In Depth: MSNBC takes a new tack in promotion?
Ok, I may not be the fastest on the uptake. But something is up with how MSNBC is handling promotion of its Ethical Edge series. I have noted in the past about the way MSNBC has buried its weekend programming specials with little or no advance promotion. The only off network mention the last installment received as far as I could see came from my Q&A with the show’s host.
But this time something different has happened. Although there has still been little or no TV advertising of this Sunday’s special so far, which is still a big problem in my mind, there has been a noticeable uptick in print promotion in the form of newspaper articles. Yesterday, blurbs appeared in the Wall Street Journal and in a syndicated AP article that I’ve seen in the Jackson Hole Star Ledger and the San Francisco Chronicle. And both were positive.
Now, today Linda Stasi in the New York Post devotes a full article to the show that is positively glowing (though Father Thomas Williams might be a wee bit embarrassed by Stasi’s characterization of him)….
OK, I know, I know, you may have a couple of other shows you’ll be watching Sunday night at 9, (for me it’s “Rome” — you can keep those Desperate-for-publicity Housewives).
But busy as you may be watching, can I still beg you to fire up the DVR to record yet another? (Is that ethical?)
The show in question, “The Ethical Edge: Everyday Ethics,” harkens back to the great talk shows of old, and tackles questions that we face every single day of our lives — questions that some of us handle a lot better than others. (And you know who you are!)
Chris Jansing, moderator/host (who does a heck of a job keeping things rolling) has a panel of ethics experts, including the world’s handsomest priest, Father Thomas Williams, Rabbi Edward Cohn and professor Anita Allen. Midway into the show, she brings on Judith Martin, aka Miss Manners.
(UPDATE: A Google check reveals other mentions in The Standard Times and Newsday.)
So what changed this time to generate all this print attention? I think the answer is obvious. MSNBC sent out promotional copies of the show to various media outlets well in advance of the air date. This, as far as I know, is an unprecedented move for MSNBC; and I must say a welcome one. MSNBC doesn’t have the ad budget of CNN where they can flood the zone promoting Sanjay Gupta’s NASCAR special both on TV, print, and the web. The promo-tape idea is very smart. It’s low cost but at the same time it is geared toward maximum payoff by giving media reporters an advance look at the show so that they can comment on it in ways that using only a stale press release wouldn’t allow them to.
I have been hard at times on MSNBC’s promotional problems in the past. But this move deserves praise and perhaps signals a change in the way MSNBC is going to go about promoting itself, something it needs to do if it wants to improve in the ratings…
Everyone talks about how much traffic msnbc.com gets, why not just put a banner on the top of the webpage? This would take about 5 minutes and cost basically nothing. (in addition to other promotions)
Comment by Terance — October 22, 2005 @ 10:28 am
I sure wish FNC could woo Chris Jansing away from Mess-NBC and make a trade sending….oh maybe….Gretchen C. or Bridgette Q. to them as the sacrificial lamb. “I’m able to do the hard work and make the tough choices that are needed for the greater good. Ya know what I mean, Stretch?”
Comment by Roger C. — October 22, 2005 @ 10:34 am
From a techical standpoint it would be easy to make adjustments on its website. But from a logistical standpoint it would be more difficult because of the coordination necessary to make the change and also make sure that the ad in question doesn’t stick around past its air date.
Comment by Spud — October 22, 2005 @ 10:49 am
I don’t understand why MSNBC doesn’t sent out more promotional advance copies of its major specials. I know even CNBC does so with it’s documentaries/specials, so I can’t understand why MSNBC isn’t doing the same more often..
Comment by Anonymous — October 22, 2005 @ 1:29 pm
Simple. It doesn’t appear that anyone at NBC News cares about MSNBC. As long as it can make money off the network, which I read that it does despite the low ratings, it will continue to treat MSNBC as an evil stepchild. Just look at many simple problems that MSNBC has and has had from day one. They don’t have a set anchor line up which is just crazy. They rerun reports rather than having continuous live updates throughout the day. I remember when MSNBC didn’t have as many daytime anchors as it has now yet still had a pretty damn good coverage throughout the day and would consistently beat HLN. Not the case today. The list of problems goes on and on.
Comment by bravesfan — October 22, 2005 @ 1:52 pm
Wordy McWord, bravesfan. It can be soooo demoralizing to work at MSNBC. I’ve tried to be positive for a long time, but it’s just soul-crushing to run up against the same problems day after day after day after day. And they all (in my humble opinion) come from 30 Rock in the form of benign neglect if not out-and-out opposition to anything that would make our jobs easier and the content better.
Comment by bastard stepchild — October 22, 2005 @ 2:16 pm
I dont think that NBC treats Msnbc as an evil stepchild. I think they treat it to use a baseball analogy as triple A compared to NBC which is the majors. Unlike the other cable networks MSNBC has a level above them, NBC News. Fox and CNN do not. Hence the minor league analogy. I mean look at the use they are getting trying to forcefeed Alexis Glick into an anchor. That is what major league teams use there triple a teams for. When you join Fox or CNN you know you have reached the top there, but at MSNBC you are striving to advance to the NBC network. Hence unlike the other cable news networks, NBC does not give as much promotion to there “minor league team”, but to NBC news they give as much if not more then what Fox and CNN give to there networks.
Comment by Howard — October 22, 2005 @ 7:03 pm
Yes, but the problem is they expect MSNBC to compete with FNC and CNN. So they treat the network in a manner that is fundamentally at odds with their expectations in terms of network performance.
Comment by Spud — October 22, 2005 @ 7:07 pm
They do treat it as the minor leagues in terms of the talent but they also treat it as an evil stepchild in a sense that they ignore all the other needs that MSNBC has to have in order to be a successful news organization. If it doesn’t help NBC gain anything than it’s not important is my guess at what the motto is among the NBC bigwigs.
Comment by bravesfan — October 22, 2005 @ 7:08 pm
Do you really think that the upper management really expect MSNBC to compete with the others. I dont. I think they accept what they are and as long as MSNBC makes money they are happy. Sure they would like higher ratings but as you have noticed they do not have a lot of patience with the shows, If they dont work goodbye, donahue, ventura, daniels legal show etc. Thats how minor leagues work. If you dont have the talent goodbye. There is no waiting.
Comment by Howard — October 22, 2005 @ 7:20 pm
Bastard Stepchild - I’m so intrigued because you work at MSNBC. As an insider, what do you think will help your network improve? Is it programming, is it talent, is it resources? How is Prime Time talent treated? Do you think Rick Kaplan’s vision can be made a reality? Has he been given the power to make it happen?
Comment by Mia — October 22, 2005 @ 9:01 pm
I don’t heavy promotion can help MSNBC. MS and CNBC need to combine to make one good general news and business channel.
Comment by Anonymous — October 22, 2005 @ 10:18 pm
MSNBC will shutter it’s doors before the two channels merge. A merger makes NO sense to CNBC’s advertising prestige and overall profitablity.
Comment by Anonymous — October 22, 2005 @ 11:10 pm
Well if not for msnbc, it’s doubtful that Brian Williams would be on NBC right now. It’s also really interesting that his ratings were fairly low on msnbc but as soon as he goes NBC he is a star and his ratings are very high. It’s not like his journalism style changed or anything. And that’s the same for other talented people who have switched over from msnbc and gone on to higher ratings. So I don’t think msnbc’s low ratings is due to lack of talent and even now when they bring in stars like Brian Williams and Russert to cover breaking news events they still do only mediocre in ratings compared to CNN and FNC.
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