18 December 2015: it's 1977?

[RGMike]

I must say AL acquitted herself admirably (and cleverly) this week. And now let us never hear of Star Wars again.

Not bloody likely. SW Episode VIII is scheduled for a Memorial Day release in 2017. I expect more of the same.

I've been wondering about the SW blitz this week on 10@10.  I can understand why KGO-TV would devote so many
minutes on their "news" programs to flog the movie, but why KFOG?  A little poking around reveals that the owner
of KFOG, Cumulus Media, appears to be part of ABC Radio Network, which is in turned owned by Disney, who is
distributing the film.  There are actually a couple of other links in that corporate chain, but that's the gist of it.

I honestly don't see evil corporate synergy here. Cumulus *used* to partner with ABC Radio Networks (they are owned by Disney) but that ended last year, so there's no direct or indirect link. I think this was a "cute" idea that someone came up with at a weekly programming meeting and they just kinda ran with it -- AL had fun and seemed to have pretty free rein. Like it or not, it is a genuine pop-cultural phenom. I certainly found it far less annoying than the Outside Lands, Live From the Archives or Bottle Rock promotional sets.  Dave and AL have both done James Bond sets in the past when those movies opened.

[dischead]

I must say AL acquitted herself admirably (and cleverly) this week. And now let us never hear of Star Wars again.

Not bloody likely. SW Episode VIII is scheduled for a Memorial Day release in 2017. I expect more of the same.

I've been wondering about the SW blitz this week on 10@10.  I can understand why KGO-TV would devote so many
minutes on their "news" programs to flog the movie, but why KFOG?  A little poking around reveals that the owner
of KFOG, Cumulus Media, appears to be part of ABC Radio Network, which is in turned owned by Disney, who is
distributing the film.  There are actually a couple of other links in that corporate chain, but that's the gist of it.

I honestly don't see evil corporate synergy here. Cumulus *used* to partner with ABC Radio Networks (they are owned by Disney) but that ended last year, so there's no direct or indirect link. I think this was a "cute" idea that someone came up with at a weekly programming meeting and they just kinda ran with it -- AL had fun and seemed to have pretty free rein. Like it or not, it is a genuine pop-cultural phenom. I certainly found it far less annoying than the Outside Lands, Live From the Archives or Bottle Rock promotional sets.  Dave and AL have both done James Bond sets in the past when those movies opened.

While I think it's still an open question, I do agree that, clips aside, we've gotten two or three
good sets out of it this week.

[Lightnin' Rod]

I can understand why KGO-TV would devote so many
minutes on their "news" programs to flog the movie

KTVU news (not owned by Disney, I'm pretty sure) was flogging the hell out of the movie too (leading to some awkward segues like "Hey Sal, have you been using the force to get people through the backup on 24?").  So I really think that the marketing blitz/cultural phenomenon just hit critical mass, and if you weren't talking about SW, then there was a perceived risk of losing viewers to people who were.

[Tinka Cat]

I can understand why KGO-TV would devote so many
minutes on their "news" programs to flog the movie

KTVU news (not owned by Disney, I'm pretty sure) was flogging the hell out of the movie too (leading to some awkward segues like "Hey Sal, have you been using the force to get people through the backup on 24?").  So I really think that the marketing blitz/cultural phenomenon just hit critical mass, and if you weren't talking about SW, then there was a perceived risk of losing viewers to people who were.

Good insight there, LR.