Rose Parade review

[Robert Urbanek]

For the first time in several years, I watched the Rose Parade on TV. I remember when it was a longer parade, preceded by several minutes of pre-parade coverage showing how floats were made and other background information.

But now the coverage on ABC was preceded by a 15-minute music show because, in the eyes of our media masters, floats and bands aren’t enough to entertain us. The Budweiser Clydesdale horses came near the start of the parade but where were the rest of the equestrian units?

I remember when the parade grand marshal was a famous person like John Glenn or Shirley Temple Black. This year it was Audra McDonald, renowned on Broadway but hardly a household name in the rest of the country. If she had been available, I would have picked Alanis Morissette for the music themed parade. After all, she had a parade in one of her music videos.



Speaking of music, I’ve always wondered, who pays the royalties for the pop music played by marching bands or broadcast from floats? The high schools, colleges, and float sponsors? Or ABC, who profits from the march? Or do the music rights owners turn a blind eye to this use of their material?

 

[candycorn]

For the first time in several years, I watched the Rose Parade on TV. I remember when it was a longer parade, preceded by several minutes of pre-parade coverage showing how floats were made and other background information.

But now the coverage on ABC was preceded by a 15-minute music show because, in the eyes of our media masters, floats and bands aren’t enough to entertain us. The Budweiser Clydesdale horses came near the start of the parade but where were the rest of the equestrian units?

I remember when the parade grand marshal was a famous person like John Glenn or Shirley Temple Black. This year it was Audra McDonald, renowned on Broadway but hardly a household name in the rest of the country. If she had been available, I would have picked Alanis Morisette for the music themed parade. After all, she had a parade in one of her music videos.



Speaking of music, I’ve always wondered, who pays the royalties for the pop music played by marching bands or broadcast from floats? The high schools, colleges, and float sponsors? Or ABC, who profits from the march? Or do the music rights owners turn a blind eye to this use of their material?

Haven’t watched it in years but the Rose Bowl Parade was appointment television when I was younger. Sorry to hear it has been cheapened. The Macy’s parade was once fantastic appointment television. It became a made-for-TV production where the parade stopped for something to be televised. Apparently the Rose Bowl Parade went the same way.

 

[JustAGuy1]

I was born and raised in Ca, only saw the Parade in person once. We had to go the night before and stake out our spots, we had to stay all night. What a show. You name it and we saw it. Complete insanity.

 

[22lcidw]

Haven’t watched it in years but the Rose Bowl Parade was appointment television when I was younger. Sorry to hear it has been cheapened. The Macy’s parade was once fantastic appointment television. It became a made-for-TV production where the parade stopped for something to be televised. Apparently the Rose Bowl Parade went the same way.

On the networks for Thanksgiving Macy's was on and another network had 4 parades on for years. They would cut into each parade after so many minutes. The Rose Parade was always "the pageantry" in the commercials. In Philly on New Years, we have the Mummers Parade. it was a long long parade when started and still is long now.