Sober CNN
Michael C. Moynihan | December 19, 2007, 11:39am
In an
interview with the
New York Observer, CNN President Jonathan Klein scoffs at MSNBC's cheesy true crime "doc block" and Fox News' naked partisanship, saying that CNN is the only one left doing
real news; the only channel not catering to the drooling couch potato:
"When [MSNBC broadcasts 'true crime' documentaries], they're really competing with Court TV," Mr. Klein later told NYTV in an interview in his office overlooking Columbus Circle. "They're saying, in effect, we give up trying to cover the news in any meaningful way. It enhances our brand. We're the last man standing in terms of covering the news. We love that."
[...]
He told the staffers that they should not worry about attracting "couch potatoes" who turn on the TV and stick with whatever happens to be on, and "thrill-seekers," who tune in looking for the ultimate car chase or building demolition. Instead, he encouraged the newsroom to do a better job of attracting "inquiring minds" (viewers looking to ruminate in depth on current events) and "social connectors" (people looking for stories to yap about with their buddies).
So what stories are on desk for the inquisitive, "inquiring" visitor to CNN.com? Will the weepy Anderson Cooper Vanderbilt "keep them honest?" Is he ripping the lid off of it?
Paul | December 19, 2007, 6:43pm | #
So in other words, when you make the statement that PBS has treated this administration differently from the last, you are doing so without any evidence beyond your feelings.
Joe, whether you agree with my "feelings" or not, are you telling me that PBS
isn't treating Bush II differently than Clinton? Keerist, I would hope, for the sake of PBS that they are...
But, if you must have a timeline of my PBS/NPR viewing/listening habits, they are as such:
80's/Reagain/Bush I: PBS, lots of viewing, NPR, not so much.
90's Clinton: PBS, not so much, NPR tons.
2000's Bush II, PBS (almost none), NPR (almost exclusively)
Much of this can be attributed to my tv viewing habits. My tv viewing has decreased linearly since the 80's. The arc is apparent.
If you really want an honest opinion after listening to public news outlets for the better part of 25 years, here it is:
80's: Gross liberal bias.
90's: Liberal bias, but moving toward better balance due to sharp criticism by conservatives, plus threats of losing funding. Those "walls" were under assault.
2000's: On balance, quite fair. Considering Bush II, they've remained remarkably composed.* Main commentators are notably liberal, however production and news slant reasonably fair. Still, deference to conservative views still seem forced, but I'm not a "conservative", so it doesn't really matter.
Let's put it this way, strangely, given our neo-con environment, I haven't heard anything slipping from the mouthes of the NPR regulars that's caused me to nearly drive off the road. Maybe that says something equally about me.
*I remember several NPR broadcasts where the "objective" commentators lost complete composure and slipped into single-sentence liberal editorials about this crazy, never-before-seen new republican congress in the middle of a non-partisan piece.
