Yes, the network that canceled “Firefly,” “Undeclared,” and “Andy Richter Controls the Universe” has somehow found a way to piss me off even more.
Tonight, during the “American Idol” finale, Fox ran a promo for its upcoming summer lineup. Now I was watching this on the treadmill so I’m paraphrasing the wording, but the ad began with a shot of a baseball stadium- empty- and the words “this summer, people won’t be where you’d expect them to be.“ Then, the image changed to a montage of the various upcoming shows followed by the loud on-screen graphic, “they’ll be home, watching FOX!”
Yes, Fox, which is in the middle of a 6-year, $2.5 billion contract to be the sole network television partner of Major League Baseball, has chosen to broadcast a commercial essentially tearing down its most valuable media property, by comparing it- unfavorably- to such programming as Paris Hilton’s TV show, and whatever other vacuous reality crap Fox will be broadcasting this summer.
Then again, since all Fox has done with postseason baseball each year is subject us to the same commercials literally hundreds of times in a row (six words: “His Father Is The District Attorney”), I can’t say I’m particularly surprised. The network may as well be saying “baseball is good enough for us to use to advertise our fall shows, but don’t concern yourself with it in the summer by actually going to any games- instead, stay home and watch Paris Hilton be stupid!”
I’d expect Commissioner Selig to step in and do something about this, but it’s not like he gives a shit either.
Posted by Stephen Silver at May 26, 2004 10:56 PMYour objection is valid, but if they alredy have a contract with MLB, they can do whatever they want...MLB is locked in with Fox for the duration of the contract, right?
Posted by: scully at May 27, 2004 02:12 PM