Just wanted to throw my two cents in about convention coverage.
Although this obviously applies to the DNC, I'm sure it will
be similiar for the RNC.

CSPAN totally rocked.  They had gavel to gavel coverage with
NO commentary.  They also listed the names and credentials of
who was speaking at the bottom of the screen.  You would be
surprised at how many other stations didn't do the latter.

CSPAN2 also totally rocked.  Highlights of historical
conventions, both dem and rep, going back to the 60's and all
the way up to 2000.

The networks (CBS, NBC, ABC) I think were totally pathetic.
About one hour of coverage a day from 10:00-11:00pm.  Some,
if not all, of them covered the convention only three of the
four days.

I save a critique of the cable news for later but they fell
somewhere in between CSPAN and the networks.

AN

.

...borrrrrring...both the conventions have become devoid of serving any real civic purpose.  There is no fight for the nomination, no suspense or jockeying for the VP slot...no floor fights on platform planks...the delegates aren't anything more than movie extras in a Hollywood production.  The whole thing is one long propaganda show, or serves as a rallying point for whatever team you're rooting for.  There's nothing that came out of the convention that can't be found by reading a paper a few times a week.  The networks were right to scale back coverage.

I agree.  The conventions hold no surprises and serve no real purpose, except to rally the troops and get some free air time for their candidates.  I'd rather watch Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

This is an unusal concept IMHO

-- Modified on 8/3/2004 1:28:53 PM

The DNC was the perfect cure for insomnia!

I stand corrected, I too meant C-SPAN I & II.