Our thoughts and prayers go out to NRATV and Ackerman McQueen.
In case you missed it, the failing NY Times reported yesterday that the NRA officially wrapped a blindfold over NRATV's eyes and placed it in front of the firing squad.
Here are the details:
The National Rifle Association has shut down production at NRATV.
The N.R.A. on Tuesday also severed all business with its estranged advertising firm, Ackerman McQueen, which operates NRATV, the N.R.A.’s live broadcasting media arm, according to interviews and documents reviewed by The New York Times.
While NRATV may continue to air past content, its live broadcasting will end and its on-air personalities — Ackerman employees including Dana Loesch — will no longer be the public faces of the N.R.A. It remained unclear whether the N.R.A. might try to hire some of those employees, but there was no indication it was negotiating to do so.
Based on all the lawsuits, coup attempts, questionable billing practices, and public back-and-forth squabbling between the NRA and Ackerman McQueen, this news was expected. In fact, it appears Ackerman has been preparing for it!
Over the past week, Ogle Moles have reached out to us with reports that Ackerman has already begun laying off staff. They claimed upwards of 20% of the staff has been let go (something I haven't been able to verify), with more possible layoffs to come. We've also heard rumors that some checks to local vendors have bounced!
But wait, there's more!
In addition to that, we're hearing the Chickasaw Nation – one of Ackerman's largest clients – has requested a "thorough" audit of their account. Initially, this wasn't a big concern to the agency, due to the power of the Oklahoma good ol’ boy network — and the close relationship between Chickasaw Chief Bill Anoatubby and AM Chairman Ed Martin — but according to one Mole:
It is a much deeper and more serious audit than AM assume. There are people within the Chickasaw Nation who hate AM and would love to get rid of them.
I've heard this, too. I met with some Chickasaw Moles awhile back, and they spent a good chunk of the time complaining about having to work with Ackerman on creative projects.
To make matters worse for Ackerman, their "Co-CEO" Angus McQueen is dealing with some serious health issues, which means his son, CEO Revan McQueen — a 30-something trust fund kid who only got the job because his last name is McQueen — will have to lead the rebuild. Good luck with that!
Anyway, with the loss of the NRA account and the detrimental negative PR that's come along with it, it looks like Ackerman's reign as the agency of record for the Oklahoma ruling class is about to be pried from their cold dead hands. Once again, please keep them – and especially their employees who may be looking for new jobs soon – in your thoughts and prayers.
