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#  Insider: Network CEO Revels in the Amazing Profits from Prez Candidates "Throwing Crap at Each Other"

December 10 2015

Written by Deirdre Fulton.

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AN INSIDE LOOK AT WHY BIG MEDIA LOVES THE DONALD--Even as large swaths of the population [call for media outlets](http://commondreams.org/news/2015/12/10/hundreds-us-groups-join-forces-stand-against-dangerous-tide-hatred-violence) to do their part in stemming the "dangerous tide of hatred, violence, and suspicion" taking hold in the United States, corporate media—which stands to benefit nicely from the $5 billion 2016 presidential election—is egging on that same divisive rhetoric.

"Go Donald! Keep getting out there!" CBS Corporation chief executive Les Moonves [reportedly](https://theintercept.com/2015/12/10/cbs-chief-cheers-trump-go-donald-keep-getting-out-there/) said during an investor presentation Monday.

Trumpeting the advertising dollars already flowing CBS's way as a result of the crowded 2016 GOP presidential primary, Moonves said: "We love having all 16 Republicans candidates throwing crap at each other — it's great. The more they spend, the better it is for us."

"And, you know, this is fun, watching this, let them spend money on us, and we love having them in there," he declared. "We're looking forward to a very exciting political year in '16."

Writing for *The Intercept*, Lee Fang notes that "\[t\]he call took place right around the same time Trump announced his intention to bar Muslim immigrants from entering the United States, suggesting the CBS chief didn’t know about that yet."

However, Fang continues, "Moonves' remarks came after months of similar rhetoric from Trump, including claims that the Mexican government is sending rapists into the U.S. and statements supporting a registration system for Muslim Americans."

As [*Common Dreams*](http://commondreams.org/news/2015/06/04/want-news-big-money-politics-dont-look-major-media-networks) and [others](http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/05/22/media-executives-are-salivating-over-big-money-flooding-2016-election-cycle) have reported, media companies are positioned to benefit from the unlimited campaign spending corrupting the U.S. political system. As Moonves [said](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-03-10/political-tv-ads-on-cbs-will-increase-profit-by-180-million-moonves-says) in 2012, "Super PACs may be bad for America, but they’re very good for CBS."

(Deirdre Fulton writes for [Common Dreams](http://commondreams.org) … where this piece was first posted.)

-cw

CityWatch

Vol 13 Issue 100

Pub: Dec 11, 2015

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