Partisan TV Channel in Breakfast Room
Mar 3, 2015, 11:17 am
#1
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Partisan TV Channel in Breakfast Room
Not sure if this is too contentious to post here but I am staying in a Holiday Inn Express and it is irritating me that they are showing Fox News in the breakfast room.
I do do not want to get into political arguments here. I just think in a hotel, they should stick to a channel that is less controversial and less likely to divide people. Most people agree that Fox news is a conservative channel, why not put something on a bit more neutral? They could put on one of the morning shows on NBC or ABC. BTW I would feel the exact same if they had MSNBC on, as that is equally as biased as Fox News, just in other direction.
Sorry if this offends anyone, I am not attacking anyone who watches Fox News or who supports their politics. I just think in a public area in a hotel, something more neutral/moderate and that is less likely to offend people would be more appropriate.
p.s. This isn't the first hotel I have stayed in where this has been the case.
I do do not want to get into political arguments here. I just think in a hotel, they should stick to a channel that is less controversial and less likely to divide people. Most people agree that Fox news is a conservative channel, why not put something on a bit more neutral? They could put on one of the morning shows on NBC or ABC. BTW I would feel the exact same if they had MSNBC on, as that is equally as biased as Fox News, just in other direction.
Sorry if this offends anyone, I am not attacking anyone who watches Fox News or who supports their politics. I just think in a public area in a hotel, something more neutral/moderate and that is less likely to offend people would be more appropriate.
p.s. This isn't the first hotel I have stayed in where this has been the case.
Mar 3, 2015, 11:40 am
#2
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Even though I totally agree with your point of view, I would say that it happens pretty much everywhere in the world (in France, many hotels put BFM TV which can be seen as very conservative).
Mar 3, 2015, 1:12 pm
#3
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I'd assume another guest had requested the channel earlier. I'd also assume it would be no problem to switch it over to The Weather Channel upon my own request, TWC being as neutral as you can get save for the people with a dislike (rational or not) of Al Roker.
Mar 3, 2015, 3:57 pm
#5
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I don't really care, it doesn't make me seethe with anger or anything. I just think in a respectable global hotel chain, it maybe would be more polite to keep it on something more neutral. I suppose if a guest requests it, they cannot really say "no sorry, we don't show that network here as policy" as that would likely just cause an argument.
I am not American but I would have thought The Today Show or one of the other morning shows on the major three networks would be unlikely to bother anyone?
Last edited by Enigma368; Mar 3, 2015 at 4:06 pm
Mar 3, 2015, 4:20 pm
#6
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It is a serious disservice to the shareholders of any business that unnecessarily irritates a portion of their customers.
I once had an employee who (unbeknownst to me) kept a bunch of ani-gay literature laying around in a bathroom not normally frequented by the public. One day a customer used that bathroom. We lost the customer. Even my employee got the idea. He knew that customers are hard to get, and gratuitously offending one was plain stupid.
I once had an employee who (unbeknownst to me) kept a bunch of ani-gay literature laying around in a bathroom not normally frequented by the public. One day a customer used that bathroom. We lost the customer. Even my employee got the idea. He knew that customers are hard to get, and gratuitously offending one was plain stupid.
Mar 3, 2015, 4:34 pm
#7
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It is a serious disservice to the shareholders of any business that unnecessarily irritates a portion of their customers.
I once had an employee who (unbeknownst to me) kept a bunch of anti-gay literature laying around in a bathroom not normally frequented by the public. One day a customer used that bathroom. We lost the customer. Even my employee got the idea. He knew that customers are hard to get, and gratuitously offending one was plain stupid.
I once had an employee who (unbeknownst to me) kept a bunch of anti-gay literature laying around in a bathroom not normally frequented by the public. One day a customer used that bathroom. We lost the customer. Even my employee got the idea. He knew that customers are hard to get, and gratuitously offending one was plain stupid.
Mar 3, 2015, 4:57 pm
#9
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Ya can't pleas'em all. Every news channel has a political angle. So forget the news. Sports can be too violent and even oldie shows may portray women in subservient roles.
I guess it really is the weather.
Bottom line is that there's nothing to be done here. A smart property owner ought to poll all guests, figure out their political leanings and only show channels with like views.
I guess it really is the weather.
Bottom line is that there's nothing to be done here. A smart property owner ought to poll all guests, figure out their political leanings and only show channels with like views.
Mar 3, 2015, 5:06 pm
#10
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Maybe, it was on Fox News yesterday and was on ABC last week so maybe it just depends on what guests ask for.
I don't really care, it doesn't make me seethe with anger or anything. I just think in a respectable global hotel chain, it maybe would be more polite to keep it on something more neutral. I suppose if a guest requests it, they cannot really say "no sorry, we don't show that network here as policy" as that would likely just cause an argument.
I am not American but I would have thought The Today Show or one of the other morning shows on the major three networks would be unlikely to bother anyone?
I don't really care, it doesn't make me seethe with anger or anything. I just think in a respectable global hotel chain, it maybe would be more polite to keep it on something more neutral. I suppose if a guest requests it, they cannot really say "no sorry, we don't show that network here as policy" as that would likely just cause an argument.
I am not American but I would have thought The Today Show or one of the other morning shows on the major three networks would be unlikely to bother anyone?
Mar 3, 2015, 5:45 pm
#11
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I completely disagree - you can have news channels on that are nowhere near as strongly left or right leaning as MSNBC and Fox News. It's not like every channel has a very strong political leaning, just these two. You do not need to poll your guests, just put on something that is not one of these two contentious channels. I mean unless you put on "Russia Today" you probably are going to get a more moderate/centrist network. Just my opinion.
Last edited by Enigma368; Mar 3, 2015 at 5:52 pm
Mar 4, 2015, 12:55 am
#12
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The only possible solution would be to remove the TV from a breakfast room in my eyes. For me, a TV playing soccer / football /baseball / rugby would also be annoying - I would only accept athletics and ski because I have a basic interest in these, but would not turn on any TV for it.
... and honestly I even have decided to skip brekfast because of a TV in the breakfast room airing some sports events in full volume. There are times, where I simply do not want to see a TV. A TV is also catching the attention of everybody else (and resulting in running into other people with food on a plate while looking on a tv screen) among other things. Why do we always need a TV nowadays?
With smartphone widely available and most hotels offering free WiFi in public areas, there is from my point of view not even a reason to have a TV. If you want to follow news / sports events, use your smartphone (apps). This is also more private and less disturbing
... and honestly I even have decided to skip brekfast because of a TV in the breakfast room airing some sports events in full volume. There are times, where I simply do not want to see a TV. A TV is also catching the attention of everybody else (and resulting in running into other people with food on a plate while looking on a tv screen) among other things. Why do we always need a TV nowadays?
With smartphone widely available and most hotels offering free WiFi in public areas, there is from my point of view not even a reason to have a TV. If you want to follow news / sports events, use your smartphone (apps). This is also more private and less disturbing
Mar 4, 2015, 4:02 pm
#14
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I don't like being force-fed BBC news in most UK, IHG hotels. Nor do I want a free copy of "The I". The most politically biased "newspaper" I've ever had the misfortune to glance at. IHG need to take a look at this partnership. I find it quite distasteful.
Mar 4, 2015, 10:52 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 449
Ya can't pleas'em all. Every news channel has a political angle. So forget the news. Sports can be too violent and even oldie shows may portray women in subservient roles.
I guess it really is the weather.
Bottom line is that there's nothing to be done here. A smart property owner ought to poll all guests, figure out their political leanings and only show channels with like views.
I guess it really is the weather.
Bottom line is that there's nothing to be done here. A smart property owner ought to poll all guests, figure out their political leanings and only show channels with like views.