TV News Coverage of WTBTS

laverite

Here is an interesting video with very positive coverage on the WTBTS and the planned move upstate:

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/video?id=8609209&syndicate=syndicate§ion

puffthedragon

They are glad to see Watchtower leave town huh. Thousands of people living there taking up space doing very little to aid the local economy and not paying their share in taxes. Good Riddance!

Well, I agree puff with good riddance. One of the interesting things about this video to me was the positive spin -- that they've outgrown Brooklyn. I think the > 1 BILLION dollars they wil earn from the sales = more of a reason for this move along with their leaner and meaner WTS.

puffthedragon

True. Its all about the money, gotta make up for donations not covering the expenses.

CuriousButterfly

This move will be a money maker for the city's taxes when they leave. It is frustrating when the WTS is always "reminding" the publishers to contribute when I am sure they are sitting piles of money. If they have nothing to hide then their bookkeeping needs to be transparant for all to view.

blondie

I'm sure that just as at assemblies/conventions a male jw (elder at minimum) is in charge of the development and distribution of news releases and initiates the contact with the media who pick out parts of the release to use in their article if they choose to run it. I have known 2 elders who handled that at the conventions in the large city I lived in. I doubt that the reporter does much research or confirmation except the minimum.

steve2

Journalists love this kind of story. It doen't cause that big a splash but then, from an advertising revenue viewpoint, tere ain't no losers. Keep the big organization on your side with its members who will loyally tune in (and be exposed to the commercials) and cater also for those Brooklynites who have been waiting for this departure for decades.

Journalists simply cut and past the Watchtower's official press releases.

And not one disenchanted member in site. Sometimes, you just gotta let the other side have their day in the sunshine without casting clouds.

laverite

CuriousButterly: The money they are sitting on is huge. Over a billion bucks in unsold Manhatten prime real estate. Despite the incredible real estate difficulties in the US the past few years, there are areas that haven't had that impact. The Brooklyn Heights properties will go for top dollar. With all of their other streamlining and downsizing, they are getting leaner and meaner. The WTS is incredibly smart financially. They will continue to squeeze every last penny out of publishers that they can. They are thinking long term survival because the powers that be KNOW that they have to -- Armageddon is NOT just around the corner. The know the real truth about their false prophecies. No question.

laverite

Blondie and Steve2: Excellent points about the media. I've been involved with some (non JW) press releases and what you have said rings very, very true. I'm guessing that the overwhelming majority of what was "reported" was simply rehashed news release/interview material...including the very positive spin. But yeah, it's to be expected. The JWs would be foolish NOT to play the media game. The WTS certainly knows what it is doing when it comes to press releases like this.

factfinder

I find it interesting that selling off 34 properties with more than 3.4 million sq ft and moving to a 1.5 million sq ft facility in Warwick instead is called "outgrowing their facilities" rather than "downsizing".

And if this reporter had done her research she would know that the magazines are printed in Canada, the monthly circulation is over 83 million and that Bibles and books are printed at Wallkill.

TV News Coverage of WTBTS

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