More "Gold, God, Guns" from Beck, who says, "The smart money is saying 'hunker down' "

On the breaks of their radio shows, both Rachel Maddow and Tom Hartman plug goldline, advising their liosteners to invets in gold.

Please tell me how Beck is NOT disclosing that goldline is a sponsor of his show WHEN HE DOES A PLUG FOR GOLDLINE EVERY OTHER BREAK?

No one has been able to explain that one to me.

What makes Maddow and Hartman's call for people to buy goldline different?

What's the problem? How is he NOT disclosing his affiliation with goldline, WHEN HE'S DOING ADVERTISING FOR THEM DURING EVERY COMMERCIAL BREAK?

I hate to agree with Kdork, and I hope this is the last time I have to, but the fact is that Hartmann HAS discussed inflation, the weak dollar, and the importance of Gold as a hedge against that inflation during his show, which has then been interrupted by Thom Hartmann urging his listeners to buy gold. He's also a big supporter of further stimulus spending- but then, in commercials, uses stimulus spending to urge people to buy gold because "foreign nations don't even WANT our dollars anymore" and gold will remain "real money" when "the dollar goes the way of the dinosaur."

Hartmann hasn't been as relentless in his cheerleading for Gold as Beck has, but it really is just a matter of degree. Since Hartmann can hardly stop supporting government spending as a reasonable investment in the future on his show, he really needs to stop pitching Goldline. It's unseemly, and it puts him too close to Glenn Beck's philosophy of Say Anything To Keep the Bucks Coming In.

I hate to agree with Kdork, and I hope this is the last time I have to, but the fact is that Hartmann HAS discussed inflation, the weak dollar, and the importance of Gold as a hedge against that inflation during his show, which has then been interrupted by Thom Hartmann urging his listeners to buy gold. He's also a big supporter of further stimulus spending- but then, in commercials, uses stimulus spending to urge people to buy gold because "foreign nations don't even WANT our dollars anymore" and gold will remain "real money" when "the dollar goes the way of the dinosaur."

Hartmann hasn't been as relentless in his cheerleading for Gold as Beck has, but it really is just a matter of degree. Since Hartmann can hardly stop supporting government spending as a reasonable investment in the future on his show, he really needs to stop pitching Goldline. It's unseemly, and it puts him too close to Glenn Beck's philosophy of Say Anything To Keep the Bucks Coming In.

Did you not read the response above? Plugging for a sponsor during a commercial is one thing, plugging that sponsors product during your show and making it sound like you are giving financial advice is something else.

Because Beck is paid by Goldline DIRECTLY to advetise their service. If a sponsor buys a block of time on a radio/television program, and a voice over artist does the script, it is just advertising. But when the shows host does it live, they must inform their television audience that they are being PAID to do the sponsor advertisement. Live reads can be done on radio without disclosure.

Well, as long as you're begging...

There are two BIG differences, one of which has been explained above by azaziel: "Hartman and Maddow aren't using the non-commercial, main part of their show to try and tell people that "The world is coming to an end and you all need to stock up on gold right now." Beck is. That's the difference."

The second difference is that "ad libs," as they are commonly referred to in broadcasting, are a regular part of the radio commercial mix. This is why the bulk of the criticism being levied at Beck is about the shilling he does on The Glenn Beck Paranoia & Comedy Hour on Fox "News." It's also why he's been reprimanded by Fox "News" management. (Maybe management should be in quotes, too. Hmmm.) You wanna sell them commercial time? Fine. You wanna be paid to endorse the product in their ads? Fine. Let the shilling spill over into your actual broadcast? Not cool.

The far more significant criticism, though, is the first one. The dooms-day prophesying, though, is pretty pathetic.

There's really very little difference. I'm sure I agree with you on absolutely nothing else, but when you're right, you're right. I don't know about Maddow, but I've heard Hartmann pitch for Gold right after endorsing more stimulus spending (which I support, as well) too often to argue that there's something different in what he's doing and what Beck does.

During their breaks, Maddow and Hartman, on the radio, are doing what's known as 'live reads'. It's a commercial where, rather than playing a pre-programmed and recorded spot, it's read live on air by whoever is broadcasting. If it came up during a commercial break in a news spot, the news announcer would read it. During Rachel's show, Rachel reads it. In this instance, it is the same as a pre-recorded commercial.

The difference lies in the other times Mr. Beck chooses to hawk gold. During the regular broadcast portion, he stirs up fears of a failing economy, a falling currency, an evil power hungry government, and based on these baseless fears, urges his viewers to buy gold to protect themselves from 'what might be coming'. That is crossing the line. If you refuse to see that, I guess it's your choice. Doesn't make it not true, though, k1dork.

I don't know if it's wrong to be a spokesperson AND argue for said product, but I do feel there's something wrong with not disclosing the fact you're a paid spokesperson.
Step 1:Disclose
Step 2:Rant
I'd be fine with that. Otherwise, it feels very much like he's drumming up all this doomsday stuff in order to pad his wallet & nothing more.

If it's wrong for Beck to do that (and it is,) it's wrong for Hartmann to do it, too.


I agree. It doesn't matter who is shilling for gold, the fact is that it is wrong nonetheless. The Daily Show did a great bit on it. I just don't understand k1dork's point. He seems to be excusing Beck's actions by saying that other people do it to. So what? That fact doesn't make the actions any better.