Not a whole lot of life at Live Earth (Wizbang)

After all the hype, Live Earth came and went, but not with the bang organizers hoped. In the US, it came in last place on NBC:

NBC's three-hour primetime "Live Earth" special, which included highlights from Saturday's global concerts, failed to generate much enthusiasm in the ratings.
The estimated 2.7 million viewers was slightly under the 3 million viewers NBC has averaged on Saturday nights in the summer with repeats and the Stanley Cup hockey playoffs on what is already the least-popular night of television.

It also performed below the Live 8 concert two years ago, according to preliminary estimates released Monday by Nielsen Media Research.

The three-hour concert special from Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., drew a 0.9 rating/3 share in adults 18-49 --- the same as a typical summer Saturday after Memorial Day.

It wasn't received that well in the UK, where Madonna performed:

Live Earth has been branded a foul-mouthed flop.
Organisers of the global music concert - punctuated by swearing from presenters and performers - had predicted massive viewing figures.

But BBC's live afternoon television coverage attracted an average British audience of just 900,000.

In the evening, when coverage switched from BBC2 to BBC1, the figure rose to just 2.7 million.

And the peak audience, which came when Madonna sang at Wembley, was a dismal 4.5 million. Three times as many viewers saw the Princess Diana tribute on the same channel six days before.

But the Boston Globe is trying to spin away the hypocrisy and the poor ratings by arguing that Live Earth brought the climate change message to "billions." This is typical liberal pap: forget the facts, it's the intentions that are important:

That's what's so annoying about the criticism being leveled at Live Earth, ranging from the energy consumed and waste generated by the event itself to the vagueness of its goals. It seems that the potential to influence nearly a third of the world's population to engage the issue and change their behavior outweighs the negative impact, and given what's at stake that's a leap of faith worth taking.

Bob Geldof wasn't impressed:

And shame on the naysayers griping about the politics of hypocrisy or the value of staging an event of this scope without a measurable outcome. Bob Geldof, organizer of Live Aid and Live 8, told a Dutch newspaper that "I would only organize [Live Earth] if I could go onstage and announce concrete environmental measures from the American presidential candidates, Congress or major corporations. They haven't got those guarantees, so it's just an enormous pop concert."

The author responds with this:

I saw a drunk middle-aged man toss his beer bottle in a recycling bin for the first time. Multiply that by 2 billion. That's a measurable outcome.

Amazing. This author is arguing that one drunk throwing his beer bottle into a recycling bin is proof that two billion people watching the concert will do so as well. And how is she going to support that statistic? Well, she can't, but that didn't stop her from asserting it anyway. That's liberalism for you: wishful thinking presented as fact.

Update: Investors Business Daily has a few actual facts about the Live Earth concerts:

John Buckley of Carbonfootprint.com has calculated the footprints of the various stars, and we can only conclude that if Bigfoot exists, he (or she) is a musician. The top five performing acts have an annual output of 2,000 tons of carbon. Madonna alone has a footprint of 1,018 tons, according to Buckley.
All this does not factor in the trucks required to transport equipment, the fans transporting themselves or the power needed to stage each show. Then there is the waste.

Dr. Andrea Collins of Cardiff University estimated that the concert at Wembley Stadium produced 59 tons of garbage. It has 2,618 toilets. The aforementioned Ms. Crow, whose hit "Everyday Is A Winding Road" is used to sell Subaru AWDs, must have been very busy.

And take a look at how organizers are justifying all this excessive energy consumption:

John Rego, environmental director of Live Earth, insists the multi-continent charade, like the mansions of Gore, Madonna et al., was "carbon-neutral."
"We have chosen a reforestation and agricultural project in Mozambique," he explained. "It is a credible certifiable carbon-diffused project. We are in the process of purchasing a carbon-offset."

Certifiable, yes. Credible, no. Rego did not elaborate on just how many trees have to be planted to offset the emissions of the Lear and Gulfstream jets that flew performers an estimated 222,623 miles, as the Crow flies, to their respective events, not to mention back again.

That's about nine times around the Earth. One hour flying in a Gulfstream jet burns as much fuel as driving your family car for a year.

Carbon-offsets are nothing but a complete scam. If these folks really cared about the earth, why didn't Al Gore and his ilk just do the "reforestation and agricultural project" without the Live Earth concert? Why be carbon "neutral" when you can get ahead? After all, if you're Al Gore, and you're testifying in front of Congress that the earth has a fever, you're pushing a documentary that insists the earth is in dire need of help, you're traveling the globe reiterating this message, and you really believe this message, then it's simply not good enough to be carbon-neutral.

Comments (81)

The time and effort would h... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by Son Of The Godfather | July 9, 2007 6:38 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

Son Of The Godfather:

The time and effort would have been much better spent hunting down manbearpig.

Posted on July 9, 2007 18:38

c'mmon - when i firs... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by macofromoc | July 9, 2007 6:45 PM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)

macofromoc:

c'mmon - when i first heard madonna was there, the first thing i thought of was recycled trash.

Posted on July 9, 2007 18:45

....if I could go onstag... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Peter F. | July 9, 2007 6:46 PM | Score: 3 (5 votes cast)

Peter F.:

....if I could go onstage and announce concrete environmental measures from the American presidential candidates, Congress or major corporations.

If only WE dirty Americans changed OUR evil, CO2-polluting ways, everything would be just hunky dorey, wouldn't it, Bob?

Raise awareness of global warming? Who the f*** isn't aware of it? Tribesmen in New Guinea maybe. And I'm pretty certain don't get Bravo! MSNBC or the BBC...

Posted on July 9, 2007 18:46

This sounds like a bitter c... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by jp2 | July 9, 2007 7:24 PM | Score: -17 (17 votes cast)

jp2:

This sounds like a bitter conservative who was never invited to any kinds of parties.

Also someone who has never made an effort to better her community.

Posted on July 9, 2007 19:24

World's biggest under the t... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by jpm100 | July 9, 2007 7:38 PM | Score: 4 (6 votes cast)

jpm100:

World's biggest under the table campaign donation in history.

Posted on July 9, 2007 19:38

I took a page out of Al Gor... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by Mac Lorry | July 9, 2007 7:57 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

Mac Lorry:

I took a page out of Al Gore's book to green myself up a bit. I offset my use of bottled water by not going to rock concerts and mostly eating at home. I offset my use of energy by not flying through the upper atmosphere on multiple vacations per year. With these life-style offsets I'm as green as Al Gore. When Al starts living down to the level he wants others to live at than people might be interested in hearing what he has to say.

Posted on July 9, 2007 19:57

So all that jet fuel, elect... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by C-C-G | July 9, 2007 8:03 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

C-C-G

So all that jet fuel, electricity, gasoline for the limos, and diesel fuel for the trucks added up to... what?

Can some lefty tell me honestly what this accomplished that couldn't be done by more environmentally-friendly methods, like TV ads?

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:03

This is science we're talki... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by Jim Treacher | July 9, 2007 8:08 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

Jim Treacher

This is science we're talking about, Kim. Why are you bringing numbers into it???

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:08

As usual you wont tell the ... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by BarneyG2000 | July 9, 2007 8:11 PM | Score: -12 (12 votes cast)

BarneyG2000:

As usual you wont tell the full story.

NEW YORK - Nineteen million people tuned in to watch the Live Earth concerts on NBC and cable channels affiliated with the network, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Also, a reported 9-million watched on-line. That still does not count number that listened on radio.

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:11

Yeah, lefties, Live Earth w... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by WildWillie | July 9, 2007 8:14 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

WildWillie:

Yeah, lefties, Live Earth was a huge success. The country is electrified. Yawn. ZZZZZ. Crickets chirtping. Another Algore disaster. B level bands. ww

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:14

-Ratings Breakdown:I... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by RicardoVerde | July 9, 2007 8:23 PM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)

RicardoVerde:

-Ratings Breakdown:
It was another dull summer Saturday of mixed leadership, with CBS the most-watched network and Fox No. 1 among adults 18-49. The three-hour Live Earth Concert on NBC finished last, with just 2.75 million viewers and a 0.9 rating/3 share among adults 18-49 from 8-11 p.m.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/newsletters/proginsider/index.jsp

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:23

I wonder how much Al Gore's... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by hermie | July 9, 2007 8:28 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

hermie:

I wonder how much Al Gore's carbon offset company made off these losers.

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:28

Live Earth was this weekend... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by yo | July 9, 2007 8:31 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

yo:

Live Earth was this weekend?

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:31

Barney, Ricardo's informati... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by C-C-G | July 9, 2007 8:32 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

Barney, Ricardo's information includes a link, which, if visited, corroborates his post.

I guess that means that your "data" is once again the product of your fevered, BDS-infected imagination.

You're quickly losing what little credibility you had to begin with. Better stop making claims you can't back up.

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:32

Barney had credibility?... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by steak111111 | July 9, 2007 8:35 PM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)

steak111111:

Barney had credibility?

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:35

The writer of the Boston Gl... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by Jim Addison | July 9, 2007 8:36 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

Jim Addison:

The writer of the Boston Globe piece is a movie and music critic. She has no particular qualification to opine on the scientific or political aspects - not that it ever stopped her before.

C-C-G ~ Your insinuation that Barney ever had any credibility also requires a link, please.

;-)

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:36

So, for a world wide... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by John in CA | July 9, 2007 8:36 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

John in CA:

So, for a world wide global warming alarmism event, about 29 million watched, of the 6.5 billion humans on this earth.

Remarkable it drew that much interest.

Jim, I am going to where I ... (Below threshold)

18. Posted by C-C-G | July 9, 2007 8:37 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

Jim, I am going to where I used to find Barney's credibility rating, but I am getting a 404 error now.

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:37

Only Liberals would be plea... (Below threshold)

19. Posted by Bullwinkle | July 9, 2007 8:51 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

Bullwinkle:

Only Liberals would be pleasantly surprised to see someone throw their empties into the trash. What an accomplishment! I don't hang out with people who don't clean up after themselves, I'd have been shocked to see someone not do it. Unless it was a Liberal.

After further study maybe it is an accomplishment.

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:51

Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT.O: ... (Below threshold)

20. Posted by BarneyG2000 | July 9, 2007 8:52 PM | Score: -9 (9 votes cast)

Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile , Research) Web portal MSN said on Saturday that Live Earth concerts generated more than 9 million Internet streams, the most ever for an online entertainment event.

http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=allBreakingNews&storyID=2007-07-09T220206Z_01_N09304959_RTRIDST_0_ENVIRONMENT-CONCERT-RATINGS.XML

http://www.comcast.net/entertainment/index.jsp?cat=ENTERTAINMENT&fn=/2007/07/09/710386.html

The total audience of 18.995 million includes viewers who watched at least six minutes of the telecasts on NBC, CNBC, Telemundo, the Sundance Channel, Bravo, MSNBC and Universal HD.

That doesn't even count the radio numbers.

I will await my apologies.

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:52

barneyGRUBBLE:... (Below threshold)

21. Posted by marc | July 9, 2007 8:59 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

marc:

barneyGRUBBLE:

And as usual you provide no link to waht you claim.

Here's how you do it:

Saturday 7/07/07
Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data).

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 3.8/ 8, Fox: 3.0/ 6, ABC: 2.1/ 4, NBC: 1.8/ 4

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 5.21 million, Fox: 4.60, ABC: 3.42, NBC: 2.75

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 1.5 rating/6 share, ABC and CBS: 1.1/ 4 each, NBC: 0.9/ 3

AND THIS IS FUNNY... Take heart NBC you had more viewers than this Brisbane large outdoor screen had. The picture is PRICELESS!

Posted on July 9, 2007 20:59

Barney, Ricardo posted a li... (Below threshold)

22. Posted by C-C-G | July 9, 2007 9:03 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

Barney, Ricardo posted a link directly to the Nielsen site.

Yours is to a third-party site.

I'll believe the numbers right from the horses' mouth, thankyouverymuch.

Posted on July 9, 2007 21:03

Gore 08: The Trinity<... (Below threshold)

23. Posted by Dante | July 9, 2007 9:03 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

Dante:

Gore 08: The Trinity

"I have climbed the highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to see through you
Only to see through you"

"I have run you have crawled
through my campaign porta stalls
Only to be with you
But I still haven't found
That cash you have stored
But I still haven't found
That cash you have stored.

I have kissed money lips
Felt the warming in their tips
It burned like FIRE!
This Warming desire
I have spoke science Global
I have held the hand of Devil
It was warm the Eighth ring
Not as cold as I stoned
But I still haven't found
That cash you have stored

I believe in the Kingdome for Some
Then all the colors will bleed for One
But yes I'm still running
You sold the bonds
You loosed the chains
Pardons granted
And my shame
All the same
You know I believe it
But I still haven't found
What Tipper's lookin for.
But I still haven't found
The Gipper's magic lore.

barneyGRUBBLEYou f... (Below threshold)

24. Posted by marc | July 9, 2007 9:07 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

barneyGRUBBLE

You forgot this part of your al-Reuters link:

The main three-hour American TV broadcast on NBC averaged a meager 2.7 million viewers, ranking as the least-watched U.S. program on Saturday night and falling below NBC's summer prime-time Saturday average, Nielsen Media Research reported on Monday.

Even rival network ABC's rerun telecast of the animated film "Monsters Inc" garnered a bigger audience -- 3.3 million viewers. The most watched show of the evening was the CBS news magazine "48 Hours" with 6.5 million viewers.

By comparison, NBC, a unit of General Electric Co. (GE.N: Quote, Profile , Research), averaged 8.8 million viewers with its hourlong broadcast of the memorial concert for the late Princess Diana the previous Sunday.

It was the same story in Britain, where BBC One coverage of the Live Earth climax at London's Wembley Stadium, leading up to Madonna's eagerly awaited finale, averaged 3.1 million viewers, compared with 11.4 million for the Diana tribute.

Posted on July 9, 2007 21:07

Bwhahahahahahah....<p... (Below threshold)

25. Posted by Jo | July 9, 2007 9:08 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

Jo:

Bwhahahahahahah....

Anotherliberal BUST.

Love it, love it, love it.

Posted on July 9, 2007 21:08

Okay. So you don't believe ... (Below threshold)

26. Posted by Publicus | July 9, 2007 9:09 PM | Score: -4 (4 votes cast)

Publicus:

Okay. So you don't believe in global warming. But how can you complain about a concert that includes Spinal Tap?

Posted on July 9, 2007 21:09

"... includes viewers who w... (Below threshold)

27. Posted by yo | July 9, 2007 9:10 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

"... includes viewers who watched at least six minutes of the telecasts ... "

woo .. um .. hoo.

6 minutes. Long enough to figure out it sucked ass and decided to change the channel.

6 minutes. Time I betcha' 50% of those who watched wish they had back.

Numbers alone do not a message send.

Posted on July 9, 2007 21:10

The total audience of 18.99... (Below threshold)

28. Posted by RFA | July 9, 2007 9:10 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

RFA:

The total audience of 18.995 million includes viewers who watched at least six minutes of the telecasts
Posted by BarneyG2000 | July 9, 2007 8:52 PM

Six minutes is about all most of them could stand to watch or listen.

Okay. So you don't beli... (Below threshold)

29. Posted by marc | July 9, 2007 9:12 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

Only if barneyGRUBBLE is at the concert and he's the one in reciept the "spinal tap."

Posted on July 9, 2007 21:12

marc and ccg seem to be bli... (Below threshold)

30. Posted by BarneyG2000 | July 9, 2007 9:12 PM | Score: -10 (10 votes cast)

marc and ccg seem to be blind to the facts that:
A) more than one network broadcasted the concert so you have to add the ratings of all the networks together to get the correct numbers

B) I provided the links to the sites I pulled the data from.

C) they ignore that more than 9-million internet broadcasts were transmitted.

D) XFM, and others broadcasted the concerts.

Sorry grubble... the post i... (Below threshold)

31. Posted by marc | July 9, 2007 9:15 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

Sorry grubble... the post is specifically about TV ratings.

You want to count internet impressions be my guest. The entire effort was billed as a TV EVENT and it went BUST.

Posted on July 9, 2007 21:15

It's ok Barney, live the dr... (Below threshold)

32. Posted by yo | July 9, 2007 9:22 PM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)

It's ok Barney, live the dream, man. That's all that's important.

Live Earth was no Live 8 which was no Live Aid which was no Woodstock.

Trend it, baby. No one cares what a bunch of spoiled rock stars have to say about anything.

Really.

S'true.

heck, you could make those numbers be 50 million, and still 20 times as many people watched the Super Bowl.

What's that mean? Nothing, of course.

Just like Live Earth - which I swore wasn't until next weekend.

Posted on July 9, 2007 21:22

Okay, Barney, let's accept ... (Below threshold)

33. Posted by C-C-G | July 9, 2007 9:22 PM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)

Okay, Barney, let's accept for a moment your 18 million figure.

ESPN's coverage of this year's NFL draft had 36 million viewers tune in for at least part of the coverage, as this report clearly shows.

So, Live Earth couldn't generate more than half the viewers that something that's only available on cable and only appeals to a small section of the population, that being hardcore football fans got?

And you're bragging?

Oops, my error, that was fo... (Below threshold)

34. Posted by C-C-G | July 9, 2007 9:24 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

Oops, my error, that was for the 2006 NFL draft. The point still stands, tho.

Posted on July 9, 2007 21:24

I don't he's bragging any l... (Below threshold)

35. Posted by marc | July 9, 2007 9:30 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

I don't he's bragging any longer C-C-G, just trying to find the kids toy top so he can learn to spin faster.

Not a whole lot of life at Live Earth

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Comments (81)