Commentary

Mixed TV Messages: Another Reason To Watch

by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, September 4, 2009

I don't know about you, but when I'm thinking business news -- and especially Fox Business news -- I'm thinking Don Imus.

The nascent cable channel will simulcast the Imus radio show in an early morning time period, no doubt to give that still-small network some new marketing spin.

To be frank, I expect little from Imus when it comes to business news. The closest he got to the topic on his previous gig at MSNBC is when he interviewed NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell, asking her, "How's Al?," in reference to her husband, the former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan.

No matter. I love mixed-marketing messages.

While I was sitting on an exercise bike yesterday morning, an NBC "The Biggest Loser" promo came on for the new season. This was followed immediately by video of some brownies, for an upcoming segment on "The Today Show." Working out with incentives, I'm guessing.

Mixed TV messages -- unintentional or not -- are some of the best entertainment television can offer. In truth, TV executives hate anything off-script, but the real secret is that viewers like surprises.

ABC recognized some of this. During this past year, ABC treated us to a series of unusual network promos with prime-time stars from different shows all together in one house. So you had "Desperate Housewives" Teri Hatcher's Susan cooking in the kitchen with Matthew Fox's Jack from "Lost."

TV executives should try more stuff like this. Give viewers some rough TV footage -- the cracks in between the slick editing -- and they'll come back for more. That's one of the reasons why "reality" TV has become its own genre on traditional television airwaves -- the feel that TV is better when unscripted.

I've got to go now. I just heard Imus is analyzing the minutes of a recent Federal Reserve meeting.

3 comments about "Mixed TV Messages: Another Reason To Watch ".

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Art Salisch from SMRC, September 4, 2009 at 12:06 p.m.
I guess you forgot when Imus used to have Ron Insana of CNBC on all the time not to mention him asking Trump and others like Jack Jacobs about the economy...
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Paula Lynn from Who Else Unlimited, September 4, 2009 at 12:34 p.m.

USA also did a character one using its "characters" from other shows to praise Monk.

Todd Koerner from e-merge Media, September 4, 2009 at 5:10 p.m.

Don Imus going to FBN is a simple message of co-dependence. One (Imus) is desperate for a new home on television, and Fox Business News is desperate to add to their 20,000 viewers.