Variety: 'Wackadoodle demo widens' in TV

[Newsjock]

Source: Variety

The proliferation of cable channels has seemingly offered dedicated locations for every age group, interest and niche -- which might explain why TV has begun reaching out to the wackadoodle demographic.

Not to be confused with those drawn to hunting the paranormal and gh-gh-ghosts with infrared lenses (its own disturbing niche), the wackadoodle subspecies encompasses folks who gravitate toward conspiracy theories, end-of-the-world prophecies, alien abduction, and other beliefs generally associated with wearing tin-foil hats. And while one might assume this is a difficult group for advertisers to bank on, programmers appear more than content to scratch their (perhaps UFO- or government-induced) itches.

Fox News Channel's Glenn Beck is in a sense the poster child for such material. Even many who share Beck's conservative political views risk feeling light-headed when he strays beyond them into his fringiest warblings -- wild-eyed warnings about government internment camps, indoctrination of children and secret communist messages embedded in Rockefeller Center.

Still, that's merely a white-headed tip of the iceberg, as wackadoodle shows keep popping up in places where you wouldn't necessarily expect to find them.

Read more: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118021075.html?categoryId=1682&cs=1

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Oh, no, Beck is onto us.

How did he find out about us and our 3-R program (Red Revolution for Rugrats) here at the camp? Who told? None of the kiddies has gotten out...