CNN's 'Hologram' Toy Gets Panned by CNET News

NewsBusters ^ | November 6, 2008 | P.J. Gladnick

[PJ-Comix]

CNN has a wonderful new toy that they seem to love playing around with. It's called a "hologram." I put "hologram" in quotes because according to an annoyed Don Reisinger of CNET News, it's not really a hologram. You can get an idea of just how upset Reisinger was with the CNN "hologram" by the very title of his CNET story, "Stop the Insanity: CNN's 'hologram' was horrendous."

Can someone please explain to me why so many people are making a big deal about this CNN "hologram" that the channel unveiled during election coverage Tuesday night?

See, Don, CNN found a new toy that they are going to play with while pretending to deliver the news.

According to CNN, it was real "hologram" technology that beamed Jessica Yellin, a CNN correspondent from Chicago, to the CNN press center in New York, where Wolf Blitzer could grill her about what was going on in Chicago.

First off, let me say that it wasn't even real "hologram" technology, which annoys me from the start. Don't say it's a "hologram" technology unless it really is. If CNN was truly using a "hologram," it would not have employed a green screen and overlay images. Instead, it would have captured scattered light and then reconstructed it back in the studio.

Oh, and it probably would have bankrupted CNN too.

Bankrupting CNN? And that would be a bad thing?

[PJ-Comix]

My favorite quote from a reader at CNET News is this:

CNN stop outsourcing American jobs to holograms!

[PJ-Comix]

PING!

[Crimson Elephant]

I admire someone who still gets ticked off about language. Words MEAN something, and the corruption of word definitions really gets under my skin as well.

My latest outrage is the slang term for a Press Conference....Presser.

[chippewaman]

Because of the next four years I hope Scottie beams me up to another planet.

[Domandred]

Wasn’t it Al Gore that appeared at some global warming summit this way earlier this year or last year?

[who_would_fardels_bear]

"Words MEAN something"

Maybe they meant to call it a homogram.

[VeniVidiVici]

I think they meant ‘ho-gram’, not hologram.

[Question Liberal Authority]

Good thing it wasn't a real hologram. On Star Trek The Next Generation, whenever someone entered the holodeck, the hologram's safety features would somehow be disabled and some nameless ensign would wind up dead.

Personally, if I had, say, a big screen TV, and every time someone watch the thing they wound up dead, I'd be reluctant to watch that set again.

[Snickering Hound]

"Help me Obama-Wan!"

[netmilsmom]

>>Good thing it wasn’t a real hologram. On Star Trek The Next Generation, whenever someone entered the holodeck, the hologram’s safety features would somehow be disabled and some nameless ensign would wind up dead.<<

I wish it was real. Everytime they used it, some nameless CNN reporter would poof away.

[saganite]

I saw that thing. I thought it was silly looking. I figured there was something wrong with one of the cameras in the studio because she looked like an animated cardboard cutout. Then Wolfe proudly announced it was a hologram. Not quite up to the standards of the Doc on STV.

[okokie]

I’m with you-

[saganite]

I agree, words do mean something. My favorite misuse of a word in the dictionary right now is journalist. They shouldn’t be using that antiquated term when propagandist is available.

[Paul Heinzman]

Oh, so that's what a "presser" is. Whenever I heard the criticism that Bush should have more pressers, I always thought "Why? His pants and coat always look perfectly pressed."

Thanks for clearing up my confusion. ;-)

[Paul Heinzman]

I didn't hear about this "hologram" business until today when I saw CNN tooting their own horn on their home page. It sounds kind of cool, but I have to wonder what place this has on a "news" show?

Seems like a lot of expense for a forum that traditionally is much better being a bit dull (and that has frankly been cheapened by all the pizzazz the 24 hour news channels have added).

The effect would have been greater in an entertainment venue, such as a sports program. If the debut had been John Madden instead of Jessica Yellin, EVERYONE would be talking about it.