First, I apologize for the dry language. I have been analyzing case studies all weekend. What I have tried to put together is a basic framework for effective protest techniques against ABC/Disney. I hope it will be of some use to the DailyKos community. Second, I apologize for adding to the flood of diaries on this subject. A lot has been written already.
Now that ABC has done their dirty, dirty little deed, it is time for a rational campaign to let them know that they have done wrong. I propose a set of actions based mainly around economic impact, since that seems to be all large corporations care about. The key here isn't angry protest, since our dear mainstream media tends to ignore people chanting with signs, even in very large groups. The key is using economic and regulatory tools to impact ABC/Disney quickly, harshly, and expensively.
So, what follows is a list of actions that might have an immediate or long-term economic impact on ABC/Disney. There are four major actionable relationships: Business/Consumer, Business/Business, Consumer/Government, and Shareholder.
Also, I would like to refer people to KidOakland's diary about protest infastructure. Kid has a very important point, that we need a permanent infrastructure to address these issues quickly and effectively. We need a central clearing house for action alerts, so that the letters, phone calls, emails, and whatnot can happen with the same efficiency as the Christian Coalition tends to do these things.
Here are protest techniques separated by relationship. This organizational method comes from analyzing those boring case studies, but at least I learned something useful this semester.
Business (ABC/Disney) / Consumer (You)
Business/Consumer relations include pretty much all of the DailyKos readership. We have done our part by calling ABC and the affiliates, threatening boycotts and whatnot. So far, several advertisers have pulled their ABC ads. I can't recall the specific companies, but will update with links if people comment. This is a good source of pressure, especially for the affiliates, since ad money is their lifeblood. Also, your affiliate sets ad rates according to sweeps ratings. The less people who watch, the lower the ad rate. Call your affiliate and tell them you are no longer watching their nightly news. Tell them you are also not watching their prime-time programming. These are the two largest sources of ad income. Follow through, and avoid ABC programming, however tempting Lost or Desperate Housewives are.
Now, the 800 pound Dumbo in the room is Disney. For most people, a Disney boycott is hard, especially given how amazing Pixar films tend to be. Boycotts are also not as effective as some options, given that we can't hurt revenue enough to be noticed most of the time. Like Wal-Mart, Disney should be viewed as a company to avoid in the long-term. We can't boycott for a month, it must be long-term. On that note, encourage your school not to buy or show Disney films, avoid the theme parks, and never see their movies in the theater. Rent them only. Melody Townsel wrote an open letter to Disney describing her action. Also, there is a protest being organized for those in Southern California KingsRook5 has details.
ABC has done something else worth noting. There have been two (so far) diaries about how PT9/11 defames American Airlines. Do as Officious Intermeddler says, and tell AA you are now SCARED to fly their airline. Make sure to mention PT 9/11 as your reason. Hunter also mentions this, and links to Aravosis' Americablog.
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Business (ABC/Disney) / Business (You, your employer, your business relations)
This actionable relationship is for those who have purchasing and sales responsibilities in business. If you have the power, stop advertising on ABC, or on go.com, their web portal. Also, as seen with Scholastic, if you are a corporate customer of Disney's somehow, exert some pressure.
As for local affiliates, threaten to stop advertising. Inform the Sales Marketing Manager that you are worried about having your ads associated with such controversial, offensive programming, now and in the future. Tell them that you want to be able to continue advertising on ABC so you can reach your target demographic, but that you are nervous about what programming your ads will be shown with. If you have a business relationship with a company that shows ads on ABC, mention the PT9/11 to them, and tell them you are disappointed to see their ads associated with such propaganda, and that you are 'considering your options'. Inform the Sales Marketing Manager or whomever is in charge of selling TV advertising for your ABC affiliate that you are considering alternative business options.
If you are a local business or involved in local government, conveniently 'forget' your ABC affiliate, when you send out press releases. This is unethical, possibly illegal for gov't officials, but the most effective. If you can get away with this, it is an effective way to cause a ratings drop. Missing a scoop can be very damaging to a news department, which serves as the lifeblood of affiliate advertising income.
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Consumer (You) / Government (Federal)
Yes, it might be good for you to actually WATCH and suffer through the Path to 9/11. If you do, you then have standing to file an FCC indecency complaint. If you have children that might have been 'exposed' to the broadcast, then there is additional standing. So, watch and suffer, then complain. You will need relevant information, such as the station, the time, and importantly, specific quotes. So, watch and take notes. Inform the FCC that you were offended. Use the phrase "patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium." This is the FCC legalese for indecent and deserving of fines.
The filing of FCC complaints establishes a case history that can be later used to appeal broadcast licenses. Only the FCC commission has the power to revoke licenses, and only under the doctrine that a broadcaster isn't serving the "public interest, convenience and necessity". So, the licenses will not be revoked with the current batch of Republican FCC commissioners, but the threat is bone-chilling, especially for affiliates. We HAVE to remember things like this when the airway licenses come up for renewal in a few years. If we can organize objections at public licensing hearings, It gets the message across very clearly.
The possibility of using this as leverage to bring back the fairness doctrine has been tossed around the past few days. It is worth remembering this fall as a possible campaign issue.
GreekGirl also did an introductory analysis on Sponsorship ID issues, payola, and related law. There might be a way to ding ABC for not following disclosure regulations. If The Path to 9/11 can be proven a political piece aired for consideration, there is a lock-tight legal case, though someone with significantly more experience would have to look into this. Also, if there is a proven history of payola, disclosure errors, and programming bias for political gain, their broadcast licenses are again put at risk.
UPDATE SUNDAY 11:15: Mike McL did a diary called FCC Licenses and You (The ABC / Path to 9-11 Edition), which is an excellent summary of the FCC licensing procedure, and how to file complaints. He also tells us which stations are owned by ABC/Disney. In the comments, Airpower has mentioned that:
I don't believe an "indecency" complaint is relevant here. But what is relevant is the duty of the trustee (broadcast license holder) to serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity.
(...)
Keep in mind that a "Petition to Deny" can be filed against ALL -- repeat ALL -- ABC owned and operated broadcast stations, including radio stations, because the issue here is the conduct of trustee, regardless of whether the conduct is confined to a particular station or not.
Airpower has a very good point, and PT9/11 could theoretically put every Disney/ABC owned broadcast license at risk.
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Shareholders (You, your mutual fund, your financial institution)
Do you have money in a mutual fund? Did you know that 69% of Disney's (NYSE: DIS) stock is held by institutional/mutual fund shareholders? Fidelity, Vanguard, Morgan Stanley, State Street, Charles Schwab and others hold most of Disney's outstanding shares. ABC's actions haven't had any effect on share price (yet). DIS even went up by 9 cents on Friday. So, the action: Call your mutual fund, call your analyst. Tell them you are worried about the value of Disney stock, given that Disney might be facing legal problems because of ABC. Ask them if they would consider liquidating their DIS holdings.The point is to show Disney's risk just went up, and to get the institutional analysts a little nervous. Also, Charles Schwab is a fairly frequent ABC advertiser, according to a DailyKos member who's name escapes me.
If you own stock in Disney, and are able to, sell on Monday. If you are especially gutsy, short Disney. The institutional analysts look at shorted shares to determine risk. Even more importantly, they look at the rate of change of shorted shares (the first derivative/slope of the line of best fit of shares shorted over time) to determine short-term potential future risk. So, if people short on Monday, and that rate of change skyrockets, red flags go up for the institutional managers.
If the share price does in fact take a hit, or if paid dividends are lower then expected, Disney becomes a target for a shareholder's lawsuit. I don't know enough about this to comment extensively, but it is worth keeping in mind, especially if you own DIS.
The Crusty Bunker gives a summary of defamation tort. He briefly touches on shareholder actions. If you own Disney stock and can't sell on Monday, you might have standing for a lawsuit in the future. Possibly a class action lawsuit.
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Please post links in comments for anything I have forgotten, omitted, or not managed to read in the past week that relates to the above content, and I will update as appropriate.
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La vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid.
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