By BRIAN STELTER
A day after Al Gore learned that he would share the Nobel Peace Prize, he took to the stage at a conference in Phoenix and delivered an impassioned speech. But he never referred to the honor or to his global warming campaign. Instead, he was trying to drum up advertising interest in his media project, Current TV.
In the two years since it began broadcasting, Current has tried to rewrite the script and the cost structure for television by encouraging its viewers to provide content and even advertising.
It has gained a lot of attention, mainly because of the involvement of Mr. Gore, the channel’s chairman and chief evangelist, who has been instrumental in getting the cable distribution deals for Current TV, and even an Emmy for himself and his partner, Joel Hyatt, Current’s chief executive.
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Mr. Gore has been particularly active developing the new Viewpoints section of the site. He has posted several opinion essays and reached out to prominent people for contributions.
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“Research shows that when people are exposed to Current, they love it. That’s the good news,” Mr. Hyatt said. “Now our challenge is to expose more people to our programming.”
Psst, Mr Hyatt ... a little marketing hint -- AL GORE FOR PRESIDENT ... RUN WITH IT ...
Gore or Perpetual War ... Gore or A Non-Inhabitable Planet ... Just how difficult a choice is it?