It's called just business since businesses can write off some of the settlement not breaking the law if it was government then Fox couldn't write it off the settlement. I was always how much Fox was willing to fight settling cost them less in the long run than fighting it for years.

John, I agree with you about TV in the early-mid 1950s largely refelecting the tastes---and needs---developed as a result of the recent past--the Great Depression, WW2,  TheCold War, etc. However, by the 1960s the situation had changed. Now, many of us were looking for a new beginning  and the roots of the still present "age of me' were laid---replacing the "age of we". In many ways , TV  played on our  maturing concerns, delving into previously taboo subjects---as "The Defenders" often did---using staire to mock 'The Establishment" etc. By this time the three networks were sharply differentiated where prime time fare was concerned. ABC was clearly targeting the young and the "in crowd", generally, while CBS wanted the largest audiences---and usually got them with hosts of old viewer appeal programs. Leaving NBC in the middle---going both way as targets of opportunity dictated---on a night by night basis.

My point being that after the networks took control over their primetime fare and went to Hollywood for filmed dramas and sitcoms in the late 1950s TV became more than a reflection of past societal worries and concerns. What had worked for radio in the 1930s and 1940s---quizzes, variety shows, dramatic anthologies, etc. ---mostly created and spnosored by advertisers ----were largely dropped. Instead TV dealt with current issues---the war in Nam, the civil rights crusade, women's emancipation, etc. not perfectly---but still quite daringly.

Sadly, what we have today is often an attempt to lead society---mainly the younger segment---and promote causes that not everyone might buy into. Where that will lead us is anyone's guess.

Television in the 1950's and '60s can easily be criticized for being a vast wasteland, but it was a direct reflection of our American society that watched it: Post WW2 surging middle-class in a surging economy with new money, adults who had grown up with all the tensions and poverty of the Great Depression, the disruption and personal tragedies of the War, who just wanted to come home at night for some relaxing, mindless diversion. And there were only three national TV networks competing for viewers and advertising dollars that really had no place else to go for a mass audience-- so why would each network want to be too "different" ? And of course, only a half-hour of national nightly news on each network to occasionally remind us (then) of those really uncomfortable inequalities of race and gender and education and economic opportunity?... Now, at least, we get to program our own vast wasteland hour by hour among a couple hundred shows at any one moment, or find the highbrow programs as well.

Allowing Fox to take a deduction on their federal taxes is a clear example of how skewed our tax system is for corporations and the super rich. Fox settles a defamation case by admitting they were guilty; and, instead of the financial pain being harsh they just "write it off" and minimize the actual damages. Ridiculous! 

Brace yourself, Douglas---but I agree with you. As I describe in my book, "TV Now and Then" ( Media Dynamics Inc, 2015 ), at the time there had been a huge surge of "violent" action, adventure, detective and  western series pouring out of the Hollywood studios after they decided if you can't fight you TV might as well join it. And viewers, who were tired of set-bound drama anthologies,  game shows, variety shows , etc. and craved action flocked to watch programs like  "Gunsmoke" , "The Untouchables", and hosts of others. Hence the reaction of the elites--against the quality of TV and its "deluge"of commercials---which, in reality, was more like a light rainy mist compared to what we have today.

As I describe in my book, our 1957-1960 TV screens were soon filled with too many"action" shows---including many copycat series---and the inevitable happened. Ratings dropped so in the early 1960s the TV networks decided that the elites were right and went whole hog the other way---with hosts of idealistic lawyer, doctor and shrink shows, programs about school teaching and socialworkers, and many, many documentaries.  But except for "Ben Casey" and "Dr Kildare" too many of these shows were mostly talk---but not that much happening and they, too, flunked in the Nielsens---to be replaced by the likes of "The Beverly Hillbillies", "Bewitched", Get Smart", "The Andy Griffith Show", etc.all,  at the top of the rating charts.

I believe the vast wasteland description was highbrow virtue signaling among the erudite people in the 1960s. It echoed their "we don't even own a TV" claims at cocktail parties of the day. Reading books is sometimes lowbrow, too, but disliking television content enjoyed by the common folk was a sport for the elites and more about snobbery than concern for protecting the children. Newspapers latched onto the phrase as they fought a death struggle with broadcasters for local advertising dollars.

I like Elon but this verification account will fail.  I paid for my Blue Checkmark and he has failed to state the difference. Mainly, Elon is getting my monthly $8.00 per month and has my credit card information. That verification isn't it? Worse, there are added features which has failed to be applied. Twitter has some questions that need to be answered.

Oops shows.

I'd let my son or daughter see Guardian Of The Galaxy I'd teach them right from wrong I'd hope they wouldn't have those thoughts in there head from the images they from movies & TV sows.

"...a vision of what another term if the twice-impeached former president was once again elected would be -- maybe "Nightmare In America" '

Interesting that you were crying "deepfake video" (even though it was anything but a deepfake) for this exact ad the RNC ran last week about what America would be like with another 4 years of Biden...but Donny's lazy replication of the ad in opposition of Trump is somehow brilliant...

While I appreciate your over progressive lean, and there is nothing wrong with that, I would appreciate a more objective lens with these commentaries.  Donny's idea, and your creative input for voiceovers, is literally the exact ad the RNC ran after Biden's announcement, but you expressed quite a bit of disdain then for a mislabeled deepfake video.

Can't believe this virus of a company is continuing to spread.

You should see it for sure. The question is, would you bring your 13 year old nephew or son or daughter. And if you did, and they had those images in their head, would that be a good thing? 

Interesting take, Ed. One thing I maight comment on concerns Nielsen's pricing to networks, cable channels, etc. I  can't say if it has changed since the last time I had a look at it---the mid- 1990s---but then it was pretty clear that the broadcast TV networks were charged considerably less relative to their size in billings--- or GRPs--- than the cable channels. In fact it was estimated that cable's collective national TV audience research bill was about double that of the broadcast TV networks at a time when the latter accounted for more than double the ad spend. As I said, things may have changed but traditionally it would seem that  the big guys haven't been paying based on their scale.

Joe! Thanks for covering this! Here's the complete study:

https://www.westwoodone.com/blog/2023/05/08/back-to-the-office-marketers-and-agencies-increase-commutes-and-days-in-the-office-average-americans-commute-more-days-and-are-exposed-more-frequently-to-out-of-home-advertising-and-am-fm-radio-ads/

@Kevin Killion: Seems we are both creatures of our habits.

Still trying to make this NewsGuard outfit look credible.

@Jason Damata: Nice try blaming the messenger. No computer glitch on my end, because I tried it on separate devices. It was how the streaming fed through to my screen, which were Apple devices. Perhaps viewers needed to be on a Vizio screen in order for it to work properly.

Either that, or Vizio's presentation was the only one of more than 30 to glitch on my end. That would be one amazing coincidence.

There were at least three "direct-to-screen" presenters including LG, Samsung and Vizio, and aside from the weird way Vizio's deprecated the mainstage into thumbnails and showcased its computer graphics in the big screen, it was the worst of all of them.

In fact, Vizio's was the worst of all the IAB NewFronts I covered this year, or in 40+ years of covering upfront/newfront pitches of any kind.

That's why I called it out. I could go into more detail about why, but it's not worth my time -- or the time of MediaPost's readers.

Joe - sounds like your computer had a glitch -- the comments were flowing with overwhelming positivity and the (amazing) motion graphic above was only 3-4 minutes of a 62 minute presentation that includes 115 slides and five sizzles so the description of your experience does not match reality. Having read your coverage, I'm not totally suprised! (Ziing! come on, one cheap shot with typos deserves another, LOL) In all seriousness, thank you for watching - sorry your viewing experience had a hiccup, though you're the first to describe this issue, we are going to chat with IAB about it.

Marvel doesn't need to explain anything about violence in Guardians Of The Galaxy which looks like a good movie may see it in the next few weeks or the final Fast movie Fast X. It's low-hanging fruit to blame movies and TV shows on mass shootings. Hollywood isn't going to get rid of guns in film or TV shows either it's unrealistic and not happening.

Dave - this is fantastic. Congratulations, and I appreciate you sharing. Opened my eyes. Don't hesitate to reach out to let me know how the trip went, and to reconnect. 

Detroit, Philly, ATL, Tampa, SF, Sac-Town, Seatle forget the last one that CBS owns. 3 out of 8 The CW will go to the Nexstar TV station in Tampa, Philly & SF KRON. Detroit could be very interesting does The CW go to WADL, I'm not sure if TV20 will take The CW could be one of the largest city where The CW could be on a subchannel WDIV as LIV Golf is on one of WDIV's subchannels.

Just what broadcasters need... an even older audience. Sheesh. 

Great question!