Overdubbing: It's Not Just for Musicians Anymore
Published August 30, 2002
Media Research Center has a video clip of a July John Stossel special which showed how cable music channel VH1 turned booing of Senator Hillary Clinton into cheering:
Senator Clinton was booed when she walked on stage last October at a rock concert in Madison Square Garden to benefit 9/11 victims. It was shown live by VH1 but, as ABC's John Stossel illustrated in a July 20/20 special on media distortions, when the Viacom-owned cable channel replayed it sound technicians replaced the booing with cheering and applause. And that version is the permanent record VH1 put onto its DVD of the event.I've long known that rock stars replace their flubs on live albums through judicious overdubbing. I didn't know that politicians did as well.
Somewhere, George Orwell is chuckling, softly.
- Overdubbing: It's Not Just for Musicians Anymore
- Published: August 30, 2002
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- Writer: Ed Driscoll
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Huxley is a more apt reference than Orwell in this case, I suspect. This was most likely a marketing decision more than a political decision. The marketing people would have ordered the techs to dub out the booing no matter who had suffered the crowd's ire. I wouldn't be surprised if they never even asked Hillary Clinton her opinion on the matter.
People watching a concert video expect cheering and applause. Most consumers will never think twice about hearing it on this DVD.
And that is exactly what marketing is all about. Give the buyer what they expect, so they will continue to buy, and buy, and buy, without thinking too much.
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Very interesting Ed!