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United Airlines caught in political scrum over in-flight TV channel

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Chicago-based United Airlines has been caught in a political crossfire in recent days over a politically conservative news station that was the default channel on flights that offer DirecTV service. (www.chicagotribune.com) More...

Ethan Pressl
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paultrubits
paul trubits 1
How about the Cartoon Network or will that get too many people's panties in a wad, also?
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preacher1
preacher1 3
Well, as per David Barnes, why not just boot to a menu and not bother anyone, and as Larry says, there are those that are permanently offended or offended at anything. I think UAL did as good as anyone could, by saying that it would change in February anyway and not worry about it anymore.
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scott8733
scott8733 3
....I guess it's better than having an adult film channel be the default, although that would certainly help "expedite" the boarding process that UAL always says takes too long.
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SootBox
SootBox 0
You can't handle the TRUTH.
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jonesas
Allen Jones 1
Amen.
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btweston
btweston -3
Newsmax is beyond conservative. It's not even a news service so much as a psychologically unstable right-wing bullhorn. It is to Fox News what crack is to cocaine. Serious companies should really not be promoting that kind of thing. If you want to offer it in your channel lineup, whatever, crazy people ride planes too, but for that to be playing in every seat as the default channel... Come on, now. Let's be grown ups.
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preacher1
preacher1 8
Can we not just change the channel. Default just means what it turns on to, not where it has to stay.
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davidrbarnes
David Barnes 3
Why not just boot the IFE to an on-screen menu that simply lists the channels available? Then nobody can get upset, right?
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joelwiley
joel wiley 0
Maybe the default channel is an additional revenue stream for United - pay to get up front. Similar to 'sticky eye' web page advertizing revenue? Does it differ between first class and steerage?
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davidrbarnes
David Barnes 1
Not according to the article: "United has no agreement with Newsmax and received no direct revenue from Live TV's agreement with Newsmax, Johnson said."
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joelwiley
joel wiley 1
United spokesman Rahsaan Johnson did say 'direct revenue'. That is not necessarily the same as 'revenue'. I certainly could be wrong.
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lemster
Larry Munden 6
The perpetually offended will always be upset.
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jimcander
Jim Anderson 1
Hissy fit? Wow. Would hate to see what qualifies as a tantrum. Lol
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leemarks
Lee Marks -4
So Bill Burton, an Obama political hack, throws a hissy fit, and United is sent scrambling. C'mon United grow a pair. If Burton had his way it would be MSLSD for, not just United passengers, but everyone!
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btweston
btweston -1
How do you know?
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leemarks
Lee Marks 1
How do I know? Really? This is Bill Burton we're talking about here - Charter member and President of the "President Obama Fan Club"! Anything said about the President that is anything but glowing and praiseworthy will send Burton and his ilk into an apoplectic fit. You are exactly right in that Newsmax makes Foxnews seem moderate, if not perhaps left-leaning in comparison, but Burton cannot stand to hear anything negative about his hero. This eliminates not only Newsmax, but Fox, CNN, and the rest of the alphabet networks, leaving only MSNBC, who only seem to grumble about the President when they don't think he's gone far enough to the left, as acceptable viewing material for these types.
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