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2005-05-23 Home Front: Culture Wars

Newsweek's Japan Cover: American Flag in Trash Can

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Posted by Jeth Thavick1416 2005-05-23 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

Jealous over the US edition getting so much publicity for their retracted qu'uran in the toilet story, the Japan edition's editorial staff tried to upstage them with their latest cover showing the US flag in a trash can.

Posted by .com 2005-05-23 00:37|| 2005-05-23 00:37|| Front Page Top

#2 Best place for it.

Posted by Chereling Clique7890 2005-05-23 01:02|| 2005-05-23 01:02|| Front Page Top

#3 Troll cleanup, Aisle 3

Posted by thibaud (aka lex) 2005-05-23 01:03|| 2005-05-23 01:03|| Front Page Top

#4 Lol! Of course the pole it's on should be shoved up CC's ass, but why spoil the mood, eh?

Posted by .com 2005-05-23 01:05|| 2005-05-23 01:05|| Front Page Top

#5 This Newsweek cover's just another example of the MSM's political niche marketing trend. In this case, the niche is a foreign audience that is thought to be hugely receptive to a (literally, in the Newsweek Japan case) trash America message.

It's all about money for Newsweek and every other MSM organization whose financials are going down the drain. When the market fragments, and your company's market share shrinks, time to abandon the mass market strategy in favor of niche products that can compete more effectively in growing areas-- in this case, the overseas market.

Prediction: the MSM will soon distribute doctored news accounts as per the target audience. We may even reach the point where here at home, the MSM product is tweaked for different psycho-political niches: one version for the bicoastal blue urban metrosexual audience, another for the upscale "Economist" corporate elite, another for the flyover state broad middle market, another for red state NASCAR types, and so forth.

Posted by thibaud (aka lex) 2005-05-23 01:05|| 2005-05-23 01:05|| Front Page Top

#6 This is all about a business proposition, pure and simple.

MSM domestic market: fragmenting; intense competition from bloggers and new media; rising skepticism and mistrust of MSM from consumers. Sharply diminished profitability and steadily declining market share.

MSM's international market: growing market and increasing market share. Less competition due to heavy state intervention, fewer blogs. Higher and more sustainable profitability than domestic market.

Solution: pander to anti-American foreign audiences. Write off declining US market. Increase profitability and placate shareholders.

Posted by Karl Rove 2005-05-23 01:21|| 2005-05-23 01:21|| Front Page Top

#7 thibaud (aka lex)

Just to add...The MSM was bashing America,soldiers,Repubs,Conservatives etc. long ago when domestic cosumption was king, while at the same time elevating 'their' LLL asshats to hog the best light.

Of course your point is well taken because it's much worse now due to the lust for money. They'll sell us out (5th columnist bastards) by pandering to the worst elements anywhere for market share.

Posted by Mini Mullah 2005-05-23 01:33|| 2005-05-23 01:33|| Front Page Top

#8 Whilst I made similar comments to Lex when this was posted yesterday, I don't think is as bad as some of you paint it. Newsweek is a business selling a product. Demand declines in one market (or markets) then they go after the market with the most potential and that is non-english speaking markets where the blogosphere is a much newer phenomena. While the blogosphere only reaches a few percentage points of the english speaking population they are overwhelmingly the heavy (serious) news consumers and represent a large percentage of that market. So in response the MSM will naturally go down market as well as target non-english speakers. As the market watching types say 'The trend is your friend.' I like the trend to serious news stripped of MSM spin a lot.

Posted by phil_b 2005-05-23 04:52|| 2005-05-23 04:52|| Front Page Top

#9 On reflection, I should have concluded 'I like the MSM being driven out of the serious news business a lot.'

Posted by phil_b 2005-05-23 07:17|| 2005-05-23 07:17|| Front Page Top

#10 I prefer to think of it as given a shovel, the MSM keeps digging.

They used to be professionals, now they are whores. No long term goals for these guys - just pay the rent that's due tomorrow - who cares how it's done.

This desperate willingness to throw away years of goodwill is a sign they are in a downward spiral and know it.

Posted by 2b 2005-05-23 07:41|| 2005-05-23 07:41|| Front Page Top

#11 Guys, I'm torn.

Pages from the Koran are more absorbant, but pages from Newsweek are smoother.

Which would you choose?

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2005-05-23 09:18|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2005-05-23 09:18|| Front Page Top

#12 RC - Dude, using Newsweek doesn't cause riots, so go with the Koran every time. When that chili dog give you pain, pass it on. ;)

Posted by Laurence of the Rats">Laurence of the Rats 2005-05-23 09:25|| http://www.punictreachery.com/]">[http://www.punictreachery.com/] 2005-05-23 09:25|| Front Page Top

#13 CNN will eventually give up on the US market and get its growth and profit from Eurabia. A bit like the tobacco companies giving up on the US for high-growth markets in Asia and East Europe.

Posted by thibaud (aka lex) 2005-05-23 09:32|| 2005-05-23 09:32|| Front Page Top

#14 This cover is from February ... which is just one example of the fact that CNN, Newsweek and their ilk shifted their marketing strategy away from the US a good while back.

Posted by too true 2005-05-23 10:07|| 2005-05-23 10:07|| Front Page Top

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