**Election Leaves CNN with Fillers

With the election now finished, will CNN's steady rise in viewership stagger too? Market Watch analysts say yes.

CNN had made the tactical decision of being the top network giving wall-to-wall coverage on the 2008 Presidential Election. Their move proved lucrative and successful as Time Warner's stocks increased and on election night, CNN raked in 12.3 million viewers as opposed to FOX News' cool 9 million (even though FOX has been the leading station in cable news since 2002).

But with the election now over, news analysts are skeptic if CNN can bounce back and maintain their growing viewership. In a frenzy to keep up ratings, CNN is trying other superficial outlets such as entertainment reporting to keep a desperate grasp on a fleeting audience. "CNN has become infamous in TV circles for the many changes to its broadcasting strategy over the years" says Marketwatch analysts.

"CNN seemed more fixated on using gimmicks as a way to thwart Fox"

New Yorker media critic Ken Auletta pointed out: "Cable news networks rarely reach a mass audience, and therefore they seek to find a niche. Each will deny this, but they're spinning like the politicians they cover. Fox's niche is to tilt conservative, and MSNBC's is to tilt liberal. CNN seeks the broader ground between them by claiming to be the true 'fair and balanced' network. Yet they have a populist strain -- think Lou Dobbs -- that contradicts this claim."

Jeffrey Bewkes needs to implement and oversee that CNN sticks to respective news reporting. It's the main angle people know CNN to be and it's the ethical path to take. Sure, it may not compete with FOX's hard-core liberalism or may not generate the most lucrative stock market incentives but it is reliable and trustworthy. I hope CNN realizes that they have a BRAND in the eyes of viewers- the brand as being a fair and politically respectable cable news network, despite the years of wishy-washy broadcasting styles. Many people, including myself, still have trust in the network where it's not too late for CNN to go back to the basics. If they just stay true to unbiased journalism and consistently commit to that image, I'm sure they will slowly gain back many followers that will stay loyal (unlike the fickle entertainment-drive youth).

**No Laughing Matter

CNN's "Magic Wall" is stuff of technological advancement. It is an interactive, live-touch, iPhone-like screen that helps CNN anchors illustrate primary and election results for this year's epic Presidential Election. Formally termed as a Multi-Touch Collaboration Wall, this large 7 and a half foot monitor was developed by Jeff Han and marketed by Perceptive Pixel. The software allows the user to access, manipulate and project data related to current poll results, and election results of the past and present. CNN means serious business with this technology... Only, why are they so keen about making fun of it?

And suddenly CNN has a sense of humor! They are willing to have one of their respected staff run around their offices, interrupting news anchors and disrupting current events, to spoof and highlight their own technology. That's not low at all... It's funny and entertaining...

Too bad I'm not laughing. I feel like CNN is trying WAY too hard to change their image. They are trying to morph their credibility to meet the appeals of a younger crowd. They add entertainment segments like "ShowBiz" and comedy spin-offs like "DL Hughley's Breaking the News" and now, they spoof their own reporters and news office. It just doesn't settle with me. I feel almost uncomfortable watching CNN when they pull stunts like this. It's not what I expect from them when I want to watch REAL news.

CNN's Ground Breaking News

More time-fluff than news, CNN is generating some interesting side stories to report to their viewers.

Hotlinks, a blog on CNN's website, even lists a few sarcastic news segments that CNN has produced in an effort to make fun of themselves. But now I am just confused. Why would a respectable network need to stoop to blogging about their own idiocity? Hotlinks is blog that attempts to reach a growing target audience: the young adult, office working, sarcastic city dwellers that love watching satirical humor such as "The Office" "The Daily Show" and "Family Guy." They want to be "in" with that niche, so they start bashing themselves. It's kind of ironic.

Anyways, they post local, frivolous, "entertainment" news such as the "Chihuahua's Ears Makes Weird Noises"

Or they produced little segments on Cooper Anderson's 360 shot, the man with the "Tallest MoHawk"

More ground breaking footage, just like the above listed can be found in CNN's website with headings like "Man punches Shark" or "Team Jolie VS. Team Aniston."

The "Cool" White House

Obama's presidency heralds a plethora of firsts. He is the first African-American President the U.S. has ever elected. Obama's campaign team was first to realize the change in voter consumerism and has, therefore, influenced a change in campaigning strategy for the future. As President, Obama has first to alleviate the economic struggles that grip the country... And yet, CNN reports and comments on how Obama is the first "cool" President in the White House.

They comment on his fashion, his musical taste in rap, his shades and his basketball skills... But is that really important to even focus on at this point? CNN should stop advertising Obama's "youthful" marketable appeal and focus on covering Obama's first mandates as President. We all know that Barack Obama has more popularity points than McCain or Bush, but we don't need a couple of CNN commentating heads who claim to be 'fashion stylists' to talk about Obama's newest fashion trend or faux-pas.

**Comedy Central on CNN?

I love comedy shows just as much as anyone does. I mean, who doesn’t? But one might question its relevance on CNN- a network that supposedly prides itself on being a dependable source of hard news, and hard news only. In the recent years, CNN has been experiencing an odd transitional phase in which they are incorporating entertainment aspects onto their network. One might ask, “Why?” CNN wants to assimilate with other networks and follow the growing trend of covering infotainment.

CNN's new sketch show, "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News," doesn’t quite work. It’s meant to fuse comedy and news, however, it is poorly executed.



According to critic, Candace Montgomery, it will “probably not be on the popular news network for another season… because the comedy show is dull.”

Ironically, the network’s attempt to gain more viewers may have the reverse effect in the end. Montgomery shares, “If CNN executives think hiring Hughley, a comedian whose jokes are more often not funny to many blacks, is going to be accepted by the faithful CNN junkies who patronize the notable network for their unbiased straight talk and hearty news shows, they thought wrong.”

CNN must re-strategize its methods for viewership and ratings, especially if they want their original viewers to remain loyal. What they assume will reel the viewers in, might instead drive them away.

Popularity Contest

Forget the children starving in Africa or child prostitution in third world countries. Apparently, that is not what today’s viewers search for when updating themselves with the “Most popular” news on CNN’s website videos. There are much more important matters on their minds. For instance, “Who’s Miley Cyrus’ new man?” I don’t know what’s more sad; the fact that today’s audience would much rather watch that than something of actual relevance or that fact that CNN actually thought the 15 year old pop star’s love life was worthy of space on their website. I can understand this on channels like KTLA 5 or FOX 11 that have been more on the soft news side for years, but to see this come from a well-respected network like CNN, is shocking.



Competition is fierce between news networks and as a result, the pressure heavily influences which stories the networks choose to feature. Nowadays, the line between entertainment news and hard news is blurring. However, CNN has been a reliable source of hard news for years. So why change now? The people at CNN must ask themselves, “Are we willing to risk ridicule and lose loyal viewers in exchange for incorporating mindless fluff onto our website and network?”

**Jeffrey Bewkes Boosts CNN Advertising

As if adding an entertainment segment wasn't enough to boost consumer viewers, CNN's CEO Jeffrey Bewkes decided to increase advertising within the network.

"Chief Executive Jeffrey Bewkes announced the decision in the company's first-quarter earnings report, which showed strength in advertising sales on cable television networks like CNN and TBS"

Bewkes split off cable services from AOL internet into two separate stocks due to the fact that AOL has experienced a sharp fall in revenue. He plans to boost advertising in the CNN and TBS networks to increase profitablity. Time Warner Inc plans to fully separate its cable services division to refocus as a pure media content company to bolster their ailing stock price.

Revenue at its cable network division rose 10 percent to $2.7 billion, driven by subscription fees and a 13 percent rise in ad sales. "For the first time in six years, CNN beat out News Corp's Fox News in viewership among the 18-49 and 25-54 age groups, during the first quarter," Time Warner's Jeffrey Bewkes said.

I understand the necessity to run a profit driven business, especially when that business is one of the select few who control the US media, but adding more advertising to the already entertainment-starry-eyed CNN network will add to the potency of viewers loosing interest. Advertisements make people feel disconnected to their original televised programs and along with distractions from a growing entertainment segment on CNN, I just feel that it would contribute to a new CNN image that connotates a lesser form of news-reporting.

Entertainment With A Cause

CNN and MTV Team Up For Concert to Support War Veterans

MTV US’ Choose or Lose campaign and CNN Worldwide announced that they have teamed up to host a cross-network television event. They produced a concert to generate support for the US’ newest generation of young veterans and aired news programming on both MTV and CNN that highlighted young veterans’ stories of triumph, as well as issues facing those veterans as they return from battle.

Artists from multiple genres (such as 50 Cent, Ludacris, Kanye West, Kid Rock, Angels + Airwaves, Fall Out Boy and Juanes) gave live performances for A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the Brave taped in New York City which aired on MTV on October 24th 2008. The aim was to raise awareness of veterans’ causes, including employment, healthcare, homelessness, and education. Simultaneously, CNN aired Anderson Cooper 360: Back from the Battle. This is a special that delved into the stories of several young vets and the challenges facing them.

Though I am opposed to having CNN host entertainment segments in its network, I am not against this televised event special. I actually support it's cause and I feel like CNN made good efforts in trying to reach out to a younger audience by teaming up with MTV to produce this benefit concert for the young troops.

**Politainment

The Marque Blog, on CNN's website, had an interesting post today about "mixing politics and entertainment." It was a short little piece about how the CNN elves apparently notice that the media and comedians have been relentless, if not ruthless, about poking fun and satirically imitating this year's election. Todd Leopold, the blogee, expressed that this mixing of "politainment" has "reached absurd levels this election season" ...Has this producer been clueless about his own network?

Obviously he doesn't seem to own up to CNN's own participation in foreplaying the "politainment" band wagon. It wasn't too long ago when CNN unleashed Kyra Phillips to dig up and follow through rumors that Sarah's youngest child Trigg, was actually her 17 year old daughter Bristol's. That tip, by the way, was based on no more than bloggers gossiping. And of course we all know the consequences of that investigation... another CNN field day when reports were found that Palin's daughter Bristol was pregnant with her own child! Even CNN's own reporters (i.e. Bill Bennett) got sick of it.

I Spoke Too Soon

I rest my case... CNN has dived from having trashy celebrity news reports to now being the laughing stock of the news provider gene pool. If dramatic, rehab induced socialites, sexist political commentating, and sensationalizing Hollywood has-beens don't tickle your fancy... Apparently CNN now reports on the supernatural as well.

My last post regarded UFO sightings, but with CNN's latest discovery on Big Foot... at least they have the fur to infer "proof."

I don't think CNN has a very good perception of their viewing audience, or they wouldn't be feeding us Sci-fi nonsense and passing it as news-worthy.

CNN's Looking Up

So maybe celebrity news can get slow and old, even CNN can vouch that. But where does a major news network look to find a decent story to cover when Hollywood doesn't have much to offer that week?

They look up, of course. That's where the REAL ground-breaking news comes from. Actually, CNN looks to Stephenville, Texas first... then they look up... for none other than, ALIENS.



I don't even know how CNN could possibly let this story fly... and with a straight face nonetheless.

The voiceover of the news piece seemed too theatrical to possibly suggest that CNN realizes this story is crap, but why even bother airing it? It was a little under 2 minutes... There are a million other interesting things CNN can cover on the local or international front for 120 seconds than some extra-terrestrial sighting... What's next, Big Foot?

**ShowBiz in the NewsBiz

The CNN "ShowBiz" section of their line-up is a total joke.

It's like a cheap knock-off. They are trying to mimic the structure of E! News and Access Hollywood... and it just doesn't fly with me. First of all, implementing my overall point, CNN doesn't need an entertainment section because they shouldn't even focus on celebrity gossip, messy divorces, hot summer "hook-ups" or scandals in Hollywood town. It's just not what one would look for when watching CNN. That's precisely why we have other reality TV driven, fashion obsessive, salacious gossip channels on cable that do the job right. CNN containing a ruffle piece like "ShowBiz" is absolute nonsense. How is CNN expecting their viewers to take their news seriously when they parade ridiculous celebrity antics about how "TomKat" (aka Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes) are separating?

It just boggles me, the kind of message CNN is trying to send its viewers. Don't they understand that by having "ShowBiz" report on how wretched Britney Spear's family life is or how Peter Cook uses his cock... it demeans the CNN image? Is it worth the profits and the extra fickle viewers?

Maybe CNN needs a new PR representative to help Jeffrey Bewkes re-enforce their brand, as they claim to be "The Most Trusted Name In News." If that's the case, I'll be graduating next spring and would be open to negotiate terms of employment.

**If It Sells, It's News

It’s a fact, the television business is out to make money… every business is. But at what cost? I understand that entertainment news can generate more viewer-ship, but I feel that CNN should not even bother tinkering with such frivolity. CNN used to be the channel my family and I would turn to for the latest, ground-breaking, usually bi-partisan, journalistic current events... But now, all I see is this:



They poke fun at celebrities with this segment, sarcastically targeting the mishaps of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian and Heidi Montag... But this segment only made CNN look immature and desperate for quick viewers. They threw away years of hard earned journalistic credibility for a few moments of entertainment limelight. CNN should understand that their viewers expect a level of professionalism when they watch this network. Insinuating gossip and trash talking coming from the mouths of respectable news reporters is very pathetic.

CNN has essentially added “advertising” elements to their broadcasts to increase viewer numbers and profits by reporting on entertainment issues and focusing on gossip when they should concentrate on more critical topics... Full time. The direction of reporting news has been skewed and needs to return back to its core foundations.

Jeffrey Bewkes... when are you going to focus more on the issues at hand instead of the money in your hands?

CNN is like Krispy Kreme

'Brady Bunch' star tells of addiction

That is the title of yesterday's most popular viewed article on CNN's website. Out of all the conflict surrounding our society today, including but not limited to, let's say, the stock market decreasing, the state of economic recession we're in, and the upcoming election... the most popular visited article revolved around another celebrity driven, illegal drug abuse, predictable rise and fall of a has-been actress/singer etc etc...

Why should CNN even bother to cover such a story? Does it have any relevance to solving current situations or addresses issues at hand or even provide insight to anything pertinent and helpful to the public? No, it talks about Maureen McCormick's rehabilitation and "struggle" to fight the 'Marcia Brady' image. Really? Who cares?

CNN is feeding the nation crap. Entertainment news is like Kispy Kreme, filled with fluff and air... you know it's fattening and bad for your cholesterol, yet you still consume it. It's hard to resist when it seems so harmless. But in regards to CNN, it is harmful. CNN should seriously only limit their programming line-up with at most, 10% of Entertainment flippancy and focus the rest 90% on substantial issues. It's detrimental for society to be eating up crap for news. The news needs to penetrate and educate the mass public, not feed it Krispy Kreme.

**Making Entertainment Out of Politics

I don't even want to touch on politics in this blog, simply because it will open up a whole new can of worms... But I will say this, CNN- along with other equally egregious networks such as FOX News and MSNBC, are stepping way past the line of professional journalism regarding this year's election. All these networks are so opinionated and biased that they are a definite, unreliable source for political news. I am dumbfounded by the angle these "respectable" news stations are approaching this election and the efforts they take to bash the other party. It's dirty, it's manipulative, and it's wrong. Television newscasts and journalism should stay true to facts and information; reporting on politics, economy, current events, and the society on a neutral standpoint as a means to educate the public, in order for the public to draw their own conclusions. That is how I feel the news should be. It's simple and it's ethical.

CNN should be more conscious of that effort. They herald themselves to be "The Most Trusted Name In News" but that is a blatant lie! Jeffrey Bewkes needs to adamantly re-evaluate CNN's programming to reflect that motto or chuck it. It pains me to think that CNN has not been living up to basic journalistic ethics. Instead, they dumb the audience down with entertainment reporting and while the viewers are still recovering from the loss of brain cells, CNN punches in unscrupulous comments about the Republican party, degrading the election, it's candidates, and the CNN network as a whole.

The video link above only goes to show how far CNN will take their obsession with reporting sensational entertainment gossip. They take serious candidates such as Palin and paint them in a malicious light, much like squabbling Entertainment magazines. Was it really necessary for Jack Cafferty to post ALL those comments about Palin on national television?

I wont say where my party dedications lie, but either way, I don't think it's right for CNN to have commentators that constantly demean candidates like Sarah Palin or Obama or even George W. Bush, because it makes our country look weak and disreputable in the eyes of the U.S. citizens and the International community.

CNN's Midlife Crisis

CNN is no longer a provider of quality news representation. They are undergoing an identity crisis fueled by the larger modern social trend that is Pop Culture. CNN has morphed from a reliable source in international and national news reporting to slowly being saturated with "quasi-celebrities being quasi-entertaining" news coverage in congruence with the popularity rise of reality TV shows and celebrity gossip magazines.

Clearly, there is a demand for drama to be “real,” and CNN, by providing celebrity updates and sensationalizing other stories, is just another corporation meeting that demand. The unfortunate thing is that CNN is in a position to help fix this problem, to discourage America off its celebrity and “reality” addictions. Instead, it just pretends to be a legitimate news provider. To some extent, CNN is Us Weekly for those who refuse to read Us Weekly. CNN just feigns reputability in order to appeal to a slightly different audience.

CNN has this tendency to weave celebrity trivia with substantial issues as if attentive readers and viewers of current events and politics are interested in whether or not Rosie O'Donnell is leaving "The View."


I wonder if CNN even takes their constituents seriously anymore.

Sensationalization + Death = CNN

Death is a terrible experience for anyone and everyone involved, all the more reason why CNN shouldn't sensationalize the issue. Specifically, I'm talking about Heath Ledger's over exposed tragedy. I'm not saying CNN shouldn't cover the story entirely, but they should have been respectable of all parties involved, especially considering the family and child Heath left behind. CNN should have given the story a true reflection of how this 28 year old talented actor passed away, moments before his debut as the Joker in Batman's "The Dark Knight".


In fact, they should get their facts straight before tripping back and forth about allegations on drug abuse and sleeping problems.

I myself, have always loved Heath Ledger as an actor, from his starring role on "A Knight's Tale" to his award winning performance on "Brokeback Mountain," and I didn't appreciate all the media hoopla that CNN was bombarding the public with. Tuning into CNN at the moment of the incident, I witnessed the screen split into four sections, simultaneously penetrating the the mysteries of an actor's death. There was live feed of the building where Ledger was found, a gossip columnist speculating about the circumstances of his death, bullet points of vital information, and a news ticker. The bullet points changed from reporting suicide to accidental death.

And I love how the Larry King special on CNN involved the professional geniuses of "People" Magazine, "Access Hollywood", and Dr. Drew from the reality show "Celebrity Rehab" to analyze and report on Heath's death.

It is excessive. That is all I have to say. How much juice does CNN seriously think they can squeeze from this tragedy? Their website alone boasts 80 stories and news feeds about the death. The last update just being a little over a week ago, which is rather silly when considering the calamity happened on January 22nd 2008... almost 9 months ago. When is it enough?

**CNN is Paris Hilton's New BFF

Does everybody remember when the infamous Paris Hilton was incarcerated? She violated her probation and was caught driving with a suspended license... I'm sure we ALL remember that little piece of juicy gossip. How could we not? It was covered on all the major entertainment networks and programs such as E! News and MTV, as well as KTLA 5 and FOX News... But CNN too?

In fact, if I'm not mistaken, CNN did the most extensive coverage on Paris Hilton's arrest, covering her every Pre-Interview move from the car to the CNN studio, walking towards and into the building, then finally "going up the elevator" to meet with Larry King to reveal her heartbreaking story of how she was in jail for... 39 days... It was very intense. So intense that Wolf Blitzer had to cut his interview short with Bill Cosby about inner city poverty to throw the attention towards Carol Costello, who apparently was covering the Paris-walking-towards-her-post-jail-interview story.

The interview itself re-enforced the importance of CNN's coverage of Paris Hilton's experience and revelations in jail, as one can see from the emotion and sincerity she displays with Larry. I'm sure the millions of viewers that tuned to see this $1 million interview can all agree that this hour was not a waste of brain cells and dendrites. Not to mention Paris' $300,000 follow-up exclusive interview with People magazine... a magazine owned by Time Warner (aka CEO Jeffrey Bewkes), which also owns CNN.

**Mission Statement

I don’t know about you, but I’m currently sick of watching television. Besides a few token TV series or shows that one watches purely for entertainment, the scheme of television programming is on a downgrading slope. There are so many reality shows on every channel, television news programs no longer educate the public without a hidden biased agenda, and what’s worse, celebrity news has in some cases, foreshadowed more serious issues on the home front and international level. We already have E! News, MTV, VH1, TMZ, Perez Hilton’s blog, and dozens of entertainment magazines that feature celebrity news and salacious gossip… There is no need for trivial news to leak into our “credible” news networks and I strongly believe that it is harmful for our society to be over exposed to so much frivolity.

I am a senior at Chapman University, soon to receive my bachelor’s in Advertising and PR. I have studied the art of persuasion and the sensationalizing effects of advertising, which has fueled my current disposition against certain television news networks. I observed the changes in the quality of such programming and I feel the necessity to articulate myself and educate others on the misdirection and biases of certain networks. I write this blog to address that very issue. I write to lobby for quality news reporting.

Due to my concern that major news networks such as CNN, are less focused on reporting newsworthy issues, I want to influence a change. I demand a statement, issued by Jeffrey Bewkes, the CEO for Time Warner (who owns the CNN network),

which mandates the limitations of entertainment reporting to 10% of all CNN programming. I want the news line-up on CNN to reflect the importance of current issues in today’s society… Not to report on who Paris Hilton’s new “b.f.f.” will be.

Food For Thought

Do the media provide viewers with the information they want or the information they need?

It seems as if the news networks are currently getting confused between reporting actual facts and ground breaking news from entertainment frivolity and salacious gossip. I feel as if more and more networks are concentrating on generating viewership and profits over reporting on substantial issues that may not be as entertaining, due to the fact that it is not dribbled with controversy or biases.

I understand that many news stations have to segment their audiences by interests and target specific demographics to help differentiate themselves from other networks in order to generate profits through advertising, but how far will they go to impose their biases on the general public?

In my opinion, the viewing public watch the news to be educated on current events and updated on political, social, and economic issues. Therefore, it would be contradictory for networks to constantly bombard an audience with programs that are directed towards a certain bias as opposed to stating the facts in a neutral standpoint, so that the viewer may the asses the information him or herself.