Dramatic Ratings Drop Forces ESPN to Admit They Have Mistreated Conservative Viewers
Like The NFL, ESPN went “political” and allowed their progressive views to overshadow what they were there to do:
Report on sports.
Because of this, their ratings have suffered dramatically and that has forced ESPN to reevaluate their reporting.
After some reflection, ESPN has realized they have mistreated their conservative viewers, who are a large chunk of their target. demographic.
To correct the situation, ESPN is planning to make several changes to their programming.
From Daily Wire:
With the NFL declining dramatically in viewership, at least in part due to the stunning embrace of anti-National Anthem antics from fools like 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, it now appears that ESPN has suffered a similar drop-off. Three weeks ago, ESPN president John Skipper stated, “Beginning today, we will be enacting a number of organizational changes at ESPN to better support our future goals. That will include the elimination of a number of positions…”
ESPN has been hemorrhaging viewers because of its outspoken politics. From giving Caitlyn Jenner a heroism award to stumping for Black Lives Matter, from pushing gun control to praising Kaepernick’s heroism, from firing Curt Schilling for expressing anti-radical Islam sentiments to threatening Chris Broussard for taking a religious view of homosexuality while doing nothing about Kevin Blackistone for calling the national anthem a “war anthem,” ESPN has become – as I’ve long said – MSNBC with footballs.
Now, ESPN’s public editor is admitting that the network has a problem. As Newsbusters reports, Jim Brady admitted, “One notion that virtually everyone I spoke to at ESPN dismisses is what some have perceived as unequal treatment of conservatives who make controversial statements vs. liberals who do the same.” He added:
ESPN is far from immune from the political fever that has afflicted so much of the country over the past year. Internally, there’s a feeling among many staffers — both liberal and conservative — that the company’s perceived move leftward has had a stifling effect on discourse inside the company and has affected its public-facing product. Consumers have sensed that same leftward movement, alienating some…. For most of its history, ESPN was viewed relatively apolitically. Its core focus was — and remains today, of course — sports. Although the nature of sports meant an occasional detour into politics and culture was inevitable, there wasn’t much chatter about an overall perceived political bias. If there was any tension internally, it didn’t manifest itself publicly.
Brady talked to anchor Bob Ley, who admitted that ESPN has no “diversity of thought.” A conservative employee told Brady that “If you’re a Republican or conservative, you feel the need to talk in whispers.” Jemele Hill, naturally, said “I would challenge those people who say they feel suppressed. Do you fear backlash, or do you fear right and wrong?”
This is the problem. And this is why ESPN and the media more generally fail. It is suppression to label those who disagree with you politically morally evil because they disagree. Yet that’s what Hill does. That’s what ESPN does, too. The left believes its opinions and feelings are facts; those who disagree are therefore either morons or fascists. That’s why Hill thinks Schilling should have been fired for putting up a meme expressing that transgender people should go to the bathroom in the restroom that matches their biological sex. Schilling must be evil.
That perspective comes across in ESPN’s casual leftism. And it alienates viewers. I’m one of them. I used to watch ESPN every time I worked out. Now I’d rather have the television off. I’m not interested in hearing talking heads who know less about politics than they do about water polo take for granted that they are morally righteous, and everyone on the right is morally obtuse. Screw them. I’d rather cut the cord entirely.
I’m not the only one. And ESPN had better recognize that, or they’ll have MSNBC’s ratings along with their worldview.
Amy Moreno is a Published Author, Pug Lover & Game of Thrones Nerd. You can follow her on Twitter here and Facebook here.
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You forgot the best example of all: sending a camera crew to film the reaction/celebration of 7th Round draft pick Michael Sam, and replaying the footage for days. ESPN’s propaganda could not be much more blatant… maybe if they hired Bob Costas
Costas is a liberal too.
Nancy Pelosi recently said, “I don’t think Democrats want a new direction.” Perhaps ESPN is in the same mindset. No subscribers, no money. No money, the channel dies.
I stopped watching ESPN and NBC Night Football thanks to these d-heads. I’m losing my love of Football, that and my Eagles suck. I
Great article. Ended too soon. Keep going !
I don’t have time or patience in my life for people who try to use their entertainment platform to try to affect social change
WELL SAID, JACK! IT IS, INDDED, A MAJOR TURNOFF!!
AGREED! This is their job, their work place. I don’t go around at my work place spitting out my opinions and politics. It’s NOT appropriate. I’m so happy that they have all gone down in ratings. don’t they know over half the population in the US are conservative men and women or those that don’t wan to hear this type of political crap when they are watching a game? Happy to see that my conservative fellows are dropping them and showing them they better make some fast changes. It just might be too late for them and that also suits me just fine.
I represent what you see filling the stadiums…not any more. Would rather watch HS sports. Most professional sports have lost what they are here for….entertainment.
You have lost me ….and my money.
years late and many opinions short…………..I don’t watch any longer, nor will I return
I went from ESPN being the channel I watched probably 60% of the time to now seldom watching for just the same reasons given in this story. I do not need the Costas doctrine or the Greenberg Northwestern side, just tell who won and what they did to win, I have stopped watching the NFL all together.
I have not watched any football this year, not 1 minute. I used to spend my Sundays filling it with a sport I really cared about. Ya know, I really don’t miss it, and I plan to not return unless things drastically change in the NFL AND the networks that broadcast games.
I completely agree with your opinions in this article. The ignorance of their political views is also astonishing. I tune in to watch sports, not listen to uninformed sports personalities give me political views. If I want political opinions I’ll go some place else. Great article.
Amen preach it
Agree 100%. Its gotten way out of hand at ESPN. I don’t need preached to or an agenda set. Its a sports channel, give me the scores and stories about sports. Keep the leftist views to yourselves.
I find it hard to watch that the only time i watch them now is when i have to i love college football so i have to b honest and say i do watch my beloved crimson tide if thats the only way i can watch the otherwise i watch games on other channels just keep politics out of it ya’l affected this election more than you know
Here we go again: Mistaking the plain truth and common sense for “progressive views”… as usual.