Posted on 04/11/2002 9:16:25 PM PDT by InvisibleChurch
MSNBC Re-Brands as 'America's News Channel'
Struggling MSNBC on Thursday nicknamed itself "America's News Channel" and wrapped its Peacock "bug" in a flag in a re-branding campaign aimed at selling the cellar-dwelling cable channel as "something uniquely American and fiercely independent."
In a two-page e-mail to MSNBC staffers, MSNBC President Erik Sorenson's offered thoughts that ranged from doomsday predictions ("It's hard to imagine America won't be struck again sometime, somewhere") to troop-rallying ("A new name for a new day and a new time").
In between, Mr. Sorenson, who is bringing old-fashioned liberal Phil Donahue out of retirement to host a prime-time talk show this summer, slung mud at his competitors, Fox News Channel and CNN, for whom MSNBC has been rendered a nonfactor by its low ratings.
"Some news channels seem partisan, favoring one side over another (regardless of slogans or protestations to the contrary.)," Mr. Sorenson wrote. "Some cut deals with foreign governments or foreign broadcasters so as to provide coverage on an international basis to foreign viewers [an allusion to CNN]. Others stack the deck with partisans from one side and offset them with patsies from the other [an allusion to Fox News]. But our channel is not partisan and has no agenda other than to serve the American people, serve our viewers -- give them in-depth coverage and thorough analysis. Yours truly (and our management team) has no agenda, other than to inform. We don't take orders from anyone. We're independent in our journalism and our op-ed programming."
"MSNBC is irrelevant," said a spokesman for Fox News Channel, which has reigned as the most-watched news channel for two consecutive quarters and which has billed itself as "The network America trusts for fair and balanced news" since shortly after Sept. 11.
Mr. Sorenson's e-mail said the best opportunities for MSNBC to set itself apart are "in the lulls between major stories. In the wake of 9/11, and with the world in a new state of chaos, cable news viewers are demanding information and ideas between crises."
Still to come, said Mr. Sorenson, is the naming of an editor in chief -- expected by many to be former New York Post editor and former "Politically Incorrect" executive producer Jerry Nachman. "This person will be critical in ensuring our uniquely American approach and our wildly independent style in the weeks and months ahead."
As for the mechanics of rebranding MSNBC, Mr. Sorenson said Val Nicholas -- the MSNBC vice president of advertising, promotion and marketing who hired former Twisted Sister front man Dee Snider as the voice of MSNBC last winter -- would continue to be in charge of the effort.
"Branding is accomplished through our look, our music and even our programming," said Mr. Sorenson. (http://www.emonline.com)
not for commercial use
Jeez, when the liberals aren't in an annoying whine, they are just arrogant bloviators.
Get a clue, losers.
By DAVID BAUDER
The Associated Press
4/11/02 5:57 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- Third-place cable news network MSNBC wants to establish itself as the "fiercely independent" choice, and its president is driving the point home with some shots against his competition.
MSNBC, which has faded to a distant third in the ratings against Fox News Channel and CNN, is searching for a new identity. It has recently hired Phil Donahue as host of a prime-time talk show.
President Erik Sorenson said in a memo sent to his staff on Thursday that he's labeling the network "America's Newschannel" and that it will be characterized by lively, non-partisan discussion.
Sorenson said MSNBC will be marked by "real fairness," a thinly-veiled reference to ratings leader Fox News Channel's slogan as the "fair and balanced" news network.
"Some news channels seem partisan, favoring one side over another (regardless of slogans or protestations to the contrary)," Sorenson wrote.
"Some cut deals with foreign governments or foreign broadcasters so as to provide coverage on an international basis to foreign viewers," he wrote. "Others stack the deck with partisans from one side and offset them with patsies from the other.
"But our channel is not partisan and has no agenda, other than to serve the American people, serve our viewers, give them in-depth coverage and thorough analysis," he said.
Sorenson did not immediately return a telephone call to talk about his memo.
CNN called it "laughable" that its independence should be questioned. The network has more than 200 relationships with networks internationally, and has more viewers overseas than in the United States, CNN spokeswoman Christa Robinson said.
"I'm wondering if this is the same editorial independence they're talking about when they didn't cut from Olympics coverage to report the death of Daniel Pearl," she said. MSNBC was covering Olympics curling earlier this year while its rivals were reporting the death of The Wall Street Journal reporter.
Fox News Channel representatives did not return telephone calls seeking comment.
Sorenson also said he was close to naming a new editor in chief at MSNBC. He has reportedly been talking to former New York Post editor Jerry Nachman about an editorial role.
This sentence sums up pmsNBC's entire "new look." Just more gas from overpaid executives. Watch their ratings skyrocket downward.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.