Raging Cynic

Well after “Maverick” John McCain decided to be generous and humor the idea of an informed electorate, I thought we might actually see something interesting happen. And despite the fantastic efforts of Jim Lehrer to get a dialogue going between the two candidates, I, along with probably the more critical minded Americans, was quite disappointed.

McCain came off as nothing but a stubborn, ancient, ill prepared bag of hot wind. Looked like Bob Dole in his mechanized motions and lack of intellectual flexability. Obama, despite his fine rehortical technique, seemed humble and timid. Nothing wrong with being being gratious, but he pulled the door open a bit too far and seemed more of a door mat. Of course, McCain’s inability to address, or even make eye-contact with, Obama won’t affect the decisions of those that follow him religiously (or, really, for religous reasons, follow him) since they’ll no doubt see this as evidence as his ability to be a hard-liner. Really, it’s just a form a petty fear and gross insecurity which he coveres up by speaking over everyone else. The classic child’s reasoning that the loudest voice is most correct.

Obama had a rare opportunity to stand up to such arrogance by challenging one of McCain’s many tirades and show that when he meets with dictators, he’ll be able to get a word in. While he, unlike McCain, did address his opponent directly, I just didn’t see that he adiquatly presented himself as strong in the face of non-academic, non-regulated adversity.

So what is gained from this? Did we learn anything that will help us in November? Not much, McCain’s an arrogant hot-head and Obama’s Mr. Cool. So, not much new. The greatist revilation, to me, is the meer fact that McCain was so ready to be a no-show. Is he afraid of what people will think? Afraid of an informed populace? Or just so easily disrespectful of people he hopes to represent to the world that he feels we don’t deserve his presence at such forums? Maybe the good people at Black Box Voting got it right and McCain’s counting on the foul play factor to cinch his bid.

I just hope the Biden Palin show is more entertaining.

I’m sure all of us state-side have been thoroughly inundated with those messages about the switch from analog to all-digital television. I’ve been seeing these spots for months without giving them much thought. Seems just like government televised spam to me. I’m sure it’d cost less to do a mass mailing, but we’re talking TV here, not something as un-important as, say, ballot measures and polling places. I digress. After enough of those spots I finally started to think about graft. Let’s face it, it takes a lot to get those government gears turning.

Finally a thought came to me. People can get discounts for their digital converter boxes, but how about the smaller stations that still have to try to reach their customers? Lower-power stations don’t have to switch to digital transmissions. Less viewers means less revenue for them.

And the viewers in remote areas who were relying on these smaller stations, who tailored their news for smaller, more localized group (almost like the bloggers of broadcast TV), what will they have? Won’t they be more likley to swtich to the shinier digital stations? Stations that can be tuned in with that digital box without having to fool with more buttons and settings? Even less revenue for those smaller stations.

Media consolidation! That’s what it boild down to. Running smaller stations that already can’t afford the switch will be pinched harder and harder with less viewers and ad revenue.

Here’s a fine example from the Charlston Gazette [ link] where WSAZ had to fire eight people to afford the $4 million equipment upgrade. How many stations throughout the US are going to be shaken down or left on the curb?

Oh, and in a humourous note, the city of Wilmington, N.C., was used as a proving ground, switchign to digital last week, months ahead of the nation’s Feburary switch. What’d they to? Flipped a giant switch. Adorable.