CNN Coming out of the Closet?

[washunut]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-cnn-zucker-ailes-20140110,0,4911673.story#axzz2q3DZDqnV"One of the things I’d like to see in CNN programming is a little bit more passion," Zucker said.

Jeff Zucker who ran MSNBC for years has moved over to CNN. To date he seems to have positioned CNN in no man's land. No longer the network of straight journalism,
but outflanked by Zucker's previous network MSNBC. Seems that CNN will try and find a niche for liberals who feel that an Al Sharpton is just too much as ask someone to watch. Not sure that there is a market for biased talking heads that are not flame throwers, on either side of the political spectrum.

What is CNN's best move to become relevant again?
​

 

[Ray410]

We do not see Liberals give up their religion. Whether it be magazines, newspapers, talk radio or television, they see themselves as serving a higher calling as every single source of revenue or viewership fades away.

They always see bankruptcy as more noble than a change to reason. Newsweek, which sold for a single dollar, is a good example. Or Air America. So many more examples.

 

[Morton]

They shouldn't try to compete with Fox or MsNBC by trying to copy them. They were doing ok for awhile with straight news but CNN doesn't think they're biased even though they are - and viewers who prefer their news slanted left will just go to MsNBC.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-cnn-zucker-ailes-20140110,0,4911673.story#axzz2q3DZDqnV"One of the things I’d like to see in CNN programming is a little bit more passion," Zucker said.

Jeff Zucker who ran MSNBC for years has moved over to CNN. To date he seems to have positioned CNN in no man's land. No longer the network of straight journalism,
but outflanked by Zucker's previous network MSNBC. Seems that CNN will try and find a niche for liberals who feel that an Al Sharpton is just too much as ask someone to watch. Not sure that there is a market for biased talking heads that are not flame throwers, on either side of the political spectrum.

What is CNN's best move to become relevant again?
​

 

[washunut]

They shouldn't try to compete with Fox or MsNBC by trying to copy them. They were doing ok for awhile with straight news but CNN doesn't think they're biased even though they are - and viewers who prefer their news slanted left will just go to MsNBC.

They used to do well with straight news, but that does not seem to sell anymore. They are losing share. I wonder if they could try and be a combo of Fox and MSNBC. Have some shows to the left and some to the right. They seem to be trying this with Crossfire.

 

[Helix]

They should stick to hard news and live coverage. Their commentary shows should be neutral, and they need more Reliable Sources type shows to police the media.

They are still the most neutral of the three news / entertainment networks, but that doesn't mean much when your competitors are Fox and MSNBC. I've noticed them relying a lot more on commentary shows, and I hope that they don't try to get more extreme for ratings like the other idiots.

 

[washunut]

They should stick to hard news and live coverage. Their commentary shows should be neutral, and they need more Reliable Sources type shows to police the media.

They are still the most neutral of the three news / entertainment networks, but that doesn't mean much when your competitors are Fox and MSNBC. I've noticed them relying a lot more on commentary shows, and I hope that they don't try to get more extreme for ratings like the other idiots.

I would agree that they were the last visage of straight news. However i am afraid that the ship has sailed once they brought in the guy who ran NBC and destroyed their reputation with MSNBC.

 

[Helix]

I would agree that they were the last visage of straight news. However i am afraid that the ship has sailed once they brought in the guy who ran NBC and destroyed their reputation with MSNBC.

thanks; that explains a lot. i actually was unaware.

look at this gem from his wikipedia page :

Zucker said that his intent to refashion CNN's programming to feature "more shows and less newscasts." In an effort to attract viewers of cable channels like The Discovery Channel and A&E Zucker wants CNN to publish more documentary like programming that provides viewers with what he called a unique "attitude and a take.”[22]

yep, CNN is going to go down the toilet.

the upside is that when it does, i can finally cancel cable. i can get nightly news via a digital antenna, shows i like via netflix, and general news over the internet. i will miss losing the breaking coverage and the election night coverage, though. that's where CNN really shines.

 

[Perotista]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-cnn-zucker-ailes-20140110,0,4911673.story#axzz2q3DZDqnV"One of the things I’d like to see in CNN programming is a little bit more passion," Zucker said.

Jeff Zucker who ran MSNBC for years has moved over to CNN. To date he seems to have positioned CNN in no man's land. No longer the network of straight journalism,
but outflanked by Zucker's previous network MSNBC. Seems that CNN will try and find a niche for liberals who feel that an Al Sharpton is just too much as ask someone to watch. Not sure that there is a market for biased talking heads that are not flame throwers, on either side of the political spectrum.

What is CNN's best move to become relevant again?
​

I still watch CNN, them and FOX. I remember CNN when Ted Turner had and there wasn't a more leftist, liberal biased network anywhere. Then he came out with headline news and back then it was just that, the headlines and one could tune into it and get all the news of the day in a very short time. When FoxNews came into being and grabbed over half of CNN viewership. Fox gave conservatives a place to go for their news for the first time.

Then came MSNBC who cater to the far left taking more viewers from CNN leaving them in last place. I do think over the last couple to three years, CNN has moved quite a bit toward the middle and is probably the least biased of the three cable news networks. But headline news sucks with all their lawyer shows. They out to rename that channel the Lawyer network.

I think CNN is still relevant. Not as popular as MSNBC and FOX for sure. But it does give someone who is not highly partisan a place to go to get their news from a less biased place than the fore mention two. I think CNN will survive nicely, but probably will not challenge the other two for a very long time.

 

[washunut]

thanks; that explains a lot. i actually was unaware.

look at this gem from his wikipedia page :



yep, CNN is going to go down the toilet.

the upside is that when it does, i can finally cancel cable. i can get nightly news via a digital antenna, shows i like via netflix, and general news over the internet. i will miss losing the breaking coverage and the election night coverage, though. that's where CNN really shines.

What I an disheartened about is that we have lost all forms of straight line journalism. It seems to say that the consumers of news want to hear/ see it with whatever slant they favor.

What does that really say about the type of government people want. Seems to indicate that the extremes rules, with no room for compromise.

On another note, it seems more and more people are looking to "cut the Cord" with cable. I see that the supreme court has taken the case of the company that wants to transmit certain stations free.

 

[sawdust]

I still watch CNN, them and FOX. I remember CNN when Ted Turner had and there wasn't a more leftist, liberal biased network anywhere. Then he came out with headline news and back then it was just that, the headlines and one could tune into it and get all the news of the day in a very short time. When FoxNews came into being and grabbed over half of CNN viewership. Fox gave conservatives a place to go for their news for the first time.

Then came MSNBC who cater to the far left taking more viewers from CNN leaving them in last place. I do think over the last couple to three years, CNN has moved quite a bit toward the middle and is probably the least biased of the three cable news networks. But headline news sucks with all their lawyer shows. They out to rename that channel the Lawyer network.

I think CNN is still relevant. Not as popular as MSNBC and FOX for sure. But it does give someone who is not highly partisan a place to go to get their news from a less biased place than the fore mention two. I think CNN will survive nicely, but probably will not challenge the other two for a very long time.

I believe that CNN is more popular than MSNBC. Fox has more viewership than all the other news networks combined. If I were to revamp CNN I'd hire super models to read hard news, do opinion programing durning prime time. Get popular radio talkers to host opinion shows and be fair and balanced. Sorry, I guess that's the formula over at Fox. Works for them.

 

[Perotista]

What I an disheartened about is that we have lost all forms of straight line journalism. It seems to say that the consumers of news want to hear/ see it with whatever slant they favor.

What does that really say about the type of government people want. Seems to indicate that the extremes rules, with no room for compromise.

On another note, it seems more and more people are looking to "cut the Cord" with cable. I see that the supreme court has taken the case of the company that wants to transmit certain stations free.

Straight line journalism, was there ever such a thing? Perhaps outside of political news there was. But I think there always has been sort of a biased in political reporting ever since I can remember and I go back to Eisenhower. But it was very subtle and not in the least overt. There was also the equal time rule that was enforced when it came to candidates and political officials, that rule was repealed during Reagan.

The advent of cable and CNN probably brought about news with a political agenda or so it seemed to me. Ted Turner was way left in his political philosophy and he made sure his network was too. That left the door open for Fox to arise and they went the other way. No straight news to be had on cable. MSNBC didn't help the situation. So can there ever be a 24 news network that reports news with out bias one way or the other? I doubt it, they are in the business to make money and to provide their viewers with what they want to hear.

 

[SheWolf]

We do not see Liberals give up their religion. Whether it be magazines, newspapers, talk radio or television, they see themselves as serving a higher calling as every single source of revenue or viewership fades away.

They always see bankruptcy as more noble than a change to reason. Newsweek, which sold for a single dollar, is a good example. Or Air America. So many more examples.

I don't get it. :lol:

I don't watch network news at all though, maybe that's the real solution to the entire problem. Fox typically boasts they have the most viewers, but their viewers are also older, mostly white people. Their audience isn't young. I hope that that is the sign the younger generation isn't falling for network news BS.

I spend more time getting news from the web and listening to PodCast discussions. I also learn a lot about people and views through discussion forums like this. I don't need some partisan hack on TV telling me how to see the world, or feeding me some strawman crap about who conservatives and liberals are. :lol:

 

[washunut]

Straight line journalism, was there ever such a thing? Perhaps outside of political news there was. But I think there always has been sort of a biased in political reporting ever since I can remember and I go back to Eisenhower. But it was very subtle and not in the least overt. There was also the equal time rule that was enforced when it came to candidates and political officials, that rule was repealed during Reagan.

The advent of cable and CNN probably brought about news with a political agenda or so it seemed to me. Ted Turner was way left in his political philosophy and he made sure his network was too. That left the door open for Fox to arise and they went the other way. No straight news to be had on cable. MSNBC didn't help the situation. So can there ever be a 24 news network that reports news with out bias one way or the other? I doubt it, they are in the business to make money and to provide their viewers with what they want to hear.

Perhaps I am naive but I always thought for example that the NYT, though liberal told the truth and detailed the news. Their editorials were left, but that is fine there is a distinction between what the editorials can write versus the news section.

Were the writers mostly liberals, sure. But it seems they were not overt in showing their leaning when writing a news piece. Sadly the paper is no less a tabloid than the New York Post these days.

 

[Perotista]

I believe that CNN is more popular than MSNBC. Fox has more viewership than all the other news networks combined. If I were to revamp CNN I'd hire super models to read hard news, do opinion programing durning prime time. Get popular radio talkers to host opinion shows and be fair and balanced. Sorry, I guess that's the formula over at Fox. Works for them.

Here is last years ratings:

Fox remains top cable news channel in 2013

 

[ecofarm]

Next on CNN

Patriarch Commander: The Good PC

 

[Perotista]

Perhaps I am naive but I always thought for example that the NYT, though liberal told the truth and detailed the news. Their editorials were left, but that is fine there is a distinction between what the editorials can write versus the news section.

Were the writers mostly liberals, sure. But it seems they were not overt in showing their leaning when writing a news piece. Sadly the paper is no less a tabloid than the New York Post these days.

I think there is a big difference between newspapers and TV. I think when print was in its hay day you are right about the NYT, Chicago Tribune etc. I live south of Atlanta, it use to have two newspapers, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. They could report on the same political event and there was two different stories with each printing an angle as to which party or ideology they leaned towards. It was like it was two separate events. Now we are down to one as the Journal bought out the Constitution and all we have is the AJC.

The problem is Atlanta is a very liberal city and the AJC caters towards that liberal ideology. It is understandable since they sell most of their papers within the city. So even in print, they need to cater to those who buy their papers, not to do so would be a very bad business decision. Especially when print is under siege. Perhaps USA Today is a better buy. All their stories have to be short and sweet, little room for political ideology to creep in. But there is no local news, so what to do?

 

[beefheart]

I'll take CNN over MSNBC or FOX any day. Fox is just cartoonish, MSNBC is biased as hell.

 

[APACHERAT]

They should stick to hard news and live coverage. Their commentary shows should be neutral, and they need more Reliable Sources type shows to police the media.

They are still the most neutral of the three news / entertainment networks, but that doesn't mean much when your competitors are Fox and MSNBC. I've noticed them relying a lot more on commentary shows, and I hope that they don't try to get more extreme for ratings like the other idiots.

I wouldn't credit CNN being the most neutral of the three. CNN is almost as slanted as MSNBC.

When Obama was elected POTUS, CNN had to remind everyone every 10 minutes, 24/7 for more than three months that "Obama was the first African-American to be elected President." After November 6th, 2008 it was no longer breaking news, it became a disaster.

Then after Americans got tired being reminded that they may have made a mistake every few minutes CNN went on the diversity band wagon. Everything had to be about diversity. CNN went as fare as running advertising promoting diversity. They fired their competent reporters and replaced them with second rate reporters.

When CNN appeased the radical left open boarders, pro illegal alien activist and fired Lou Dobbs, it's been a tail spin for CNN ever since.

BTW: Lou Dobbs was the last CNN original going back to day one when Ted Turner ran CNN. He had a lot of followers. When Dobbs was sent packing in the name of political correctness, where did you think those Dobb's followers went ?

That's where CNN needs to go back to, it's roots during the Ted Turner era. Breaking international news. Get out of the American politics business. Even for breaking national news, Fox News Channel has CNN beat with all of the Fox affiliates around the country which CNN doesn't have.

 

[Smeagol]

They shouldn't try to compete with Fox or MsNBC by trying to copy them. They were doing ok for awhile with straight news but CNN doesn't think they're biased even though they are - and viewers who prefer their news slanted left will just go to MsNBC.

I think a big mistake CNN makes is to think of themselves a a competitor of FOX News Channel. A lot of people including those in TV news classify CNN, MSNBC and FNC in the same category of TV channels. When they do, FOX blows all of them away combined, but I don't see FOX News in a similar light. FOX caters to an entirely different type of audience than the others and generally has more credibility problems in terms of objectivity than the others. What makes FOX' audience different and explains their much higher ratings is their audience is made up of a significant number of people who honestly think America is on the verge of destruction, FOX News is the only place to receive accurate briefings on the truth and they stay glued to their tvs out of a sense of emergency urgency. Its comparable to a hurricane heading straight for your town and needing to stay glued to the TV for emergency information. The political events to many FNC viewers carry a similar emergency nature but instead of weather threatening a community, to them policies are threatening the very survival of America...no joke. People who watch CNN or even MSNBC dont have an apocalyptic mentality on the news of the day that drives them to stay glued to those channels.

 

[washunut]

I think there is a big difference between newspapers and TV. I think when print was in its hay day you are right about the NYT, Chicago Tribune etc. I live south of Atlanta, it use to have two newspapers, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. They could report on the same political event and there was two different stories with each printing an angle as to which party or ideology they leaned towards. It was like it was two separate events. Now we are down to one as the Journal bought out the Constitution and all we have is the AJC.

The problem is Atlanta is a very liberal city and the AJC caters towards that liberal ideology. It is understandable since they sell most of their papers within the city. So even in print, they need to cater to those who buy their papers, not to do so would be a very bad business decision. Especially when print is under siege. Perhaps USA Today is a better buy. All their stories have to be short and sweet, little room for political ideology to creep in. But there is no local news, so what to do?

I read the town weekly along with a weekly mag, the Economist. The mag has more of a European slant which I find different and interesting.

 

[Morton]

There's nothing wrong with getting your news from a viewpoint that you agree with. Most of the bias you see isn't the flamethrowers who are obvious demagogues, its the decisions on what they decide to cover. The current situation with Chrisie and Robert Gates and Obamacare is a perfect example. I personally want to hear about Obamacare and what Robert Gates has to say. I don't care about what some governor of NJ is doing even if he is a potential candidate for an election thats 2 years away. So, why should I have to sit through a bunch of news about Christie in the interest of getting my news unslanted?

What I an disheartened about is that we have lost all forms of straight line journalism. It seems to say that the consumers of news want to hear/ see it with whatever slant they favor.

What does that really say about the type of government people want. Seems to indicate that the extremes rules, with no room for compromise.

On another note, it seems more and more people are looking to "cut the Cord" with cable. I see that the supreme court has taken the case of the company that wants to transmit certain stations free.

 

[Morton]

I mostly agree except I would argue that MsNBC viewers have the same apocalyptic view when it comes to the right-wing. Or they just have very large hate boners for everything conservative.. Maybe both.

I think a big mistake CNN makes is to think of themselves a a competitor of FOX News Channel. A lot of people including those in TV news classify CNN, MSNBC and FNC in the same category of TV channels. When they do, FOX blows all of them away combined, but I don't see FOX News in a similar light. FOX caters to an entirely different type of audience than the others and generally has more credibility problems in terms of objectivity than the others. What makes FOX' audience different and explains their much higher ratings is their audience is made up of a significant number of people who honestly think America is on the verge of destruction, FOX News is the only place to receive accurate briefings on the truth and they stay glued to their tvs out of a sense of emergency urgency. Its comparable to a hurricane heading straight for your town and needing to stay glued to the TV for emergency information. The political events to many FNC viewers carry a similar emergency nature but instead of weather threatening a community, to them policies are threatening the very survival of America...no joke. People who watch CNN or even MSNBC dont have an apocalyptic mentality on the news of the day that drives them to stay glued to those channels.

 

[Helix]

I wouldn't credit CNN being the most neutral of the three. CNN is almost as slanted as MSNBC.

When Obama was elected POTUS, CNN had to remind everyone every 10 minutes, 24/7 for more than three months that "Obama was the first African-American to be elected President." After November 6th, 2008 it was no longer breaking news, it became a disaster.

Then after Americans got tired being reminded that they may have made a mistake every few minutes CNN went on the diversity band wagon. Everything had to be about diversity. CNN went as fare as running advertising promoting diversity. They fired their competent reporters and replaced them with second rate reporters.

When CNN appeased the radical left open boarders, pro illegal alien activist and fired Lou Dobbs, it's been a tail spin for CNN ever since.

BTW: Lou Dobbs was the last CNN original going back to day one when Ted Turner ran CNN. He had a lot of followers. When Dobbs was sent packing in the name of political correctness, where did you think those Dobb's followers went ?

That's where CNN needs to go back to, it's roots during the Ted Turner era. Breaking international news. Get out of the American politics business. Even for breaking national news, Fox News Channel has CNN beat with all of the Fox affiliates around the country which CNN doesn't have.

i watched fox for years; it isn't news. it is confirmation bias for Republicans and conservatives. they cherry pick stories that reinforce right wing views. they are a superior MSNBC for the right. MSNBC sucks even as liberal entertainment.

CNN is being sucked into the whole joke news thing, and it makes me sad. they are still the best to watch for live coverage, but the opinion thing is taking up more and more of the broadcast. it's like watching the history channel or A&E go down the tubes, only this is even worse.

the saddest part of all is that fox exists because enough people don't want their preexisting bias challenged. MSNBC exists for exactly the same reason. even the nightly newscasts are being pulled in that direction. as Americans, we've lost some of our intellectual curiosity. it has become more "go team," and both of the teams really suck.

i'm not lambasting you for watching fox. just realize and understand what you're watching. they aren't some bastion of fairness against an evil mainstream media. they are selling confirmation bias, and sales are good. get your information from a wide variety of sources.

as for the rest of the post, i watched Dobbs until he went Glenn Beck. i also listened to Glenn Beck's radio program until he Glenn Becked himself into utter nutbaggery i completely agree that CNN should get back to its roots. unfortunately not enough people want that. they want opinion shows and selective news excoriating "those evil conservatives / liberals."

 

[Kobie]

yep, CNN is going to go down the toilet.

CNN's been heading down the toilet for a long time. Even their breaking news coverage (see the Boston Marathon bombings and ensuing manhunt, for example) has really gone downhill.

 

[Helix]

CNN's been heading down the toilet for a long time. Even their breaking news coverage (see the Boston Marathon bombings and ensuing manhunt, for example) has really gone downhill.

Can't really disagree there.