- Fri Jan 19, 2024 1:23 pm
#61175
It's not about impact, or viewing figures. It's about getting a foot in the door.
GBN, TalkTV, MailTV, whatever - they're all tiny and preaching to the converted, but they serve one purpose: to bestow legitimacy. Sure, it's a mealy-mouthed, based on a technicality legitimacy, like sneaking out bad news on the last sitting day of the Commons, or holding an illegal boxing match on a pier. But it means people can say "We've been transparent, we announced this on a proper news channel". It also allows other outlets to report and repeat them, because they're simply commenting on another genuine outlet. Most people at home will think they're just another channel in the myriad out there, and not care that hardly anyone watches it. The difference between them and a random blogger might be like that between a lady of the night and a hooker, but it's enough.
And in the future, when they decide to go for the big ratings, these pilots will be the "evidence" that they work. They're money pits right now, but they're making friends and influencing people. OK, it may be 30p they're influencing, but he still has a lot more clout than you or me.
As the actress said to the bishop, rabbi, imam and priest
"My eyes have seen the glory, I'm a born again Atheist!"