Page 57 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2014 Edition

'Blackfish' Incites New Levels of Outrage After Premiering on CNN By David Kirby In the beginning, there was Sundance. Then came other festivals, the waves of positive reviews, SeaWorld’s pushback, and a $2 million–plus gross during the theatrical release of the anti-captivity documentary Blackfish. Then came CNN. CNN Films raised eyebrows in January 2013 when it picked up director Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s film at Sundance, in a well- crafted deal with Magnolia Pictures, which handled U.S. theatrical distribution over the summer, leaving the October 24 television premiere in CNN’s hands. Many saw the move as part of an unfolding battle between two corporate titans: Time Warner Inc., which owns CNN, was clearly unafraid to take on the Blackstone Group, the private-equity powerhouse that bought SeaWorld in 2010. CNN has now aired Blackfish about a dozen times and will air it again in early 2014. among the youngest viewers ages 18–34, CNN Listen To Past Broadcasts Before the film aired, expectations were wiped out the competition, with 471,000 people high about audience numbers and overall public in this group tuning in, more than eight times Of reaction. But nobody forecast the wave of the combined number for Fox (31,000) and The ‘X’ Zone Radio/TV Show viewers who actually tuned in, especially young MSNBC (25,000). with Rob McConnell people, and the storm of fury against orca The premiere was the No. 1 program in captivity that was unleashed among them. cable news the night of October 24 (9–11 p.m.), at Viewership and social media figures averaging 472,000 viewers in the “key-demo www.xzonepodcast.com breached all predictions, which were based on adults 25–54” rating. By comparison, Fox News the apparently false belief that people outside Channel averaged 331,000 during the same cetacean activist circles wouldn't watch period, and MSNBC just 235,000, according to NEW FROM REL-MAR Blackfish in such massive numbers. a CNN press release. In the week leading up to the event, the Online and mobile activity was also network ran a weighty series of stories on the robust. “Blackfish ranked #1 in page views killer whale controversy and immediately among all CNN films this year,” according to followed the premiere with a special edition of the press release. AC360. The show featured Cowperthwaite and The film “resonated across CNN social Dr. Naomi Rose of the Animal Welfare Institute, media platforms, with most expressing anger at both on the anti-captivity side, and Jack Hanna SeaWorld for its part in profiting on the cruelty and Bill Hurley of the Georgia Aquarium on the against orcas,” Ariel Allen, a programming and other. news specialist for the network, wrote in an During the entire evening, the network internal memo that CNN shared with TakePart. ran a red-hot “Live Blog” featuring tweets from “AC360 panel guest, Jack Hanna, was heavily the filmmakers, cast members, scientists, criticized for his comments supporting celebrities, CNN correspondents, and other SeaWorld. Most remarked that they no longer journalists, along with comments and posts respected the well-known zookeeper, and noted Composed, Performed, Directed from viewers around the world. that his motivations were centered on monetary and Engineered by The numbers were lofty for both the gain.” Hanna did not respond to an email ROB McCONNELL premiere and the live blogging, and they seeking comment. suggest a worrisome trend developing for Viewer feedback on CNN comment 1. Blue Canadian Sky SeaWorld: Blackfish was highly popular among boards ran the gamut—from one expressing 2. Laura’s Theme millennials, or young people 18–34, many of outrage at SeaWorld to one suggesting 3. Mayan Prophecy whom are or soon will be making family- alternative orca-viewing experiences. 4. Rented Silence vacation decisions themselves. “I just went to SeaWorld and I will never “The CNN release accompanied by the go again,” wrote one enraged viewer. “The 5. Rise Above Hate and Anger Twitter storm allowed us to experience higher ups at SeaWorld disgust me, blaming the 6. Robbie Shuffle everyone's gut responses,” says Cowperthwaite. trainers in these incidents.” 7. Genesis Grid “I saw firsthand how the film resonated with “It is CHEAPER to take your kids on a 8. UFO Concerto people, especially younger people. I never whale watching cruise...to say nothing of the imagined we'd get such a young demo.” moral question of torturing these highly evolved ISBN: 978-0-9917799-5-6 She says that millennials are “hungry mammals!” wrote another. (c) 2013 and passionate” in a way she hadn't expected. Cowperthwaite says she was “stunned” REL-MAR McConnell Media Company “It's so clear to me that they're going to be the and “humbled” by the entire enterprise. “CNN ones to change things,” she says. “I think of openly encouraged debate from both sides,” she NOW AVAILABLE AT them as the ‘I can't believe we used to do that’ says. “They were committed to tackling this generation.” controversial issue. I think they've set a WWW.AMAZON.COM According to Nielsen Fast National data, precedent.”