A PR firm representing the group Color of Change sent out a press release today touting the boycott of Fox News’ Glenn Beck with headlines reading, “Ad Boycott Costs Glenn Beck Over 50% of Ad Dollars” and “62 Companies Refusing to Advertise with Beck Cost Fox Nearly $600k Per Week.” The press release uses “data analyzed from industry sources” to arrive at the numbers.
A Fox News spokesperson tells TVNewser, “The Color of Change figures are wildly inaccurate on all fronts — revenue has not been affected in any way.”
From Van Jones to big ratings to 9/12 rallies, Beck continues to monopolize much of the media spotlight:
• WaPo’s Howard Kurtz notes that while Beck wanted to know where the national press was prior to the Van Jones resignation, Beck didn’t necessarily need anyone’s help. Kurtz writes: “In the Jones case, there is little question that the traditional media botched the story of an Obama administration official who, wittingly or otherwise, lent his name to those who believe that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney deliberately allowed thousands of Americans to be slaughtered. Some conservatives accused journalists of liberal bias; it is just as likely that their radar malfunctioned, or that they collectively dismissed Beck as a rabble-rouser.”
• The NY Daily News’ David Saltonstall reports on Beck’s recent popularity as well as the accompanying criticism, declaring, “…the former top 40 deejay has emerged as a goofy dark prince of the right.”
• Mediaite’s Rachel Sklar watched Beck’s Saturday special and explains her confusion about the correlation between the 9/11 attacks and Beck’s 9/12 thrust.
• The LA Times’ “Culture Wars” claims the logo used to promote Beck’s 9/12 rallies is actually based on old communist and socialist designs.
Through it all, Beck continues to be a ratings draw for Fox News. We’ll have the numbers for his two-hour Saturday special tomorrow morning.