CNN: The Continuing Soap Opera

[EVVTV12 141]

To be fair, we have only been asking for CNN to cut back on “Breaking News” since this 

[TheRolyPoly 2360]

On 6/2/2022 at 12:32 PM, Action Newsroom said:

New President Chris Licht says he wants cut down on using the "Breaking News" chyron. Personally, I support this completely. 

The resurrection of CNN has officially begun.

[bmasters1 400]

On 5/18/2022 at 9:29 PM, nycnewsjunkie said:

However, straight news and in-depth reporting don’t make for high viewership on a rolling news channel, and documentaries are more expensive to produce than shows where pundits rant into a camera. There’s a harsh reason why every cable news channel (including the zombie that is NewsNation) ends up as some variation of Fox News instead of France 24: many Americans (regardless of party/belief) would rather be coddled to instead of seeing politicians questioned rigorously.

 

I came up with a new word to describe partisan political pundits of any stripe ranting into a camera-- "preachitics." Why did I come up with that word? Two reasons:

 

a. Those who are employed in it preach loud and long and incessantly about whatever political grievance(s) they might have (whether it's masking in COVID, the need for more and more and more guns, the "media" being far too liberal, etc.);

 

b. Those who enjoy such rantings and listen to them for most of the day oftentimes yell "preach it!" at the television, because they love hearing their favorite ranters going on and on and on.

[Geoffrey 856]

Glad to see that CNN will be reducing the use of the "Breaking News" banner.

 

Next I'd like to see them stop leaving the "Live" bug up permanently during live broadcasts. I believe this started in early 2013 shortly after Jeff Zucker took over. Before this, it used to come down when showing taped video, even if the anchor was speaking over it live. MSNBC and Fox News soon followed suit. 

Edited June 4, 2022 by 24994J

[MediaZone4K 2158]

23 hours ago, Newsjunkie24 said:

I only agree with breaking news if it's truly recent, not something from hours or a day ago.

 

Not trying to go too off-topic but on NBC Nightly News, every story until the first commercial break is breaking news. It's a decent newscast overall, but come on! 

Agreed! "Happening Now" works just fine if newscasts need some false urgency.

 

While we're at it, can we stop overusing "breaking overnight", speaking in half sentences, overdramatizing "severe" weather that happens all the time and using the present tense for everything. Don't get me wrong, news always needs a little spice of drama but these days we've just gone over the moon.

Edited June 4, 2022 by iron_lion

[bmasters1 400]

23 hours ago, iron_lion said:

overdramatizing "severe" weather that happens all the time

 

That's true-- even when there is a rain shower that has no other implications (like thunder or lightning), some stations seem to act like it's the possible end of the world.

[Georgie56 3292]

Another Axios scoop.

 

 

[Newsjunkie24 506]

3 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

Another Axios scoop.

 

 

 

I like Jim Acosta but I think it's time for CNN to go back to the more straight news approach it had pre-Zucker. If Acosta does get fired, MSNBC might pick him up for a show.

[nathannah 2401]

On 6/4/2022 at 2:07 PM, iron_lion said:

While we're at it, can we stop overusing "breaking overnight", speaking in half sentences, overdramatizing "severe" weather that happens all the time and using the present tense for everything. Don't get me wrong, news always needs a little spice of drama but these days we've just gone over the moon.

I saw this last night on a 10pm show, where a few other important stories which were developing were 'but first, breaking news!'ed for a minor car accident during a police chase...that happened at 5pm and was long cleaned up . If you as the viewer knows the other stories rundown deserved prominence, the news organization has failed to do its job.

 

1 hour ago, Newsjunkie24 said:

I like Jim Acosta but I think it's time for CNN to go back to the more straight news approach it had pre-Zucker.

And highlight pieces from other reporters. I cannot stand only having a few on-camera reporters these days; it makes your organization look too insular and limiting.

[mre29 1513]

2 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

I saw this last night on a 10pm show, where a few other important stories which were developing were 'but first, breaking news!'ed for a minor car accident during a police chase...that happened at 5pm and was long cleaned up . If you as the viewer knows the other stories rundown deserved prominence, the news organization has failed to do its job.

 

I believe there's a saying for this:  "If it bleeds, it leads."

 

The fact that it bled five hours ago is apparently immaterial.

 

[nathannah 2401]

1 hour ago, mre29 said:

 

I believe there's a saying for this:  "If it bleeds, it leads."

 

The fact that it bled five hours ago is apparently immaterial.

 

It was totally that decision because police injuries to that station are what they seem to relish covering deeply the most.

[Sendir 194]

Yeah. That is all our faults right there with the “bleed it leads”

[MediaZone4K 2158]

On 6/7/2022 at 9:29 AM, Georgie56 said:

Another Axios scoop.

 

 

Is this a dreamNever thought I'd see the day anytime soon!

[mre29 1513]

So, while CNN proper was focused on its "The Fourth in America" special tonight, their live coverage of the Highland Park, IL, mass shooting was instead airing, for at least a little while, on HLN. That was a pleasant surprise.

 

Rather conveniently, the coverage preempted an episode of Very Scary People.

 

[nycnewsjunkie 1439]

Jeffrey Toobin is out.

[EVVTV12 141]

NPR: Brian Stelter to depart CNN as it cancels 'Reliable Sources' media show

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/18/1118197553/brian-stelter-cnn-canceled-show

[TheRob 937]

 

[CLETVFan 367]

Chris Licht is obviously cleaning house.  It is not a surprise that Brian wasn't going to last under new management.

 

Here's more on the departure and cancellation: https://www.thewrap.com/cnn-brian-stelter-jim-acosta-don-lemon/

[Newsjunkie24 506]

2 hours ago, CLETVFan said:

Chris Licht is obviously cleaning house.  It is not a surprise that Brian wasn't going to last under new management.

 

Here's more on the departure and cancellation: https://www.thewrap.com/cnn-brian-stelter-jim-acosta-don-lemon/

 

Paywalled. Have a summary?

[nathannah 2401]

From NPR

 

Seems like the worse idea is firing someone who's criticizing the moves your company makes, Zazlav, but that might just be me. You never saw Ted Turner, Steve Case and the other Warner execs mad about Howard Kurtz and Brian doling out criticism about their business before now.

Edited August 19, 2022 by mrschimpf

[nycnewsjunkie 1439]

1 hour ago, mrschimpf said:

From NPR

 

Seems like the worse idea is firing someone who's criticizing the moves your company makes, Zazlav, but that might just be me. You never saw Ted Turner, Steve Case and the other Warner execs mad about Howard Kurtz and Brian doling out criticism about their business before now.

You must’ve watched a different Brian Stelter than I’ve watched. For nearly its entire run under Stelter and Jeff Zucker, Reliable Sources was a PR machine for CNN disguised as a media analysis program. While they rightfully pointed out instances in which Fox News lacked journalistic ethics, I can’t remember the last time they seriously scrutinized their own network for blatant bias and lapses in judgement.

 

Not to mention, in June the show only averaged 79k in the 25-54 demo. People should’ve seen this move coming from miles away.

 

You mention Ted Turner, but even he mentioned that today’s CNN needed to tone down the opinion. Letting Stelter walk is a start.

Edited August 19, 2022 by nycnewsjunkie
Incomplete

[nathannah 2401]

43 minutes ago, nycnewsjunkie said:

While they rightfully pointed out instances in which Fox News lacked journalistic ethics, I can’t remember the last time they seriously scrutinized their own network for blatant bias and lapses in judgement.

I can at least say they were open to criticize issues involving their management. Yes, these media shows definitely don't like to bite the hand that feeds them, but they did bring their bosses to account, and I will admit I've never been a fan of Brian Stelter (I can't stand self-promotion), but it's still downright uneasy to fire a media critic.

 

Also, any kind of Sunday morning show now merely appeals to a circular audience of both Washington insiders and those looking to find (very rare) gotcha journalism. The ratings and their influence are declining as to a normal person, it just seems like a thing designed to fill with soundbites for two minutes on Sunday newscasts with something besides coverage of North Platte Alfalfa Days. When Tim Russert and David Brinkley died, their aggressive questions and call to power seemed to do the same thing.

[nycnewsjunkie 1439]

12 minutes ago, mrschimpf said:

I can at least say they were open to criticize issues involving their management. Yes, these media shows definitely don't like to bite the hand that feeds them, but they did bring their bosses to account, and I will admit I've never been a fan of Brian Stelter (I can't stand self-promotion), but it's still downright uneasy to fire a media critic.

 

Also, any kind of Sunday morning show now merely appeals to a circular audience of both Washington insiders and those looking to find (very rare) gotcha journalism. The ratings and their influence are declining as to a normal person, it just seems like a thing designed to fill with soundbites for two minutes on Sunday newscasts with something besides coverage of North Platte Alfalfa Days. When Tim Russert and David Brinkley died, their aggressive questions and call to power seemed to do the same thing.

I see your point and I understand what you mean now. I don’t know how many similar media critics there are out there, but perhaps it would’ve been better to re-tool Reliable Sources with a new face instead of junking the show entirely. In some ways, I suppose having zero independent media critics on staff at all carries its own set of negative and even dangerous implications, and a “just the headlines” strategy doesn’t have to include dumping media critics entirely.

[doublejman69 124]

I liked Stelter when has was at The NY Times and tvnewser, his look into the network morning shows is very good, it was kind of disappointing when he went to CNN, for the most part he stop doing that kind of reporting, he was a weak host for the kind of show he was doing. When the new management came in it seem like Brian knew that his days were number so he was open to criticize CNN. When Zucker ran the place I don’t remember him being critical of cnn except when Jeff would hire Trumpers (most of the newsroom was upset with that not just Brian). It felt like the show was about defending non Fox News/rw media from criticism.

Edited August 19, 2022 by doublejman69

[Action Newsroom 1263]

Ryan Kadro, former EP of CBS This Morning (and the successor of now-Chairman and CEO Chris Licht), is joining CNN as SVP of Content Strategy and Development. One of his first roles is overseeing a new or revamped morning show, according to a source. 

 

https://deadline.com/2022/08/ryan-kadro-cnn-content-strategy-1235095805/

Edited August 19, 2022 by Action Newsroom