Can Sarah Palin's New TV Channel Become Your Favorite Conservative TV Channel?
Sarah Palin, briefly the governor of Alaska, has reportedly signed a deal with Tapp to run a "digital video channel" called Rogue TV, which will let you pay money to see video of Sarah Palin. But how will it compare with your other favorite conservative TV / "digital video" channels? Let us take a look.
There's probably enough information in the first sentence above to allow you to determine whether or not you want to subscribe: Do you want to pay money to see videos of Sarah Palin? But if you'd like to know a little more about it — like, "what is Tapp" — we go to Capital New York.
Palin’s channel will feature video commentaries from the former Republican vice-presidential candidate, discussing current events and political issues. … “Think of it as a video version of her Facebook page,” the source said.
Tapp, a company that Capital explains was founded by "former CNN chief Jon Klein and former NBC Universal entertainment executive Jeff Gaspin," will charge you $10 a month to see this Facebook page move around. Not too shabby.
But savvy consumers of the conservative sphere know that Palin is walking into a crowded space. As a service to those consumers, we offer the following buyer's guide.
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Rogue TV
Run by: Sarah Palin Real TV or online nonsense: Online nonsense Cost: $10 a month What you get: A video Facebook page? Sarah Palin talking is a safe bet. What celebrities you'll see: Palin and probably several others with the last name of "Palin." Maybe Ted Cruz at some point too, if we're being honest.
The positives. Sarah Palin fans will get to see Sarah Palin.
The negatives. It's a little sketchy what exactly this is going to be? Tapp's webpage, as Capital notes, pitches the following topics for Tapp channels: "paranormal," "faith," "relationships," "fantasy sports" and "science." Which of those Palin might fall under is up to you to determine.
The Blaze TV
Run by: Glenn Beck Real TV or online nonsense: Online nonsense Cost: $9.95 a month What you get: Video of Glenn Beck's radio show; other things you haven't heard of. What celebrities you'll see: Beck. People he interviews. I am pretty sure Rand Paul was on once, but that may have been over the phone.
The positives. The Blaze TV, associated with Beck's news site The Blaze has been one of the bright spots in the celebrity-starts-a-subscription-service landscape. That is aided by the fact that Beck had TV shows on CNN and Fox prior to venturing out on his own, and brought a loyal audience with him. Palin matches one of those two things.
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The negatives. Beck's audience is necessarily smaller and so, too, is his influence. (That is a negative for Beck mostly, I admit.)
One America News Network
Run by: The Washington Times Real TV or online nonsense: Both (if you live in Vermont) Cost: Part of your cable bill and / or zero What you get: Video of conservative politicians and writers from the Times. What celebrities you'll see: Here's the line-up. Grover Norquist, Reince Priebus, Tim Huelskamp.
The positives. An actual cable network backed by an actual media outlet!
The negatives. That airs in Vermont, one of the states least likely to want to see interviews with Grover Norquist and Reince Priebus.
Newsmax TV
Run by: Newsmax.com Real TV or online nonsense: Both, eventually. Cost: Zero / cable fees What you get: Conservatives talking about things while aggressively patriotic imagery displays behind them. What celebrities you'll see: Today, you get to see Joe Scarborough, Mary Matalin, Alan Dershowitz, and Tom DeLay. And that is just today.
The positives. Newsmax TV appears to have a real investment in expanding the property. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy went on Morning Joe to pitch the network.
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The negatives. MSNBC viewers are unlikely to tune in. Also, there doesn't appear to be any cable deal yet.
Cain TV
Run by: Herman Cain Real TV or online nonsense: Online nonsense Cost: Zero What you get: Zero. Or, really, a two-month old video of a tired Herman Cain warning about class conflict. What celebrities you'll see: Herman Cain, if he is a celebrity.
The positives. Cain TV emerged in 2012 as the natural evolution of Herman Cain, the pizza magnate who took the 2012 Republican presidential nomination by storm (for a month or so). People enraptured with his ability to recite Pokemon lyrics and smile weirdly were excited to see what Cain TV had in store.
The negatives. Except when it aired footage of a homeless man who was dead, Cain TV never did much. It, too, is now dead.
Fox News
Run by: Roger Ailes Real TV or online nonsense: Real TV Cost: Your cable bill What you get: You know what you get. You also know the positives and negatives. You know all of this. What celebrities you'll see: Sarah Palin.
This article was originally published at http://www.thewire.com/politics/2014/03/can-sarah-palins-new-tv-channel-become-your-favorite-conservative-tv-channel/359202/
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