Deadspin: Twitter idiots respond to NBC Pre-empting SNF

[talk show host]

I tuned in to watch a football game, not a presidental address. Every single channel was showing the address - its not like the world would have ended if NBC showed the game. Let people go to CNBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, CNN, etc. to watch the presidental address.

I am also irritated that some of you say people with my opinion should put things in perspective. If the Presidental address was so important, then why was the game being played then? Why didnt they pause the game so the players and fans in the stadium could watch the address, or not start the game until after the address?

[EersSkins05]

I tuned in to watch a football game, not a presidental address. Every single channel was showing the address - its not like the world would have ended if NBC showed the game. Let people go to CNBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, CNN, etc. to watch the presidental address.

I am also irritated that some of you say people with my opinion should put things in perspective. If the Presidental address was so important, then why was the game being played then? Why didnt they pause the game so the players and fans in the stadium could watch the address, or not start the game until after the address?

Take it up with NBC.

They are the ones who actually paid for the rights to broadcast the NFL (and paid billions of dollars to do it), and yet they voluntarily moved it to another network when the President began to speak at a vigil, outweighing their own costs with what they perceived to be the newsworthiness of the address.

And yes, perspective is called for when people are:

a) too effing lazy to change the channel TO ANOTHER NETWORK THAT IS SHOWING THE GAME, and;

b) so self-centered that they publicly broadcasted bigotry in the face of a national tragedy because their lives were slightly inconvenienced by missing 10 minutes of the first quarter of a regular season football game.

[thebluefood]

I tuned in to watch a football game, not a presidental address. Every single channel was showing the address - its not like the world would have ended if NBC showed the game. Let people go to CNBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, CNN, etc. to watch the presidental address.

I am also irritated that some of you say people with my opinion should put things in perspective. If the Presidental address was so important, then why was the game being played then? Why didnt they pause the game so the players and fans in the stadium could watch the address, or not start the game until after the address?

They were showing the game on CNBC. They even warned everyone that the game could be seen on CNBC. If ABC and CBS are going to show the address, then of course NBC is going to do the same. That's how it works.

Football can wait if the President makes a short speech after one of the most horrifying tragedies in the past decade.

[talk show host]

Take it up with NBC.

They are the ones who actually paid for the rights to broadcast the NFL (and paid billions of dollars to do it), and yet they voluntarily moved it to another network when the President began to speak at a vigil, outweighing their own costs with what they perceived to be the newsworthiness of the address.

And yes, perspective is called for when people are:

a) too effing lazy to change the channel TO ANOTHER NETWORK THAT IS SHOWING THE GAME, and;

b) so self-centered that they publicly broadcasted bigotry in the face of a national tragedy because their lives were slightly inconvenienced by missing 10 minutes of the first quarter of a regular season football game.

I agree racist comments are completely out of line. I also know its NBCs decision to make. My point is that news should be on CNBC and football should be on NBC. it just seems kinda "backwards" to do things the way they did. Still, its their decision to make. In my case, i was not at home and had set the game up to record. My DVR did not have the intelligence to know it should switch to another channel and then switch back, so i missed about 10-15 minutes of the game. Its not the end of the world, but i would have preferred if NBC kept the entire game on NBC so i could have watched the entire game.

[renaissance]

I agree racist comments are completely out of line. I also know its NBCs decision to make. My point is that news should be on CNBC and football should be on NBC. it just seems kinda "backwards" to do things the way they did. Still, its their decision to make. In my case, i was not at home and had set the game up to record. My DVR did not have the intelligence to know it should switch to another channel and then switch back, so i missed about 10-15 minutes of the game. Its not the end of the world, but i would have preferred if NBC kept the entire game on NBC so i could have watched the entire game.

Clearly NBC felt that it was more important to have the speech available to a larger audience, so they played it on network TV.

I also assume that the other networks were also carrying the speech (though someone can correct me if need be) and NBC didn't want to risk losing viewers who'd flip over to another channel to watch the speech, then stay on one of those channels instead of coming back to NBC to watch football.

[talk show host]

They were showing the game on CNBC. They even warned everyone that the game could be seen on CNBC. If ABC and CBS are going to show the address, then of course NBC is going to do the same. That's how it works.

Football can wait if the President makes a short speech after one of the most horrifying tragedies in the past decade.

Like i said, it doesnt helppeople like me who were recording the game. Regarding the your last statement, my point was that if the presidents speech was so important, football should have waited - meaning, the game should have stopped.

Personally, I have no interest in hearing the presidents (or any politician's) speeches on a tragedy. Politics have nothing to do with it. The only persons whos comments i'm interested in are 1) reporters, 2) psychologists, investigators, police, and other "experts" 3) accounts from people who actually experienced or were affected by the tragedy. I understand why the President made a speech - its part of the job description. people would criticize him if he didnt. I just tuned my DVR to record a game and didnt get all of the game. I was disappointed and annoyed, but its no big deal in the bigger picture. Now, If it had been a skins game - say, the Week 17 Skins vs. Cowboys game that will decide who advances in the playoffs, i imagine most of us would be alot more upset... Of course, if it were a skins game, i would have gotten back into town earlier to make sure i watched it live

---------- Post added December-18th-2012 at 04:26 PM ----------

Clearly NBC felt that it was more important to have the speech available to a larger audience, so they played it on network TV.

I also assume that the other networks were also carrying the speech (though someone can correct me if need be) and NBC didn't want to risk losing viewers who'd flip over to another channel to watch the speech, then stay on one of those channels instead of coming back to NBC to watch football.

I agree that was the logic, but why would they care if viewers temporarily left the game to watch the speech on another channel? Theres no advertising during the speech. Football fans definitely WOULD come back right after. That said, i'm sure if NBC had not shown the speech, other people would have complained just as much. You cant please everyone. Again, i understand the decision... it just doesnt help people who were recorded the game.

[DCSaints_fan]

I bolded the changed the channel part. Because every single person had the ability to do that. Instead of bitching about it, change the channel! Problem solved.

Not everyone has cable.

[MattFancy]

Not everyone has cable.

But everyone has a remote