Matt Sanchez

Strategy Room

2008-11-18T10:16:47-05:00

I've spent the past day as a commentator in the Strategy Room, the Fox's new web-based program that is quickly becoming a popular stop on the Internet.

I first caught on to the Strategy Room during the 2008 elections. Like most people, I was looking for insider information, something a little more than sound bytes.

A few days later, one of the Fox producers asked me about coming on the program. The focus was on politics, initially, but we got to talking about pretty much everything from the bailouts to the European economy.

The show is less formal and is developing a loyal following. Contributors enjoy having enough time to develop an idea without being forced to cut to a commercial break. I felt at home, I've been doing plenty of European TV where they tend to expect commentators to develop a thought a lot more thoroughly than the frenzied pace of 24 hour cable news.

This is not an indictment of the cable news networks, there is a certain art to appearing on those shows, and many cable news shows can be entertaining, but the Strategy Room format does have many merits that the 1/4 million audience is currently enjoying.

Martha MacCallum has been a pioneer of the web format, I appeared one of her programs two years ago, when most networks were still trying to adjust their video delivery interfaces.

As all networks are attempting to figure out the best way to harness the power of the Internet (Even the Europeans are getting into the act) a program like Strategy Room at Fox can help cultivate brand loyalty as well as efficiently promote the broader news network.

Fox isn't the only one attempting to decipher the Internet/media rating/profitability equation, CNN's Strategy Room attempts the same feat, and both networks are competing aggressively in the ratings.

"It's Not TV" — It's The Strategy Room

The "studio" is an open room with a table and a couple cameras at the end of a long hallway on the Foxnews.com floor. The "control room" is essentially a person sitting at an audio board. Amid the wires and audio equipment is an XBOX, where guests from Shepard Smith to Geraldine Ferraro have hit the sticks for a round of Guitar Hero.

TVNewser visited The Strategy Room today, located on the 14th floor of the News Corp. building, home to Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network. The Foxnews.com program streams nine hours a day non-stop, even staying "on air" while anchors and guests switch between hours.

"It's rough by design. It's not TV, it's a different platform," EP of Fox News Digital Mike Straka tells TVNewser.

cont...

Tolerance?

2008-11-11T14:59:21-05:00

I was somewhat shocked by this video which depicts a mob of gay activists attacking an 80 year old woman. Somehow if a single gay activist were caught in a group of churchgoers, I doubt they would have treated the woman the same.

Now, there's a new video of gay activists shouting "shame on you" to Christians who had been praying near Castro Street, the historic gay center of San Francisco

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made matters worse by egging protestors on, instead of attempting to engage both sides of this debate and opening a dialogue.

Civil Right?

2008-11-08T04:47:13-05:00

As progressive politics have handed an enormous victory to Barack Obama, it's confusing that the most fervent supporters of the liberal president-elect would also be the most staunch defenders of marriage.

Despite much political correctness against "writing discrmination into the Constitution," voters in California ( also in Arizona and Florida) decided marriage really should be defined as a union of a man and woman so they defeated gay marriage by 52% to suppport Prop 8 to 47% opposed.

California really is about as liberal as it comes. The sensitization of the culture was as natural as the poppies growing along the freeways. Speech codes, hyper-femenism and just about every progressive social trend you can imagine has been cultivated in the Gold State. With San Francisco the self-proclaimed homeland to lesbian,gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, curious, down-low culture, how did Proposition 8, a referendum to define marriage as between a man and a woman, pass despite the enormous stigma associated with supporting it?

Conservative conspiracy?

Black women overwhelmingly said yes to Barack Obama and no to gay marriage.

Even more puzzling was the overwhelming rejection of black women to same-sex marriage. Black women are statistically the least likely to actually participate in traditional marriage, fewer than 1/4 of black mothers are married to the father of their children. So, why would they feel so strongly to uphold the institution of marriage?

Not buying it: Blacks specifically rejected same-sex marriage as a "civil right"

Blacks were twice as likely to vote Yes on Proposition 8 as their white counter-parts. The Latino vote was also very much in favor for keeping marriage between a man and a woman. It's a strange irony that the two key Democrat constituents that inspired to the campaign call to "make history" and elect Obama as the first black president, also profited from their trip to the poll to say "no" to gay marriage.

California distribution of the Yes vs. No on Proposition 8, 5% tipped the scales against gay marriage.

In the 2004 election, homosexual activist accused Republicans of "gay bashing" in order to keep George W. Bush in the White House, when constitutional amendments were put on the ballot to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Four years later, as if from some slasher film, the liberals who frantically called for help against the right-wing boogie man learned the "hate" was actually originating from within their very own house.

This pop culture approach to support gay marriage failed and disappointed many pro-same-sex marriage activist when Californians decided it was cool to be square.

*In yet another slap to liberal dogma, Californians overwhelmingly rejected Proposition 10 Alternative Fuel a proposal to provide financial incentives for renewable energy. California has historically been in the forefront of the alternative energy "revolution", but when it came to putting some bucks behind the rhetoric, Californians balked.

Sometimes, it's the little things

2008-11-05T23:02:33-05:00

Yes, we have the first black president of the United States and yes the world all over seems to love him, but when the First Lady in waiting took the stage, many Americans questioned her sensibility, or at least her fashion sense.

Although I appreciate style, I'd like to think substance means much more to me and the American voter. I've never really noticed what politicians wear, unless they wear something unsettling which was the case for Michelle Obama's chosen dress, a flashy one piece ensemble that made her look like either a black widow or a middle-aged pregnant woman.

The 2008 election has been remarkable for the inordinate attention paid to what the candidates are wearing, a side-effect of having Senator Hillary Clinton running in what looked to be an assembly line of Mao pantsuits and the media's unhealthy fixation on Palin's wardrobe.

The fasion world is brutal, but Michelle Obama is getting a break. On a fashion website the critic was kind:

"Clearly there are a range of opinions about last night’s dress, many of them quite strong. And while admittedly it’s not our favorite of Mrs. O’s frocks, we don’t feel as negatively as some." ---Popular fashion blog

"symbolism of patriotic red bursting out of black like a firecracker out of the night sky." ---LA Times

But Michelle Obama's wayward selection is more than a matter of poor personal style, Michelle is tall, physically awkward and justifiably attempted to hide some of her less becoming traits through shocking form-fitting colors

What is more interesting has been the media's reaction. After scanning a large number of stories on the "Mrs. O's frock" I found a general reluctance to criticize the future First Lady. Goodwill for a hopeful presidency or self-censorship to avoid unkind repercussions?

Persons serving in the White House will inevitably be subject to much criticism, the least of which will be a bad dress. Watching the Obamas take to the stage, I began to wonder if Americans were starting to feel buyer's remorse. And if they did would they dare to say/write/think it?

International Reaction

2008-11-05T02:51:22-05:00

Haven't been able to blog as much in English because of the work I'm doing for TV5 blogue, an extraordinary international account of how the world has reacted to the 2008 presidential election.

Some of the simple things have interested world observers of the American elections. Here are New York instructions in multiple languages. Most Europeans are surprised to learn that the United States has no official language.