Mixing media and politics

This is a subject I could probably write about all day. I have often been told that here in the US it's high risk to talk about religion or politics - but what's a good blog without some controversy !!

So here's the scene. I'm talking campaign tactics with one of our many creative partners who have a target of senior business decision makers and wanted to consider a variety of media formats. As the conversation turned to TV, I naturally named some stations I'd suggest we consider....

"CNN, MSNBC, Fox News "...

"Oh no" countered my creative friend "I don't want to support them"

"me neither but they do offer up a strong profile"

And so here's the dilema for media folks. Sometimes we are faced with using media vehicles we ourselves don't subscribe to or even support. This is true whatever political side this takes. And it's a tough call. In most cases there are viable alternatives which means we could justify the choices we make even though we know the real reason is our feeling of discomfort with the content rather than the audience. And yes supporting media with advertising dollars does support the message they promote so I don't subscribe to the "it should only be about the audience" argument.

But who's call is it and also are we always consistent? In my own case I'm not. Just a few months ago we recemmended a radio buy using right wing talk radio because the target audience was exactly who we needed to reach (concerned older consumers who would look at an online security product to protect their online banking proceedures). In this case the campaign success required me to "suck it up".

At the same time we planned another campaign targeting consumers who might install solar panels and it was great pleasure that I could place media buys into public radio and liberal radio stations. Even up the score so to speak.

OK so you probably summize that I'm a bit of a lefty (part of that famous left wing media bias eh !). Actually I'm not really, but then in a country with only two parties it's hard to not fall into one camp or the other...

And that my friends is really my biggest problem with media and politics....where's the hghly analytical middle ground that I can support ??? Where's the good old fashioned "unbiased anti political establishment media" that questions all our leaders and really holds them accountable. Don't see to much of that these days and we are all the worse off for it.