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Buzz about a potential partnership between CNN & CBS has started to surface (once again). Brian Steinberg of AdAge.com provided some analysis of the latest rumors in his May 4, 2010 article, How CNN, CBS News could benefit from a partnership:
The news is in the news yet again. Time Warner Chief Executive Jeffrey Bewkes acknowledged Wednesday that the company's CNN unit could partner with CBS News in the near future. In a conference call with analysts, Mr. Bewkes said "it's no secret we've talked to other news organizations," and said it was "entirely possible" a deal would be reached in the next year. There are plenty of reasons why such a deal could make sense for either side.
Talks between the two parties have surfaced occasionally over the years. The costs of running a global news organization remain substantial, but audiences for broadcast news have dwindled over the long term. The networks have steadily cut staffing of their news departments as that dynamic has continued, with the Project for Excellence in Journalism estimating that network-news staffing dropped 8% in 2009, with yet more cuts taking place at ABC and CBS in 2010.
Both CBS and CNN declined to comment on potential talks. If any discussions are going on, they are informal at best, people familiar with the situation said, and neither network is poised to officially announce any pact in the near future.
7 comments:
Having read the full article, the biggest challenge is renegotiating the multi-million dollar contracts that have been made with top talent....like Katie vs. Anderson. Who gets the largest salary increase and who's more worthy?? This should be interesting.
Gee do ya think they'll ever co-anchor and what about all the other egos at CBS/CNN??? Stay tuned.
I think it will be a news partnership since so
many people with CNN already are working
for CBS.It is not the talent that is the problem
it is the union vs non union and I don't think
CNN wants to deal with unions. Besides there
are already rumors that Katie might replace
Larry. CNN would be the big dog here. CBS
news does not really have any standouts.
That is why they went for Erica, Betty and
others from CNN.
CBS is the "Big Daddy" here. It's the one calling the shots and when the merger takes place, and it will take place, union or otherwise, contracts will have to be renegotiated, fairly, that's a given.
"CBS News doesn't have any standouts." No? It owns 60 Minutes, Steve Kroft, Scott Paley, Leslie Stalh and Katie Couric. Except for AC, they all command larger salaries than any CNN anchor....and I wouldn't be surprised if they all get more per episode than AC.
Erica Hill wouldn't have been sooo eager to leave if this wasn't to her benefit, financially.
Time Warner is the bigger company.
CBS and Viacom are not the same,
just look at the stock prices.
TW is the top dog here. The question asked
most of Jeff Bewkes these days is if TW will
buy a network and CBS & NBC are the choices.
Bewkes will not sell CNN. It will be like the
partnership between ABC & Bloomberg.
If Time Warner owns CNN, then who owns CBS?
Doesn't GE own one of the prime networks? ABC is owned by Disney, not Bloomberg. They are two separate companies.
MSNBC beat CNN on Friday, even though 360's total topped prime time on CNN. AC could have easily remained in Nashville.
On Friday ALL network numbers were low, even for FOXIE....but not that low.
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