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Sunday, February 19, 2012

CNN on Comedy Central


Jon Stewart shared his opinion of CNN's Whitney Houston coverage on his February 14th show.


Stephen Colbert guest on February 2nd was CNN's Christiane Amanpour.





All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I must say Don Lemon did an outstanding job all week reporting on Whitney Houston. CNN definitely needs to upgrade him and should probably give him a weekday show, taking over the 10PM weekday slot. However, I do remember the night of her passing, watching CNN and I saw the clips of Richard Roth telling people in the street that she had died. I absoultely thought it was so STUPID and I'm glad Jon Stewart pointed it out. Not sure why CNN chose to have him do that? This guy must get satisfaction from telling people bad news. It would have made more sense for them to show clips of people in the street reflecting on her life, rather than the pointless reaction. It's kind of like when reporters would ask totally random people where they were the moment they heard about the 9/11 attacks. Totally pointless. How does that help? Richard Roth, it's time for you to retire. You are annoyingly boring.

Anonymous said...

Richard Roth was the idiot in the street satisfyingly informing people about her death. He tweeted that day saying"

"in a world of predictable news and info avalanche, there is that delicate moment when you have to inform people of breaking news on camera."

PLEASE.
The tweet speaks for itself.

Anonymous said...

It's unfortunate that the entire network is being attacked on this one stupid "reporter". Isn't he the UN correspondent anyway? What the hell is he doing?

Anonymous said...

Steve Stoute appeared on Morning Joe last hour.
He penned a book entitled The Tanning of America.
CNN seems to have missed the fact that hip hop has
transformed American culture in the past 25 years.
Not ideology. Get a clue CNN.

You can no long box viewers in to likes by race,
gender, education level or economic status. The
face of America is changing. CNN can no longer
control the conversation or shape how viewers
think via pundits. Social media is just as vital for
news. PinInterest has way more influence. Women
are the majority of the population. Do you see a
strong female who is intelligent , well informed ,
and can wax poetic on serious topics. MSNBC
has 2 in Rachel Maddow and Melissa Harris Perry.
CNN hire Aisha Tyler now and put her on right
before 360 .

Bring George Stroumboulopoulos to CNN as well.
Why the man is not on American TV is a million
dollar question. He has some very interesting
topics. subject maters and interview celebrities
as well as movers and shakers. Strombo is the
master of the interview. Asks the right questions.
The show strikes the right balance with news,
guests and topics.

Aisha Tyler, 360 & Stromob is a great lineup for
CNN. The network has to come up with shows
that go against left vs right ideology. Content,
content, content. intelligent conversation not
a fake debate or as CNN stupidly says go at it.
How is that engaging viewers other making you
turn the channel. Get rid of the pundits it is not
engaging it is annoying CNN.Go with a prime
time lineup that is not already out there. CNN
has the rare opportunity to reshape cable news
in prime time.Content, conversational writing,
factually based discussion , presentation and
yes put some production into segments. Edit
intro video trailers right before segments. CNN
needs a complete extreme graphics makeover.

Drop the gigantic banners. From now on if
there is a map of animation for Iran or Sytia.
let it be full screen. Make graphics for various
topics and yes music all day long that fits the
subject matter. Drive up traffic you CNN Dot
Com by having viewers track down the names
of songs they heard on CNN. That is right, create
a playlist with the exact time you would have
heard a particular song on CNN.

From now on all packages with have a media
bar rather than the banners up for the entire
time. To the left : time elapsed on the right :
time remaining.

Also, change the way promos are done on CNN.
Lets see the reporters who are tracking down
stories and the process involved. For an example,
last week Ed Lavendera tracked down Haley
Barbour. Where was the promo with Ed saying
we have been covering the news of pardons
by Gov. Barbour from the beginning, we set out
to get answers. Have a graphic that says watch
what happens tonight on 360. Do this for all
CNN shows. Tease us. It can be conversations
in the news room. Put those cameras in the
news room and in on the staff meeting for
all CNN shows all day long. A real feel for news.

You have Anderson Cooper & Isha Sesay for
the big news if anything breaks. These are
faces that viewers are familiar with and trust
for news. If there is a big news story Anderson
& Isha Sesay can handle things for CNN.

Mass appeal is how you will save CNN. They
can't keep going with the same tired old formulas
that is hurting CNN. Come up with shows that
attract viewers, invoke intelligent conversation,
give your viewers something to walk away with
and will want to tune in to watch night after night.

Hire the likes of Conor Knighton, Jason Silva,
Max Lugaver and others who can create shows
for CNN. CNN is currently mired in the past with
no future unless they change course. News is the
center and star at CNN but news can no longer
fit into a box with a big ribbon tied around it.

Anonymous said...

CNN please hire George Stroumboulopoulos. Dude
recently had an interview with Bill Duke. He has a
film out called Dark Girls. It is provocative. Sadly,
he is being interviewed on CBC and not CNN.

360 is the only CNN show I will watch or DVR.
Not always pleased. Better news content and
guests could improve the ratings. Anderson &
Isha are good together, get them in the same
studio. Love the chemistry. The pundits made
me turn off CNN. Aisha Tyler would be the
right lead in for 360. Love her, I DVR The
Talk because of her. It seems like CNN has
always had a women's issue. She can hang
with Rachel and the professor.I tried with Out
Front but again the show sent me away.

Anon 10 :11 that is deep and well thought out.
You actually watch CNN. Lets see if anything
like this really happens. CNN does need to start
thinking in terms of millions of viewers rather
than thousands. A lineup like this can't hurt. I
would watch or DVR all 3 shows.

Anonymous said...

How about this lineup :

TSR at 4-6 PM but make it about new and
old media like the original intent. All of the
Current people, Conor, Jason & Max would
fit nicely with Wolf Blitzer. Old/ New School.
Traditional/ New styles coming together for
2 hours that is fast paced.

At 6 PM go with Don Lemon. He is a familiar
face to CNN viewers. He deserves a promotion.
Great alternative to Al Sharpton. John King is
not holding on to viewers. Sorry but it what is
best for CNN.

At 7 PM Aisha Tyler. She gets a 2 hour jump
on TRMS. She can tackle news topics and has
an energy. Sorry but it is painful to watch Erin
Burnett for an hour. She is not good at TV.
CNN has gone with Paula Zahn, Campbell and
now Erin Burnett. Try something different. Tyler
might draw new viewers who will stick with CNN
for the 7 - 11 PM hours. 240 minutes of original
shows on CNN that you can't get on MSNBC or
FNC. Giving 360 a bump that Outfront can't do.

360 stays on at 8 & 10 PM. CNN has to have
a strong news show. I would like to see the
return of Floods as the theme song and the
cool bump music. The song gets your attention.
Right now you just have Anderson talking. Yawn.
Anderson can talk about what is coming up
on 360 and pick songs for all of the teases
about what is coming up on 360 and have
a theme for Isha with the Bulletin. Chris Reid,
Kid, created the theme song for Bill Maher do
the same for the 360 Bulletin. Headlines,
the instrumental will work. the song sounds
newsy. In fact have some entertainers develop
original themes for all CNN shows. Music is
the universal language and all genres need
to be featured.

Strombo should've replaced Larry King in the
1st place. There was never a better fit for CNN.
Perfect 9 PM show for CNN. CNN needs to put
up a fight for this hour if the ratings for FNC
are actually going down. To me it is a news &
interview show. A more serious Daily show if
you will. News oriented not a big departure
from 360 continuity is crucial, This is a new
lineup that is fresh, hip & informative.

This is the type of lineup for a wide ranging
demo/viewers that cable news needs to start
attracting. Wolf Blitzer, Don Lemon, Aisha Tyler,
Anderson Cooper, Isha Sesay & Strombo. You
can't go wrong with that lineup. It would make
CNN more competitive. Something CNN really
is not right now. What is CNN doing to make
you watch daily each night even if there is no
big news story ?

Anonymous said...

I don't really like the idea of Aisha Tyler, sorry. Too random. Fire Piers Morgan, Erin Burnett, and have John King be a correspondent rather than his own show. Sorry, he is smart, but boring. The evening-prime time schedule should look more like this:
4-7PM: The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer

7PM: International News Show with Isha Sesay

8PM: Anderson Cooper 360°

9PM: George Strom.

10PM: Don Lemon weekday prime time show
(let Hala Gorani take over his weekend prime time).

Anonymous said...

360 at 10 is CNN's highest rated show. Advertisers
signed on for 360 not Don Lemon. Advertisers are
likely to not be concerned if CNN makes program
changes at 6 & 7. They would welcome the move.
The Sit Room can't be on for 3 hours , international
news at 7 PM won't work. I don't think Aisha Tyler
is random. She is anything but. Don Lemon at 6
would be a good move for CNN but it would have
to be like the network newscasts and take them
on. Don Lemon, Aisha Tyler,360, Strombo & 360
is the type of lineup that could excite viewers.

Anonymous said...

The Situation Room can be on for 3 hours, as it has in the past. Look it up on Wikipedia. I don't find Anderson Cooper on twice in primetime "exciting". It's pointless. I'm sure CNNers would prefer Isha Sesay in primetime rather than Aisha Tyler. The "advertisers signed on for 360, not Don Lemon" comment makes no sense.

Anonymous said...

The management at CNN is so busy trying to
revive Crossfire that they are destroying the
CNN brand. Crossfire may not be on CNN but
you get it every hour because CNN has a pundit
fetish.3 pundits were on 360 at the beginning.
Watch, the ratings will be low. Most people are
smart enough to wake up when something is
not working but not CNN management. CNN is
of no significance to them. FNC & MSNBC are
just watching CNN burn it's own house down.
CNN will never reach a million viewers like
this and they will keep falling behind. Sure 360
viewer look forward to Ari Fleischer and the
talking head review. Not.

Anonymous said...

The 10 Pm hour of 360 is not the problem for CNN.
CNN would likely take a ratings hit. You don't mess
up your money-maker. It is a business. CNN is not
going to drop 360 at 10 in favor of Don Lemon. AC
360 keeps CNN in the game at 10. Erin Burnett &
John King are urgent problems for CNN . You don't
want to give your competitors a gift by dropping
the 2nd edition of 360. Don Lemon filled in some
of the time after CNN drooped In The Arena. The
ratings were lacking.

Anonymous said...

CNN has to end the backwards thinking for
politics. Social media has changed how all
viewers engage in politics. Pundits are now
ancient history. Just have your political team
of reporters go through the big stories. For
example : Romney's BMF problem. He burned
through 18.7 million in January, blowing money
fast. The flipside, Santorum is blowing up. Use
music and graphics to make it flow. There is no
way in 2012 viewers are just going to sit and
watch an anchor toss questions to pundits. CNN
is disengaging viewers. A political news trailer
is how you engage viewers. If viewers are not
watching you don't get engagement.CNN is
tired on old . Really CNN spin doctors. CNN
misses the political stories because they are
focusing on the wrong things.

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness for Business Insider. It lets me
know how badly CNN's business coverage is. A
couple of days ago BI pointed out how the stock
market is more accurate in relation to presidential
elections.As the Dow approaches 13,000 Christine
Romans keeps trying to make it about gas prices
and Obama. There is zero connection between the
2. That is the problem with CNN they just ignore
facts. Geo-politics and demand is what is driving
up oil/gas prices as BI points out. These are 2
very different stories. Not sure who looks more
desperate. CNN or conservatives trying to get
CNN follow their lead. It's pretty easy when you
have Beck,Breitbart & former Bush administration
folks on your pay roll. CNN is going right over
a cliff and they deserve it.

Anonymous said...

Anderson Cooper on twice? No thank you. There are some days when once is enough.

Anonymous said...

2 episodes of 360 has improved CNN's
primetime ratings. There are nights when
it leads CNN to a demo win over MSNBC.
Greta is heading down in ratings at 10. It
soon may be that 360 or TLW finishes
ahead of Greta in the demo. It is the hour
to watch on cable news.

I like the idea of Aisha Tyler and George
Stroumboulopoulos being on CNN nightly.

Anonymous said...

It is lame that CNN replays the same hour of Anderson for primetime. Sad that is the only way they can compete in ratings. Why not put AC on a loop all day?! I like him, but CNN needs to diversify its primetime portfolio. I really like John King, but I agree with those who say he is just too boring. That's true. Plus, he is a political guy so he spends all hour discussing the finer details of electoral politics - I kinda like it but you have to be into that sort of thing. Its not broadly appealing especially for an hour a day. King does make a great political correspondent. I love him and Candy Crowley. Burnett is way too CNBC for my tastes - not a good fit with CNN. The brashness, arrogance, and hyperbole is not what I want on CNN. I would be willing to give Aisha a try but I would love to see Alison Stewart, Lisa Ling, or Jaime Tarabay. Instead of investing big on a new personality - CNN should do like MSNBC and give the new hires a smaller gig to get the audience familiar with them. Then work up to a fill in spot to see how they do as anchor. I bet if Campbell Brown was eased in to CNN and given time to establish a presence and a voice before being handed a primetime show, she'd still be on air right now. Just a thought.

Anonymous said...

Obviously quite a few comments here are written by people who spend a great deal of time watching CNN, but are not interested in politics. Believe me, you are in the minority. There are huge numbers of political junkies out there, myself included that like nothing better than to listen to hosts who know what they're talking about and pundits who know their stuff, but are not obnoxious, dissecting all the political news of the day.

MSNBC has built their whole network on this. They have engaging, well educated hosts that hold strong political views. It brings viewers and pays the bills.

My opinion on 360, they need to make the 10pm show live. Two live hours of 360 would be great, but I can't see that happening, so put something else live on at the 8pm hour. It's kind of misleading at the end of the 8pm show Anderson says we'll be back with another show at 10, conveying, at least to me that it's another live show. Another thought as to maybe why politics aren't enjoyed as much on 360 is Anderson. He doesn't have the knowledge he needs so he volleys mostly canned questions to the pundits and we listen to them talk. There's not enough conversation, just pundits monologue which will make your eyes cross.

Anonymous said...

Don Lemon is not a primetime anchor. He is strictly second rate. I like the idea of Wolf on right before Anderson. Piers should move to 10:00.

Anonymous said...

Don Lemon hosts weekend primetime, 10PM slot.

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:10, you are right that MSNBC has invested in politics and it has really paid off. They have found some really good talent and developed them well. But, can CNN do that and remain neutral? I dunno. They really have a brand identity of being first in news, including international coverage. News junkies are mostly politcal junkies anyway, so they shouldn't neglect politics by any means. I think MSNBC has had success because they go in depth on issues and not just superficial political coverage. CNN could do quality politcal coverage by ditching talking point pundits and get real experts who write books, do academic research, and work at think tanks.

Anonymous said...

Also, I agree, TSR is a decent lead in for AC360. It gets enough viewers and CNN is losing for 2 hours between TSR and AC360 right now.

Anonymous said...

@7:11- I believe CNN could have outstanding programming and remain neutral and it would be refreshing. It would be wonderful to have well-informed but neutral hosts, with accurate, smart pundits for each side. I personally would love it! Even though I'm more left leaning, sometimes MSNBC leans a little too far left for me.

I agree TSR would be a great lead-in for 360, but I'd like to keep John King in the lineup somewhere.

I'm from the Chicago area, Don Lemon was a weekend anchor and a morning anchor here on NBC for several years. I've always enjoyed him and I'm glad he landed on CNN. I'd like to see him fill in for some prime time anchors and see how he handles it.