**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.

**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.