Earlier this week, the AP posted an article about CNN's ratings struggles. Comments from CNN Worldwide President, Jim Walton were included. Below are a few exceprts:
The network could cast aside Cooper, Larry King and Campbell Brown for opinionated analysis and probably see its ratings go up, said Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide.
The benefit for one arm of the company isn't worth the potential damage to others, he said.
CNN has built its business — encompassing international networks and wholesale news reports, mobile device services, a Web site, a wire service to print publications and radio — around the notion that it is delivering nonpartisan, straight news reporting, he said. The company has shown double-digit growth for the past few years and is on pace to continue. It invests by hiring more personnel, and this month opening a new production facility in Abu Dhabi.
"People hear what's being said and it's branded CNN and (they say), `OK, that's news. That's nonpartisan, that's factual, it's timely," Walton said. "That's what we want to deliver around the world. We compete against a lot more than Fox and MSNBC."
The rising fortunes of HLN means the company makes money off opinion, too. One of the reasons that network's name was changed from CNN Headline News was to avoid having CNN's name associated with that type of programming.
Of the flagship network's sagging fortunes, Walton said, "It matters to us. Trust me, it matters. We want all of our networks to grow their audiences. But the fact is, (CNN) is a vibrant, healthy company that's growing in an industry where we're pretty much one of one."
MSNBC's move to the left and Fox's ownership of the right would, theoretically, give CNN a wide middle to conquer. The problem is, that middle might be more inclined to watch Tom DeLay on "Dancing With the Stars" than on "Larry King Live."
...
What CNN needs is to find a way to bring the passion to stories that its rivals bring to arguments, said Frank Sesno, a former CNN Washington bureau chief and now professor at George Washington University.
"Will people sit down in the evening and find news reporting interesting?" Walton asked. "That's the question, really."
CNN is still searching for the answer.
... to read the full article: CNN finding that prime-time success is elusive
Frank Sesno is right, CNN needs to cover
ReplyDeleteinteresting stories and find better ways
to tell those stories. Opinion and political
ideology will not save CNN. News is their
forte.I have tremendous respect for Jim
Walton, he was with CNN from the beginning.
There are millions of potential viewers being
ignored by big media because the 3 cable news
networks look at thing through such a narrow
prism. Most Americans don't live politics 24/7
365. Only the pundits who have hijacked cable
news are in this universe. It is not real news
that really matters.I must give credit to 360
on Friday, except for the Palin stuff. At the
beginning Anderson had 4 people talking
about the decision to bring 9/11 suspects
to NY for trial. It was a smart and insightful
conversation without ideology and it was
refreshing to see this because it reminded
me of what CNN should be : informative.
CNN just needs an upgrade and find ways
to make news interesting and worth watching.
No more of the lazy journalism of using
talking heads to fill time. Professional journos
are needed. A lot has been said here about
Current. Well earlier this week we learn they
now know you can not have a network for
just user generated material. Instead there
must be balance of old and new forms of
journalism or storytelling in the 21st century.
Also, you have to develop programs Which
I am not sure anyone is doing at CNN.I
am sure why they feel the need another
political show to compete with MSNBC.
Why not try something different?
Jim Walton is also dillusional. When 360 uses the Charles Manson murders of yesteryear, that's not "timely journalism." That is called a filler and his viewers are not stupid. We know it.
ReplyDeleteThe post, prior to mine, said "professional journos are needed." I agree. But there are none. They have disappeared with print media. Now the public is told to find the story and CNN will air it. So who's doing the work here? Them or us?
Cable news has allowed the pundits to "hijack them," because we have no Woodsteins who are real journalists today. News has become an arm of the entertainment industry because it is easier to do, and it brings in money and ratings. Period.
Maybe CNN could lead the revolution back
ReplyDeleteto true journalism that is not tied to politics
and the silliness that is making it to the
national news scene. Too often I find myself
wondering why is that a news story on CNN.
They need to do a better job at reporting.
One case at point. The terror suspects being
bought to the US for trial. If am an watching
CNN I am thinking we are incapable of handling
trials in federal court in the US. Terror trials
are held all of the time in England and Germany
an many other nations around the world.
CNN seems to be going with the fear factor
route and relying on too much speculation.
What really irks me on news is the talking
heads on t. They affect zero lives , so why
are they being given a platform.If the reporters
on CNN can't do a decent package to explain
a particular news story then they should not
have a job. One thing I am noticing this
weekend is that are giving why too much
time to Sarah Palin Enough CNN.
Jim Walton and all of the CNN brass should
ReplyDeletehave a look at the season premiere of Super
News.It is a cartoon with satirical look at
everything from politics to news.It is segment
of how the news media is spreading the virus
of ignorance that 2 scientist are trying to sop
before it is too late. Ironically, it is right on point
with regards to national news. This particular
cartoon features Anderson Cooper, Rachel Maddow,
BOR, Glen Beck and even Brian Williams talking
about a tweet from Sarah Palin.It speaks volumes
about the state of news in America.
I hope that Jim Walton comes up with a plan
ReplyDeleteto revamp CNN. People want access to information.
How about being a truly 24 hour news channel
rather than only actually 24 minutes of actual
news making it to the airwaves. The problem is
that cable news is not evolving and relying on the
same formula that has been around for some 25
years.CNN needs to do more original reporting
and step up the production of it's news stories
and on air look , be it graphics or banners. I
do not understand how ESPN, Bloomberg and
others can have info on the screen that line up
on one banner and CNN can't. The CNN logo
and the live above it is way too big.In the era
of HD less is better. Please overhaul the banners
and graphics and quit shooting video off of a
television. I want full screen cinema experience
with news stories.
Keep this in mind :most network executives
ReplyDeletedon't see what goes out over the channel.
They don't have the time. That said, Walton
or someone at CNN needs to do a major
assignment. Actually watch what is being
shown on CNN on a daily basis. For some
strange reason I don't think Jim Walton would
call it news. Turner is right you have got to
have international news in heavy rotation these
days.If you spend anytime overseas, you will
hear how American news explains what is
happening with the United States. The news
has been dumbed down to left vs right,
the actual information does not matter it's
all about pov minus the actual facts.Thus
CNN is making itself irrelevant just like
movie critics.
The fact of the matter is that MSNBC is doing
ReplyDeletewell in prime time but not during the day with
the place for politics all morning long they are
being beaten by HLN. Looking at the ratings on
TV by the Numbers Morning Express is a solid
number 2 in the demo and at time tops Morning
Joe and American Morning in viewers.Go figure
a morning news show with news, weather and
sports is more popular than politics on MSNBC
and CNN.HLN is also starting to beat MSNBC in
the day demo as well. I just don't like the shows
on in prime time. From 5-11 I can't bring myself
to watch HLN.
Jim Walton please hire people who actually know
ReplyDeletewhat news is. It not a poll or statements made by
Limbaugh, Palin or others. Not only is modern news
lazy it is dumb as well.
The most heartbreaking story of the day is not
ReplyDeletebeing mentioned on CNN at all. There is 5 yr old
who is missing who's mother is in jail charged
with human trafficking and there is a desperate
search for this child. Yet it has not been on CNN
all day long. If ever there was a time for a child's
picture to be seen on tv news it is with regards to
this story. There is actually surveillance video of
the child being taken into a hotel room. Why is
this not a national news story.
The problem is that CNN disrespects it's
ReplyDeleteviewers. They don't trust us to understand
what we are seeing. I loved the Super News
cartoon. Having AC make the comment he
said about giving legitimacy to the story by
phrasing it as a question. That is a big problem
for CNN.
Prime time success is elusive for CNN because Jon Klein lacks vision. He has chosen to stick with anchors who are complacent with their inflated egos and huge salaries. CNN needs talent that is willing to go the extra mile and do some "digging" for stories that are not the obvious. It needs to find new talent that is "hungry," and not afraid to go behind the scenes to get to the truth. It relies too heavily and other outlets to give them feedback and it just isn't working. It has become the station of fluff, not tough. It lacks identity because its president is afraid of offending the viewers it has left...and there aren't many.
ReplyDeleteIf CNN's logo lettering gets any larger, they will need three LCD monitors, not one, for each letter.
ReplyDeleteThis in your face advertising is getting a little silly. We know you're not #1 and haven't been for quite some time, so stop trying to make us memorize your logo.
Do you see FOX News doing this and showing the face of a fox, or reminding its viewship,"We're smart as a FOX," that's why we're #1?
Jim Walton needs to find someone who will be
ReplyDeletethe Steve Jobs of CNN. Someone who knows
how create programs for news that millions
will tune in to watch on a daily basis.I agree
that CNN is way too predictable. Cable news
needs a divorce from politics. Word is David
Neuman is available now that Current has hired
a former MTV executive to run the network.It
is pretty clear Current will be having less news
than before with the exception of Vanguard. I
know there are a lot o people at the network
is letting go who would love to be involved
with a major news network like CNN. Perhaps
Neuman can bring some of those people to
CNN and they can help out with ways for CNN
to come in sync with modern times.It really
bothers me that Current will likely become
another entertainment channel. I was hoping
they would pressure the other news channels
to do better stories and actually hit the streets
around the world to bring viewers news that
you will not see anywhere. Maybe CNN could
move things forward. Right now CNN is stuck
in the 90's.Neuman did bring Vanguard and
Infomania to Current.At least hire the man to
turn around CNN's docs.
CNN blew it big time.It the news stupid.
ReplyDeleteBloomberg is positioning itself to become
the world news leader by actually having
a 24/7 news channel, which doesn't exist
these days. Heck , they even hired a senior
producer from 360. Bloomberg is strongly
saying it wants to fill the news void.Unless
CNN wakes up and stop the madness they
could really lose out to Bloomberg. People
want news and not the talk.
According to TVNewser, Jon Klein is very committed to John King's old job, SOTU. Translation: Dead in the Water. He is however, looking towards female replacements to anchor the show, so that might be a refreshing addition we we weren't expecting. My vote would be for Candy Crowley, but as always, her age is a liability.
ReplyDeleteI just finished watching CNN Tonight with
ReplyDeleteJohn Roberts ; it has potential.
CNN is no long a news organization. Right now
ReplyDeletethere is a welcoming ceremony for Obama in
China and CNN is not carrying it live instead
Larry King us talking about Sarah Palin. Look
for bad ratings for CNN again and they deserve
it. This is just pathetic. How much lower can
standards go for CNN. This one is a no brainer.
I can't believe 360 is starting with Sarah
ReplyDeletePalin. Can you say overkill? I am now
watching BBC and will not turn back.
I am convinced Harpo Productions has some kind of contract with CNN.
ReplyDeleteFirst Anderson Cooper appeared on Oprah to plug himself and the Oprah "pick." Then there was the dual webcast of the Oprah pick, "Say Your Not One of Them," and AC was promoting the book and himself.
Now we have the "sharing" interview with Palin and snipets that were shown daily on 360 just to wet our appetites for more Palin....and Oprah without the "pick."
So am I the only one who sees a "connection" to Harpo?
I caught Lou Dobbs on Bill O'Reilly tonite and he confessed that the gun shots that were fired at his house in NJ convinced him it was time to go. No one at CNN pushed him out, but I'm sure Klein made it plenty "uncomfortable."
ReplyDeleteO'Reilly praised himself and FOX for slamming CNN's prime line up and asked Dobbs why in the world would Klein not want "opinion" on a network that was failing? Dobbs, for once, was speechless.
Anyone with half a brain knows opinion is
ReplyDeletewhat is sinking CNN.I hope Jim Walton actually
watched his prime time shows last night. That
speaks volumes about why CNN is is full crash
& burn mold.CNN does not have to be FNC or
MSNBC. Another one who needs to be out of
the door is Rick Sanchez. ICN has some of his
tweets.THis guy is a total and absolute joke.
Yet he get on CNN 5 days a week. Sanchez
should not be on cable news anywhere. BOR
wants CNN to do opinion because that is not
good for them and he knows it. Walton how
about Rome Hartman. He has been speaking
out about the news and he is right. Cable
news is destroying itself. There was no news
on 360 last night. That is the problem with
CNN. Your medium is television not radio.
radio.FNC is all about ratings . If CNN goes
down this road they are history.
Doe anyone know if the CNN Tonight is a test
ReplyDeleteprogram or will actually end up on the lineup.
I would like to be able to watch this each night.
It needs some improvement though. I see John
is not on AM so I guess that means he is on
at 7. If it pull in decent rating until the King
program airs I wonder will CNN possibly air
the show at 6.
@7:41AM: If you keep doing what you're doing, like CNN, opinion or not, you will keep getting the same results. And those results are failing anyway you look at it.
ReplyDeleteCNN needs to get rid of all of the talking heads
ReplyDeleteand do a mixture of interesting stories in prime
time and to not repeat the same thing over and
over again. It made no sense for AC have the
first 20 minutes of 360 be about Sarah Palin.
Right before him Larry King did the same thing
for an hour. That just does not make any sense.
My thinking is that CNN won't change anything
until 2010, this year is pretty much in the books.
The November book ends soon and nothing really
matters until next year. Let's hope CNN gets
serious about fixing programming.
TVNewser called CNN the "Switzerland" of cable news in reference to its NOT taking a stand on anything.
ReplyDeleteMessage to CNN : do your job. Quit focusing
ReplyDeleteon this person saying this or that and trying
to turn it into news. That is not journalism in
any shape or form. Either you are in the news
biz or not. Please read a recent Pew study about
the news, you are losing credibility for not doing
news and informing people. Content matters.
HKN should move Showbiz to 9 and move
ReplyDeleteJoy to 11.