished reading the article about NJ teachers posting on Facebook,refering to Christie as Pol Pot , and fat. Oh wait , the reason Will IS posting on this is because it is unnewsworthy— Tom813
- Really, cheddar? You don't think Stewart is funny. I'm very leftist, but I think it's funny even when Stewart pokes fun at the left.— HandNik
- I always laugh when people tell other people what to write about. Unfortunately, nobody besides Republicans believe the networks are left-leaning. I guess that means that you don't need 5 networks since most people aren't delusional.— HandNik
Not a bad idea, really. I imagine many rational conservatives have long been praying for a sane alternative to FoxNews and Limbaugh. The show "Running" definitely has potential.- ---}}} Unfortunately, nobody besides Republicans believe the networks are left-leaning. {{{--- Indeed. Polls show that independents feel the Fox is the least trustworthy news outlet.— Talking point sleuth
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bag,....I guess after 20 years of regressive whining it gets into the public discourse. Kind of like the teabaKKKers protesting their tax cuts last week. Funny they dont even realize their taxes went down under President Obama...I guess they are either really ill-informed or maybe, just maybe it IS about the black guy afterall.— Les Ismore- And right on cue, baggy shows up to post a Fox News talking point. Once again, baggy, among independents - who presumably are the least biased - Fox News was rated dead last.— Talking point sleuth
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- Ed didn't get the message when they booed Palin at the flyers game. I really wish he's "go Gault" but his ego is too big for that.— johng9966
- I just enjoy the Kelsey Grammer aspect of the story because i thought big bad hollywood elitists were only liberals. How will Beck and Hannity spin their way out of having Hollywood conservatives on their team and not classify them as "hollywood elites"?— MdeanL
- "teabaKKKers protesting their tax cuts last week." Or you simply didn't read the polls. They are concerned about spending and are generally ok with the current tax rates. Nice try, though you now need another talking point fed to you.— RG
I dislike Snider but I could care less what he does with his money. If the station is entertaining/funny I'll watch if not I won't. Why does the left always feel they need to comment on what people do with their personal income? Snider is a business man - he is starting a new business it might succeed or it might fail and God forbid he might actually employ people. And all we hear from the left is "BOOOOOOOOOO".— bird11- "Why does the left always feel they need to comment on what people do with their personal income?" How else would they stoke class resentment?— RG
- "if you don't think taxes are going up you're the regressive..not them." So have your federal income taxes gone up since January 20th, 2009?....didnt think so...— Les Ismore
- "They are concerned about spending and are generally ok with the current tax rates." Obviously they didnt get your memo RG.— Les Ismore
- It won't last. The language and thought police on the left will make sure of it. Shout him down, distort everything, and try to marginalize. How dare he not follow! Then, if he's still standing, hope he inadvertently misspells Obama, so you can call him a racist. Remember "Gimme"crats, don't stray too far from the playbook. Or you too will be ostracized! The party of openness? Don't make me laugh!— Catch22
- "So have your federal income taxes gone up since January 20th, 2009?....didnt think so..." Les logic at its finest. Taxes haven't gone up recently, so they won;t go up in the future. and who was mostly repsonsible for the lower tax rates? Dubya! And what do lower tax rates combined with higher spending get you? Larger deficits. the same deficits Les compalined about under Bush. Apparently, they aren't an issue when Obama runs them.— RG
- "Obviously they didnt get your memo RG." Les is gonna have a tough couple of days until he can get his hands on some new talking points.— RG
- "By a nearly three-to-one margin, those who see political bias believe the media bend their stories to favor liberals" This is brilliant! Considering liberals don't remotely consider FOX News as "media", and all the FOX news devotes are paranoidly obsessed with "the left-wing media", I have no idea how your three-to-one statistic was formulated.— pagoda
- bag o, please explain to pagoda that that statistic was probably "formulated" by Gallup, using valid polling techniques that it has used for decades in polss that have been relied upon by Ds and Rs alike. Is there a margin of error? Of course there is, but not one that would wipe out that 3 - 1 result.— pj katauskas
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- Again, compared to FOX "media", anything is going to seem "liberal". The Conservatives have successfully created the narrative where anything to the left of Limbaugh is "liberal". Reagan would be "liberal" by today's standards. I congratulate the Right for this successful maneuver. I would be more impressed if they quit their whining, but alas, that is the narrative. Poor Tom Coburn forgot the rules and look how quick the guns were targeted. I must also mention I'm surprised by your strong support of the Gallup organization, I wrongly assumed you put them in the lefty camp.— pagoda
- RG... we're wasting our time. As someone once said, "Don't argue logic with the illogical".— Catch22
- So if 45% of a Gallup poll thinks media has a liberal bias, it must be true. Bird, I don't get your anti-lib resentment that Will's discussing Snider's backing of this venture. What was the whole point of Snider going public with it? So only conservatives would discuss it, and only then in private?
- msl - I get new channels on my cable lineup everyday. What makes this news? And the left wing slant on it seems that a second right wing channel is doomed for failure which of course is good news to Bunch, et al. Personally I find it hard to care.— bird11
- "Taxes haven't gone up recently, so they won;t go up in the future." Okay RG, try to follow me...TeabaKKKers were screaming, no make that frothing at the mouth about their higher taxes, watch the videos, looks at the poorly spelled signs.... I guess your sign didnt make the highlight reel.— Les Ismore
- Les, when you're done insulting someone else's spelling... check your own mess of a post, your punctuation, and the proper use of an ellipsis.— Catch22
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- "no make that frothing at the mouth" Can you link to the video with said frothing? "looks at the poorly spelled signs...." Poorly spelled signs mean that taxes won't go up in the future?— RG
- bill.atkin. - THANKS!! You had to put my dislike of Snider quote in with him funding a rink in a minority area. Now I'll be accused of not liking him because I'm a racist.— bird11
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We're all racists now. Just like we are all socialists now. Why couldn't we all be something fun like famous lefty actors or fat cat lefty politicians?- Catch222 - Sorry, spelling was never my forte and I havent criticized someone's spelling in weeks. Where you been?— Les Ismore
- heres the link RG: http://www.teabaKKKersfrothingatmouth.com/latest.php— Les Ismore
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- Ed. Follow the lefty media formula: bad hairpieces, fake ethnic nuetral last names, smarmy swarthy, hairy legged female talking heads, LA brain dead celeb guests, and you can take over their .02 share.— valentsgrif
- bad hairpieces (John Boehner), fake ethnic nuetral last names (like Beck or O'Reilly), smarmy swarthy, hairy legged female talking heads (Sarah Palin and Greta Van Sustern), LA brain dead celeb guests (Dennis Miller)... Now I understand!— Les Ismore
- Let's see...the left has ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, CNN, CNN Headline News, and the right has...oh, yeah, Fox. Maybe they can call it MSFox. Fox is kicking the other networks butts in ratings...wonder why? And Birds...are you trying to say that MSNBC Etc doesn't manufacture news? Please...— Bush3
- Les, as a "fake, ethnic neutral" last name I would say O'Reilly is neither and Beck is only ethnic neutral. And like him or not Miller is far from brain dead - his biggest problem was talking above the intellectual level of his audience on HBO and MNF.— bird11
- Bill Maher- "Bush is dumb.".....Idiot LA liberal crowd laughs and goes wild- how do you top that comedy?— Manny Trillo
- THIS ANTI ADMIN TEA BAGGER IS MAD!!!!...........................HILLARY CLINTON-2003 (screeching): "I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you disagree with this administration, somehow you're not patriotic, and we should stand up and say, "WE ARE AMERICANS AND WE HAVE A RIGHT TO DEBATE AND DISAGREE WITH ANY ADMINISTRATION!"— Manny Trillo
- "msl - I get new channels on my cable lineup everyday. What makes this news?" . . . . . . . Birdie, if your cable gets so many channels, why does your web browser force you to rely on Attytood for your news?
- msl - my web browser no more makes me come to attytood for news than your keyboard forces you to accept the obvious point of this article - bash the right and pretend their is no liberal slant on TV.— bird11
ATTENTION, Breaking development----- Larrydalliopolis is the new posting name for Longshanks, Samtheshampharoah, Sophiasamson or whatever his prior silly names were. And today he/she has an obsession with syphilis as this seems to show up in all posts to the Inky/People Paper Bird Cage Liner from this leftist drone.- birdbrain11, when the person spending their own money are making their money off of me, I'd like to know if he's using the money to harm me. Now that people know that buying a Flyers or Sixers ticket is equivalent to making a donation to the Republikan party, they might choose to spend their money elsehwere as I did after he hosted Sarah, the dimwit, Palen.— MikeP
- MikeP (see if you are a mature adult you don't need to resort to name calling)- You have every right not to spend a penny on the Flyers, Sixers, Comcast or any other Snider product. But exactly how is Ed Snider "harming" you? Unless of course both sides of an issue being explored in the media is "harmful". (He isn't forcing you to watch the Sixers is he?? even I would consider that torture)— bird11
- "bash the right and pretend their is no liberal slant on TV." . . . . . Wow, a liberal blog shows a liberal slant, call the media bias police!! Has it never occurred to anyone why the media is liberal?
- "Wow, a liberal blog shows a liberal slant, call the media bias police!! Has it never occurred to anyone why the media is liberal?" Not a "liberal blog" today - this is a verbatim NEWS STORY from today's Daily News.— bird11
- Birdie, you're right. Reading it again, I don't see any leftist bias in the story at all.
- No conservative knows why the media is liberal?
MSI, "liberal" and “elite” are code words for educated. Get it?— Hamlet- "But exactly how is Ed Snider "harming" you? Unless of course both sides of an issue being explored in the media is "harmful". . . . . Birdie, your question is valid, but it then behooves you to admit that the liberal media isn't harming anyone either. And why only two sides to any issue? Maybe that kind of two-dimensional thinking is what's wrong with political discourse today.
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- "Maybe that kind of two-dimensional thinking is what's wrong with political discourse today." This is rich coming from the person who votes for the "lesser evil".— RG
- Left Wing Whack jobs will be watching jexactly like the watch O'Reilly, Beck and Hannity- 3 guys with MASSIVE ratings...— Manny Trillo
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