CNN: Do you really want fair, balanced?

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 11/22/10 | Phil Bronstein

[SmithL]

When Ellen DeGeneres dances with Wolf, you know the TV cable news world has boogied right on past another respectability barrier.

Not that Blitzer, CNN news' unflappable Iron Man, doesn't deserve to have some fun on Ellen's show.

But as CNN advertises its "objectivity" in the face of stiff competition from blatantly polarized and more popular cable networks, it risks stepping onto a different slippery slope: irrelevant circus act. And I'm not talking about reporter John King's weird relationship with his digitized, political blingtronics board.

"Black people love Wolf Blitzer!" shouts CNN's hyper-animated morning news anchor, Tony Harris. Wait. Isn't that an opinion?

It's hard to take your eyes off Harris, an arm-waving double shot of a.m. espresso. He's pretty out there on the carnival barker circuit. "Come on, people!" he shouts after a particularly tragic story. His punctuations to his colleagues: "OK, Sanjay, buddy!" Or "Back at you, lady!"

Adding to this hyperbolic thrill of the network's news shows, now there are viewer contests before commercials: "What CNN personality is the latest to write a book?" Harris asks. "The answer in 75 seconds!" Be still, my heart. It's Soledad O'Brien. Aren't you glad you waited?

Hard to believe the organization started by showman Ted Turner has devolved to parlor tricks among the erectile dysfunction and assisted living ads.

[SmithL]

For your amusement.

[martin_fierro]

Hard to believe the organization started by showman Ted Turner has devolved to parlor tricks among the erectile dysfunction and assisted living ads.

Hard to believe how?

[Spok]

CNN’s claims of objectivity only further degrades it’s credibility.

[Vaquero]

When Ellen DeGeneres dances with Wolf...

ahhhh! the Dyke and the Dork.

[Red Badger]

The Wolf who cried Boy........................

[Steely Tom]

But as CNN advertises its "objectivity" in the face of stiff competition from blatantly polarized and more popular cable networks, it risks stepping onto a different slippery slope: irrelevant circus act.

Oh man, where to begin.

If you're polarized the same was as I am, why... you're not polarized!

If you're polarization is opposite to mine, hey buddy, you're totally polarized!

[a fool in paradise]

More likely Ellen DeGeneres and Anderson Cooper.

[abb]

Wow. And this by Phil Bronstein himself, the former Mr. Sharon Stone.

[ZULU]

No.

I don’t want “objectivity”, I want Truth.

Which is why I only listen to conservative stations.

If I wanted science fiction, I would turn on CNN or CBS and watch Global Warming bullcrap.

[Nick Danger]

[kittymyrib]

“...among the erectile dysfunction and assisted living ads.”

CNN: Choice of the Dying Demographic
Honestly, if they didn’t have CNN on in nursing homes and airports, it wouldn’t have an audience at all.

[Texas Eagle]

"What CNN personality is the latest to write a book?" It's Soledad O'Brien.

Never heard of him.

[caveat emptor]

The critter on the left achieved her apotheosis in Clute - it's been downhill all the way since.

[BigSkyFreeper]

You don't get fairness, balance or truth on CNN. You get dorky crap like "SpitzerParker".

Every single anchor is full of themselves at CNN.  They're all a bunch of cookie-cutter J-school dropouts.

[BigSkyFreeper]

To be perfectly fair. Ted Turner isn’t responsible for the decline of CNN. The responsible party is Jonathan Klein. He’s been kicked out and replaced by another clown by the name of Ken Jautz. SpitzerParker is the visionary incompetence of Klein, it was one of his last acts as head of CNN. CNN was actually in it’s heyday when Turner was running the channel. He left after Time-Warner bought him out.