<story><title>Jon Stewart Talks SOPA, at Last</title><url>http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2012/01/12/reddit-user-ventures-to-the-daily-show-gets-jon-stewart-to-talk-sopa-on-air/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>chernevik</author><text>If you think Mr. Stewart is simply behind in his reading, I have a nice bridge for you.&lt;p&gt;He&apos;s in entertainment, he comments endlessly about policy.  You think he somehow missed the #1 policy initiative of his employer?&lt;p&gt;He is very well paid, with a large budget that employs a lot of people.  But I don&apos;t think his show breaks even on its revenues, it is a tent-pole for his channel.  He&apos;s paid not for his own audience but the larger strategic benefit he brings to his employer.  So think on what might happen if he starts to pose still larger strategic problems for that employer?  And what happens to Mr. Stewart should he want to move on from his current perch?  [EDIT: As suggested below, the &apos;strategic benefit&apos; payment is speculation.  Probably a mistake to go there, b/c I think my point still stands: if he hurts a major legislative initiative of his industry, his life gets a lot harder and riskier.]&lt;p&gt;And while he himself seems reasonably secure, he has a staff of writers and producers, many of whom would like to move on to bigger and better things.  Who will be greenlighting those various ventures?&lt;p&gt;Remember, Hollywood blacklisted people for (alleged) Communism.  Those people lost their whole careers.  Imagine what might happen to those who challenge the studios&apos; interests still more directly.&lt;p&gt;I&apos;d say this is the perfect moment for Mr. Stewart&apos;s reputed bravery, independence and courage.</text></item><item><author>Terretta</author><text>If even Jon Stewart&apos;s team hadn&apos;t picked up on SOPA, that goes a long way to suggest why a Wikipedia/Twitter/Facebook/Google/etc blackout would be useful.  If they&apos;re not up to date, how could we expect any non industry insiders to be?&lt;p&gt;A brief blackout is like tapping the media on the shoulder.&lt;p&gt;&quot;We&apos;ll be all, like, SOPA what? ... uh ... I have some reading to catch up on.&quot;&lt;p&gt;Nobody thinks about dial tone until it&apos;s not there.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>redthrowaway</author><text>Can we get a source on TDS not making money?  It&apos;s one of the most popular shows on Comedy Central, syndicated in many countries.  If &lt;i&gt;it&lt;/i&gt; doesn&apos;t make money, it&apos;s hard to see how Comedy Central stays afloat.</text></comment>
<story><title>Jon Stewart Talks SOPA, at Last</title><url>http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2012/01/12/reddit-user-ventures-to-the-daily-show-gets-jon-stewart-to-talk-sopa-on-air/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>chernevik</author><text>If you think Mr. Stewart is simply behind in his reading, I have a nice bridge for you.&lt;p&gt;He&apos;s in entertainment, he comments endlessly about policy.  You think he somehow missed the #1 policy initiative of his employer?&lt;p&gt;He is very well paid, with a large budget that employs a lot of people.  But I don&apos;t think his show breaks even on its revenues, it is a tent-pole for his channel.  He&apos;s paid not for his own audience but the larger strategic benefit he brings to his employer.  So think on what might happen if he starts to pose still larger strategic problems for that employer?  And what happens to Mr. Stewart should he want to move on from his current perch?  [EDIT: As suggested below, the &apos;strategic benefit&apos; payment is speculation.  Probably a mistake to go there, b/c I think my point still stands: if he hurts a major legislative initiative of his industry, his life gets a lot harder and riskier.]&lt;p&gt;And while he himself seems reasonably secure, he has a staff of writers and producers, many of whom would like to move on to bigger and better things.  Who will be greenlighting those various ventures?&lt;p&gt;Remember, Hollywood blacklisted people for (alleged) Communism.  Those people lost their whole careers.  Imagine what might happen to those who challenge the studios&apos; interests still more directly.&lt;p&gt;I&apos;d say this is the perfect moment for Mr. Stewart&apos;s reputed bravery, independence and courage.</text></item><item><author>Terretta</author><text>If even Jon Stewart&apos;s team hadn&apos;t picked up on SOPA, that goes a long way to suggest why a Wikipedia/Twitter/Facebook/Google/etc blackout would be useful.  If they&apos;re not up to date, how could we expect any non industry insiders to be?&lt;p&gt;A brief blackout is like tapping the media on the shoulder.&lt;p&gt;&quot;We&apos;ll be all, like, SOPA what? ... uh ... I have some reading to catch up on.&quot;&lt;p&gt;Nobody thinks about dial tone until it&apos;s not there.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>mtgentry</author><text>SOPA isn&apos;t on the radar of the general public. So it makes sense when Stewart says he &quot;needs to catch up on the issue&quot;.&lt;p&gt;I really think it&apos;s a simple as that.</text></comment>