Politics

Simplifying the Message to Help SPREAD the Message: Beck Talks About Big Plans for GBTV & The Blaze

Those who follow The Blaze or GBTV might have an inkling that Glenn Beck has big plans for his complex organization. To that end, on Monday, he announced the merger of GBTV with the newly launched Marketplace by Markdown, all under one Blaze umbrella as the first-ever multi-platform media company of its kind. Moving forward, GBTV, along with Marketplace, will now bear The Blaze moniker.

Glenn Beck said during his Monday evening broadcast, “In just a few short months together we have accomplished so much — and we are on our way to accomplishing so much more”. Ironically, Beck was never too fond of the name GBTV as he felt the message was about more than just one person.

“We have been blessed as a business, as a company and as a network,” he added.

Subscribers to GBTV needn’t be concerned about the merger hindering their subscription or viewing capabilities. Later in the year, the GBTV.com website will simply re-direct to The Blaze where the same premium content will be featured. Likewise, iOS devices, Roku and Boxee users will also see a seamless transition.  The Blaze will simply house the two platforms, offering the same free and subscription contents viewers and readers have enjoyed.

Rather, it’s about simplifying the message “to help spread the message.”

In an exclusive interview with CNN, Beck explained one of the reasons for the change:

“I didn’t like the name GBTV from the very beginning for a couple of reasons,” Beck said in an exclusive interview with CNN.com. “One, it’s a little egocentric, and two, it’s television, which doesn’t describe necessarily what we do.”

Beck and Chris Balfe, president and COO of Mercury Radio Arts (Beck’s company), said they planned to change the name once the online streaming network was more established but the early success of GBTV precipitated an earlier name change.

On Monday evening’s episode of The Glenn Beck Program Beck explained how, step by step, Mercury has been launching a series of new initiatives from feeding the homeless to Restoring Love in an effort to prove “that combining big dreams with hard work is still the only recipe for lasting success.”

In a personal letter published on The Blaze, Beck wrote:

Today, I’m excited to reveal the next part of the plan—and it involves three of our largest and most important projects: GBTV, our online streaming television network that hosts my daily show, TheBlaze.com, our extremely popular independent news and information outlet, and the Marketplace by Markdown.com, our e-commerce site featuring American small businesses.

Just a few hours ago I announced to my staff that we will be merging these three properties into a new, world-class multimedia network called “TheBlaze.”

Beck believes that by combining the world’s largest subscription online network with a news site currently visited by more than 7 million unique visitors a month, and an e-commerce site that is “reinventing the way small business owners find an audience,“ we will be ”creating a powerful new media entity.”

Beck also explained that in the near future, The Blaze will begin offering original programming and video content on a “24/7 basis.” In addition to the current GBTV lineup the organization will also be launching new content on The Blaze and expand into radio and publishing. In his letter, Beck continued:

I believe that merging these properties will help expose the critical news and information we report on daily to millions more people. By virtue of its size and committed user base, the mainstream will be unable to easily marginalize or ignore TheBlaze—or the stories we report on. I told you last year that we were going to drive the establishment in this country crazy—and this is how we will do it.

But the keyword is “we.”

During his broadcast Beck thanked readers, listeners, employees and viewers alike — everyone who has been an integral part of shaping the organization and directing its path. He also extended his appreciation for the subscribers, who put trust in Beck’s venture into unchartered territory.

The Blaze’s unique model and unparalleled content, according to Beck, will make history.

Comments (13)

  • eyestoseeearstohear
    Posted on June 19, 2012 at 1:58pm

    Hey, I coined a new phrase!

    Ask friends, family, neighbors, etc….

    “Do you Blaze?
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    I love Glenn’s plans…and pray it will be a success.
    God Bless you Glenn, without you, during this time, where would we be?

    Report Post »  
  • star7mj
    Posted on June 19, 2012 at 7:20am

    Prayers for Glenn, those who work for him and their families. Keep up the good work. Our family loves your programs. God Bless America and I stand with Israel.

    Report Post » star7mj  
  • TROLLMONGER
    Posted on June 19, 2012 at 6:53am

    Yes! Help spread the indoctrination!

    Report Post » TROLLMONGER  
  • lukerw
    Posted on June 19, 2012 at 2:55am

    The best laid schemes o‘ mice an’ men Gang aft agley!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • SilentReader
    Posted on June 19, 2012 at 12:51am

    I look forward to the change. I expect it to be as smooth as it was the last time!

    I trust that you are making the right decision. You’ve never made a wrong one! You’re an absolute genius in that regard! I think it has to do with courage!

    Report Post » SilentReader  
  • Free2speakRN
    Posted on June 19, 2012 at 12:23am

    It sounds good to me. The info has to get to as many people as possible in the simplist of ways. I get GBTV whenever I want. I don’t think there is anybody alive who puts the greater picture together than Beck. I can only take about one hour at a time, because it’s so intense and so much to remember in context. He’s not afraid to lose his money or his life, and that is a lot, especially when most people on the left and the NWO would rather see him penniless and dead. I think he knows what he’s doing, and I trust him. He‘s the Free World’s Paul Revere. Thank God there are others. Beck has started his technological vision to gain a good end.

    Report Post »  
  • AmeriWoman
    Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:51pm

    Im only a Blaze woman now to. Will this free online web news be discontinued with all of this now?? My bank froze my accts over a suspicious charge attempt into my account. My monthly chg from GBTV couldn’t go through, so Customer Svc dumped me. I did explain this to Customer Svc… but they removed my info and log on password. I enjoyed the program but couldn’t get in to see it but once or twice a month anyway. I guess I was missing a lot of programs and news in the end. I miss it now, but come here and Glenn’s website and catch up all I can now. I wonder if my registration to Marketplace will hold or if we will all need to re-register?

    That would be a huge bummer if I lost all access.

    :(

    Report Post » AmeriWoman  
    • steveh931
      Posted on June 19, 2012 at 1:09pm

      No access will be lost, it’s a great move for Mercury One and all viewers of The Blaze / GBTV.

      Report Post » steveh931  
  • RayOne
    Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:48pm

    I agree with Rockaloosa, the broadcast has been late with news for a long time, I wonder if Advertisers Age, has reported on them.

    Report Post » RayOne  
  • angryconservative
    Posted on June 18, 2012 at 9:42pm

    As of now I can get the Blaze, but not GBTV even though I am a subscriber. My computer just keeps circling those little circles and it takes forever for one word to come in and then it downloads again. Guess I’ll have to abandon the Blaze now too.

    Report Post »  
    • Rockaloosa
      Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:35pm

      Well, Angry, that is an obvious technical issue on your end. Solve it. I for one am glad we may soon pick up a few more hours on this internetwork.

      Report Post »  
    • R.A. Bullseye
      Posted on June 19, 2012 at 12:07am

      You need to click on the little box on the bottom of the right hand side of BGTV window and adjust the speed in which you receive the feed. You have to do it every time you sign in as it doesn’t stay where oyu want it.

      Report Post »  
    • eyestoseeearstohear
      Posted on June 19, 2012 at 2:03pm

      @ ANGRYCONSERVATIVE

      SOMETIMES, you can Right Click on the site and click on “ Stop Downloading” and
      it fixes it – but if you say your screen “flickers”, you may have a hardware problem.

      Report Post »  

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