Ben of “Ben & Jerry’s” Ice Cream goes into TV ownership and *ever so slightly* outcompetes Fox News

[Dancing Fool]

And I mean a mirror image on the left with some quirks and differences. To me, those are the fun parts.

I understand the repeal of the “Fairness Doctrine” in 1987 didn’t make that much difference in point of fact. But as far as perception on the part of investors, yes, that may have made a difference.

 

[Dancing Fool]

Ben & Jerry's - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

“Ben & Jerry's used to have a policy that no employee's rate of pay shall exceed five times that of entry-level employees. In 1995, entry-level employees were paid $12 hourly (equivalent to $21 in 2021), . . . ”

***************************

And since it’s saying “used to” and “1995,” you can probably guess the rest! Yes, in order to hire a new CEO, the company had to break their 5-to-1 rule.

And in general, they’re known as a social justice company, with a number of compromises, but I’m going to count that as a positive! Because that’s real life.

And as far as our lower paid employees, one of the biggest things we can do is to be able to provide them with a reasonably consistent schedule. I know, because I’ve been a lower-paid employee myself [not at Ben & Jerry’s].

********************

And in general, Ben Cohen strikes me as an energetic — and aggressive — guy who just might have a chance in radio & TV ownership. Unlike Jerry, who had the self-awareness to realize that he doesn’t like having to fire people.

 

[Dancing Fool]

but the viewers want a Devil 😆

[or better yet, a whole series of devils, some more intellectual, some less intellectual]

 

[Alex Zetsu]

I'm a bit confused as to how the fairness doctrine would make a difference in terms of ratings for a possible TV network.

 

[Aisha Clan-Clan]

With a "fox news" analogue for the US left. US polarizes a bit faster than OTL. There's probably northern ireland levels of civil conflict in ttl's 2020s.

 

[Fabius Maximus]

Fox News would probably do about as well as IOTL -- its main viewer base is conservatives who think that the mainstream channels are all too liberal, and such people wouldn't be likely to switch over to Ben's News instead, for obvious reasons. Instead, the new news service would probably take most of its custom from CNN, NPR, and other such broadcasters, which are generally left-of-centre anyway. Perhaps the US might get more polarised more quickly, if by "a mirror image on the left" we mean "openly biased rather than covertly biased", but beyond that I wouldn't expect too many changes.

 

[Dancing Fool]

Why Ben Picked Jerry | Entrepreneur

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield launched the legendary ice-cream brand Ben & Jerry's in 1978. And they're still friends today.

www.entrepreneur.com

Ben is the guy wearing the hat

“ . . The two remained friends through college. Jerry failed to get into medical school, and Ben dropped out of college to pursue a career as a potter, . . ”

**************************

I think a number of talented persons don’t get into medical school. Maybe we as a society would have been better off if the profession early on had split into practical doctor and academic doctor.

And maybe rich-guy Jerry could have gone big into public health? [I think he did do a variety of worthwhile better-world attempts]

 

[Dancing Fool]

I'm a bit confused as to how the fairness doctrine would make a difference in terms of ratings for a possible TV network.

Not ratings, but rather investors willing to bet on a new network which is not afraid to take positions

 

[Dancing Fool]

US polarizes a bit faster than OTL.

Perhaps the US might get more polarised more quickly,

I’m hoping the quirks make a difference.

 

[Dancing Fool]

And between liberals and conservatives, how many cultural issues. For example, at a local sports bar here in suburban Houston, the biggest objection to transgender acceptance, honest to gosh, seems to be “in your face” commercials by corporate America, and not really any substantial policy issues.

And liberals and conservatives often agree on a lot of populist economics.

Now, if Ben Cohen pulls a Jimmy Carter, things won’t go well. By that I mean, hey, here’s this single best solution that I’ve discovered and that you guys need to get on board with. But if he instead takes the view, Hey, we just need to start talking about income polarization, for example, and there are a wide range of good remedies and partial remedies, we just need to avoid mindless drift— that will play much better! That might even be a highly effective approach for the owner of a news network.

 

[Aisha Clan-Clan]

I’m hoping the quirks make a difference.

It does. It just means we get OTL but worse and sooner.

 

[Dancing Fool]

It does. It just means we get OTL but worse and sooner.

But if they’re the right quirks . . .

 

[Aisha Clan-Clan]

But if they’re the right quirks . . .

Problem is they're the kind of quirks that make the US look like 1970s lebanon.

Think of whatever polarizing figure whose mention would get AH threads punted to polchat. They'd be too moderate to be frontrunners in ttl. Expect elections between people who say "Women nor nonwhites shouldn't rule nor speak in the assembly of the faithful. Heil hitler!" and legitimite communists.

 

[The Tai-Pan]

And between liberals and conservatives, how many cultural issues. For example, at a local sports bar here in suburban Houston, the biggest objection to transgender acceptance, honest to gosh, seems to be “in your face” commercials by corporate America, and not really any substantial policy issues.

This is a hell of a take.

 

[mspence]

There are already plenty of liberal leaning networks. Fox's popularity rose from the fact that they weren't liberal.

 

[Dancing Fool]

Action to Ease Pressure on Carter Tied to Moves by Other Countries (Published 1977)

Eur's principal steelmakers, in bid to ease pressure on Carter to react to effects of steel imports on US labor, offer to limit their exports to US for up to 3 yrs if other big foreign suppliers do same; Amer steel execs skeptical (M)

www.nytimes.com

Oct. 11, 1977:

“Europe's principal steelmakers . . . . . offered today to limit their exports to the United States for up to three years, if other big foreign suppliers do the same.”

[or else, political anger might lead to slamming the door entirely! ]

**************************

Now, President Carter was a moderate. He almost governed as an independent.

The point I’m trying to make is that on economics, there’s a lot of overlap between popularism of the left and of the right.

 

[Dancing Fool]

They'd be too moderate to be frontrunners in ttl.

You’re right and that’s what’s most likely. Earlier viewpoint journalism most probably would lead to more extreme politics by today.

I’m hoping with somewhat of a different re-roll at the beginning, we get some balance and even some dynamic tension between left and right. And maybe if Ben News calls out Fox News for some egregious bias, Fox is more careful for a couple of months. And vice versa, when Fox calls out Ben News for egregious bias . . . again, more careful for just a couple of months, and I think that’s somewhat realistic. Maybe it might even need two call-outs in a relatively brief time period.

**************

PS I’m trying to find another nimble animal Ben News can be named after!

some possibilities . . .

🐶🐱🐰🐻🦆

🦬🦙🦡🦦🐲☃️

 

[Dancing Fool]

This is a hell of a take.

It might even be the largest single factor.

For example, I’m thinking of the ad for Indeed job-hunting with the non-binary young person. Which I really think was a sweet ad of how the world should be.

Although part of my reaction was jealousy because I’ve seldom been treated that respectfully or that openly when hunting for a job. In particular, when I tried to go into computer programming as a middle-aged adult, that was unsuccessful. [no, they are not “desperate” for people, not even close]. And so any public policy trying to make middle-aged workers computer programmers is just so much pie - in - the - sky.

 

[Dancing Fool]

A sweet ad,

But few of us get this whether non-binary or not.

 

[Aisha Clan-Clan]

You’re right and that’s what’s most likely. Earlier viewpoint journalism most probably would lead to more extreme politics by today.

I’m hoping with somewhat of a different re-roll at the beginning, we get some balance and even some dynamic tension between left and right. And maybe if Ben News calls out Fox News for some egregious bias, Fox is more careful for a couple of months. And vice versa, when Fox calls out Ben News for egregious bias . . . again, more careful for just a couple of months, and I think that’s somewhat realistic. Maybe it might even need two call-outs in a relatively brief time period.

**************

PS I’m trying to find another nimble animal Ben News can be named after!

some possibilities . . .

🐶🐱🐰🐻🦆

🦬🦙🦡🦦🐲☃️

The problem isn't viewpoint journalism but there being companies whose model of business is on outrage/"engagement". Ben and Jerry's making Mallard News simply means more material for early clickbait farms to work, so various stuff that started in the 2000s would get to current levels quicker.

If you want to avoid polarization, to get something closer to what you want give the US actual privacy laws. Sure, this would basically prevent silicon valley as we know it from emerging which is good. I like forums/chatrooms and don't like normies being online on calling for more and more censorship so this is a net plus.