“Truth no longer matters in the context of politics and, sadly, in the context of cable news,” said Aaron Brown, whose four-year period as anchor of CNN’s NewsNight ended in November, when network executives gave his job to Anderson Cooper in a bid to push the show’s ratings closer to front-runner Fox News.
Brown said he tried to give viewers a balanced diet of light and serious news with NewsNight. “But I always knew when I got to the Brussels sprouts, I was on thin ice,” he said.
“Television is the most perfect democracy,” Brown said. “You sit there with your remote control and vote.” The remotes click to another channel when serious news airs, but when the media covers the scandals surrounding Laci Peterson, the Runaway Bride or Michael Jackson, “there are no clicks then,” the journalist said.
With the departure from the screen of the “titans” — Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings and Dan Rather — who “resisted the temptations of their bosses to go for the ratings grab, it will be years before an anchorman or anchorwoman will have the clout to fight these battles,” he said.
NewsNight used to be the only news show I would TiVo to be certain I didn’t miss it. With the departure of Brown and his replacement by what’s-his-name [who has as much “fire” as a handwarmer], I’ve erased the Season Pass. Switched over to Keith Olbermann’s Countdown at MSNBC.
Interesting that [so far, at least] the online version of CNN is getting better — parallel to the diminishing of their TV programming. Maybe no one at Time Warner has noticed, yet?
Thanks, Pat.
Olbermann John? Personal attack television MSNBC is on the way out. The National inquirer has more credibility!
CABLE NEWS RACE
WED, JAN 05, 2005
FOXNEWS O’REILLY 2.3 [RATING]
FOXNEWS HANNITY/COLMES 1.7
FOXNEWS SHEP SMITH 1.6
FOXNEWS GRETA 1.4
CNN LARRY KING 1.1
COMEDY DAILY SHOW 1.1
CNN WAVE SPECIAL 0.8
MSNBC HARDBALL 0.5
MSNBC AMBER FREY 0.6
MSNBC SCARBOROUGH 0.4
MSNBC OLBERMANN 0.3
CNBC MILLER 0.1
Source: The (Republican) Drudge Report
Is this the same CNN that falsified their news reports to fit Saddam’s wishes so that they could maintain their access? Reminds me of Dan Rather complaining about the quality of news.
Who watches the news? It’s always old by the time its on tv. Everytime I try to watch the news I’m reminded why I don’t. The only good tv reporters are on ESPN because they at least occasionally have knoweldge about what they are talking about.
Right, he should talk. He did a lot of the same crap and didn’t complain about the money, I’m sure.
I get more from this blog that is useful than anything CNN or the others offers up.
Is it possible that Americans have replaced the Soviets as the most brainwashed people in the world?
American network TV news, when it isn’t entertainment and gossip, is largely supportive of everything that the US Government does while it ignores anything that contradicts it (remember the lead up to the war in Iraq?). If you have a chance to check out news broadcasts in Europe, or even in Canada, you will notice much more balanced reporting.
You also might want to take look at the movie, “Good Night and Good Luck”.
Yes, take a look at the crap spewed in Europe (especially the BBC) or Canada, and you’ll know why people there are rejecting their media at such a rapid place.
You did notice the results of the Canadian election, yes? How about Blair’s continued move towards the right? People are noticing what’s going on, and taking proper action.
First, while he may have started out well (IMO), Olberman has become a poor John Sewart wannabe.
Second, when you can watch any news program, cable or broadcast, and get the exact same storys with only a few minor script changes, serious news has gone far beyond being “at risk”
Don’t kid yourself. MSNBC, like all these companies, has some executive telling Olberman to do this or that. He 9the executive) is probably the Jon Stewart fan. I had this problem at TechTV with the guy who ran the company. He was seemingly in love with Chris Matthews. He was always bitching that I wasn’t enough like Chris Matthews. How he would know was a mystery since he watched Chris Matthews all the time and never watched anything on TechTV.
Since Olberman’s numbers suck, these guys figure that the show needs to change. If they’d actually try to MARKET the show they have it would do more good.
Television is for those without Internet access.
news is faster online. If the story warrants me watching video, I can download that too.
I think John is right on. I’m a huge Keith fan, but his marketing is terrible. I have converted a few of my friends over to watch and TiVo his show, but only through word-of-mouth. That doesn’t work in this industry very well.
I appreciate hearing the truth. When Microsoft sucks say they suck. When Apple is being dishonest don’t be silent and change the subject to Gates. What a surprise the Apple OS runs faster on an Intel.
Mathews is great if you live in Liberal la-la-land. No-Balls with Chris Mathews dedicated a whole month of shows awaiting and celebrating the imminent Dick Cheney perp walk during the Valerie Flame leak investigation. Neither he nor anyone on the left appears to be too interested in the NSA leaks. What a surprise.
It is sad that a channel like DIY can’t give us any Tech related shows. If Leo and John pretended to be gay they could get a Tech show on in the USA. What do you think John? And Yes John you can be the top……..banana….lol.
James, your understanding of the Canadian election is about as accurate as the White House. Come to think of it, you may be relying on the same analysts.
At least Canada had enough gumption and perception to throw a few corrupt poiiticians out of office. Down here — you get re-elected.
Olbermann was great on ESPN, but he’s way too left wing, spouting theories of stolen voting in Florida in 2004 without even a cursory check of the numbers.
Is this the same CNN that called Bush’s 51% victory a “mandate” because… well… the Whitehouse said it was?
#6 Yes, take a look at the crap spewed in Europe (especially the BBC) or Canada, and you’ll know why people there are rejecting their media at such a rapid place.
James
You listen to Fix Spews too much. The BBC and CBC are both government funded. Yet both networks are independently run. Both networks run rings around any American network as far as objectivity and fairness with the exception of PBS and NPR. With both networks, presenting the news is far more important then the glamor or ratings. I think the other main Canadian networks are also much more even and fair handed then the main American networks.
But I doubt you would ever observe that because getting your information from Fox Spews must be your idea of a good news source.
When NPR,PBS, and the BBC are NOT reporting about the war in Iraq, I am confident things must be going well over there.