Posted on 03/26/2003 7:01:15 PM PST by paltz
Poor old CNN thought it could exploit the war in Iraq by overtaking Fox News Channel in the ratings. The people have dashed those hopes.
The Gulf War in 1991 put CNN on the map, the network has been spending a fortune on its coverage this time around, and "many within CNN felt the war would enable it to reclaim the No. 1 spot - at least temporarily,” the New York Post reported today.
CNN forgot a couple of facts, though. It no longer has a monopoly, and many Americans are sick of its leftist bias.
Though its viewership lately has increased more than FNC’s, it still lags, even though more cable systems carry it. Thursday, the first full day of war coverage, CNN lured an average of 3.66 million viewers, compared with 4.13 million for Fox, according to the Nielsen ratings.
Arnett Snipes at His Old Network
Peter Arnett, who profited mightily from the Gulf War, doesn’t mind tossing barbs at his former employer, now that NBC supplies his fat paycheck.
Reporting from Baghdad, where CNN has no one, gives him "perverse pleasure,” Arnett snickered.
"CNN is not represented here and [cannot cover] the story they are most associated with.” He implied that he outwitted the Iraqis, whereas CNN could not.
Insult and Injury for Connie Chung
So why did CNN suddenly dump "Connie Chung Tonight"? It "had been criticized in some circles for its emphasis on crime and personality stories but had drawn strong ratings in a nondescript time slot,” the Associated Press noted.
Her tabloid-like interviews ran counter to the network's supposed renewed focus on actual news, the network claims.
"This reflects CNN's efforts to differentiate itself in a crowded market," a CNN mouthpiece told Reuters. "We did offer her another on-air opportunity, and she declined."
The ultimate slap: Aaron Brown replaced her.
Boston Globe: Aaron Brown ‘Too Weird’
Speaking of Brown, the leftist Boston Globe doesn’t think too much of this fellow traveler.
Despite some good qualities, media critic Mark Jurkowitz writes, "as was the case in the days after the attacks on Sept. 11, the war on Iraq is again proving that he is just too studied, too enigmatic, and frankly, too weird, to be anchor material.”
"Brown's mannerisms - the subtle lip bite, the fingers playing at the corners of his mouth, the Mona Lisa-like smile - can seem contrived, even inopportune. And he is not well served by sitting next to retired General Wesley Clark, a CNN military analyst. Crisp, focused, and direct, Clark is the antidote to Brown's pregnant pauses, quizzical looks, and at times, languorous pacing. On Sunday, after a rather heated exchange with an Al-Jazeera journalist, a flustered Brown could only utter this mysterious passage: ‘On we go. General Clark, apparently it's going to be a night.’'
"One of CNN's frustrations has been its elusive search for a marquee anchor. Maybe the network thought it landed one when it imported Brown from ABC in 2001. But with the possible exception of Dan Rather, no anchor can be more annoyingly self-conscious.”
As bad as Dan Rather? Yow!
"When introducing correspondent Susan Candiotti's interview with the family of POW Ronald Young, he said, ‘CNN's Susan Candiotti has talked with them. She talked with the family earlier. I guess I just said that, Susan. So I've now repeated myself for the first time tonight.’ As the kids say, Aaron: Get over yourself,” the Globe concluded.
"CNN is not represented here and [cannot cover] the story they are most associated with.” He implied that he outwitted the Iraqis, whereas CNN could not.
Don't flatter yourself, Peetah. It's not like being Saddam's favorite little propaganda tool is anything to brag about.
They're so above us, you know.
LOL...he really should consider a new career as a funeral director.
Your continuing implosion is most entertaining.
Carry on.
His creepy looks betray his lifestyle. Am waiting for him to be outed.
He stated "I am the face of CNN" after/during some upheaval [at CNN] in the last year or so, IIRC.
Never rang the steeple bells with me, so others that actually watch CNN might be able to give you a more complete picture.
LOL
CNN does suck, but it also blows.
Bwa ha ha ha ha ha!
Howie Carr pointed out today that the war is not going to last forever, and come the dog days of summer, her tabloid-like
style might come in handy.
I.e., given CNN's non-wartime ratings, Connie numbers aren't that bad and fills a niche.
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