NEW YORK -- After watching its ratings sag in the aftermath of its wall-to-wall coverage of the Chilean miners' rescue, CNN today floated the idea of lowering the miners back into the mine in a bid to goose its Nielsen numbers.
"Like our viewers, we were riveted by the drama of the miners emerging from that mine," said recently installed CNN chief Ken Jautz. "We're willing to bet it would be just about as dramatic to see the miners lowered back into the mine one by one."
Of course Andy Borowitz was joking in his HuffPo column, but the only way CNN is going to have another week like the past is for the world to have another moment like the one in Chile. Where are CNN viewers when there isn't big news? Something to ponder and discuss.
CNN needs to develop a Vanguard mentality.
ReplyDeleteGo out and get the news that everyone else
chooses to ignore. Come Nov 15, Current is
doing a Vanguard series on the border and the
trailer is on the internet and it makes me
wonder, why can't this be CNN ? Where's
the in depth reporting and passion for the
news. It is completely absent from CNN.
Recently CNN hired Kaj Larsen, who ironically
is one of the correspondents for Vanguard.
Hello CNN hire the rest of the team and get
a hipster type doc series going.CNN docs
are a little boring. When will we see reports
from Kaj ?
I had to laugh at the thought of actually "lowering the miners back into that hole," one by one, in order to boost CNN's ratings! But it is true of course.
ReplyDeleteCNN's problem is SUSTAINING attention, and viewership ultimately their ratings sink the minute everything goes back to normal.
FOX has conquered normality and after the second day of miner watching, many even returned to Fox for status quo.
CNN watch your back....I know a fox that is also keeping tabs on "Breaking News." Never underestimate the opposition. You've done that before.
I'm wondering if the weekend morning show
ReplyDeletewill replace AM.I got that feeling this morning
That something is being tested with TJ, Kate,
Reynolds, Josh and others. I have to admit CNN
is way better on the weekends. The topics are
better and they seem to be having fun.
@anonymous 11:13am, I agree that CNN needs to to a Vanguard type documentary. I just recently discovered the Vanguard documentary series. Interesting that CNN hired Kaj Larsen, I had no idea they hired him. In my opinion he's Vanguard's best correspondent.
ReplyDeleteVanguard is the most original documentary
ReplyDeleteprogram that is out there hands down. If the
suits don't know about Vanguard they need
to find out and hire the others. I must say
Marianna Van Zeller is my favorite but I like
Adam and Christof. CNN really needs to get
with the program and hire the new breed
of journalists. What makes Vanguard unique
is the way they take you along for the journey.
That is why the ratings were so high for the
mine rescue. Nothing like that has ever
happened live on television. Ironically,
Current is struggling, but they are making
a commitment to journalism by sticking
with Vanguard. I can only imagine what
CNN would look like if someone at CNN
had the courage to make a commitment
to news.
I think a couple of months ago Kaj Larsen
ReplyDeletewas on American Morning from Pakistan.
He did some reports with Team Rubicon.
Vanguard is very good at storytelling. I
am sure that if CNN wanted to do a daily
news show based on this type of journalism
they could. Anderson Cooper is the man who
pioneered this kind of journalism going back
to the days at ABC. Remember the 360 reports
from Africa, Lebanon and other places from
around the world.I really don't understand
why 360 has basically become a studio
talking head show.I would really like to
see more news on 360. Maybe with Charlie
Moore talking over the show things will
change. Charlie did go along with Anderson
on all of the adventures.I am stunned that
360 has not gone to China. CNN has a
golden opportunity with world news.
Americans know so little about the world
and I think it is largely do to our news
organizations who are doing their best
to dumb down the news .
I am afraid CNN might be turning into HLN
ReplyDeleteand that is not a good thing. Now CNN is no
longer live for 1 hour of prime time on the
weekends. They are running What the Week
2x on Saturday and focusing on crime and
hiring annoying show hosts,Gosh CNN, at
least try to look serious.
It upsets me too that CNN is messing around
ReplyDeletewith the weekends. They have already done
enough damage to the weekdays.A prime
example of how backward thinking CNN is
the number of repeats. People have a device
called a dvr. You don't have to miss any of
your shows these days. Why are we seeing
repeats of TSR,LKL and docs on Saturday &
Sunday. IMHO I think CNN should go with a
live sports show on Saturday and a VIral Video
rewind live on Sunday. Run both shows live
right before The NewsRoom. Did CNN really
need to rerun a Senate debate. It would be
different if it were a presidential debate
but this is not at that level. Day after day
CNN gives me one more reason to turn
the channel.I think that is why MSNBC
is killing both CNN and FNC on weekends.
MSNBC has shows you have not seen all
week long.
We try to post something when we think CNN
ReplyDeletedoes something good or bad. There are 3 things
that caught our attention this weekend on CNN
that shows the good things they got right.
First, the Poppy Harlow story about the guy
who gets paid to cover pot. Secondly, the
whopping cough segment that Fredericka did
during the 5 pm hour. Before she did the
segment you were given examples of coughs
and asked if you could tell which one was
actually whooping cough. That held my
attention and made me stick around for the
answer and the interview. Excellent. This is
how you engage viewers. That got us thinking
what if this could have also been done with
the Congo story, For example, you could
have done info graphics about the rape
stats and asked the question. Where is
this going on.At some point during the
show you reveal the answer is the Congo
and what some women are doing about it.
Next up the live interview with the reporter
who covered the women's march in the
Congo. After she is done talking with
the reporter. End the segment with 3-5
things you should know about the Congo.
Info graphics can be used for this as well.
That is how you do a Vanguard type news
show and take people to events they see
for themselves and actually might learn
something they don't know about.CNN
needs to look all through out the company
to the creativity and innovation that will
make CNN stand apart from the others.
Thirdly, CNN does these remarkable
segments with their photojournalists
but you never see or hear from them.
Let them introduce themselves and set
up the piece they went out and captured.
A photojournalist has a different way
of depicting stories. There is no reporter
talking at all. It is all video and sound
from the event itself.. There are 3 reasons
why we are pointing these out. Poppy's
story was original to say the least. The
way the whooping cough segment was
handled kept it from being boring.CNN
is filled with journalists and not just the
people you see on camera. Off camera
journalists are writers, storytellers, etc.
Don't they play a role at CNN as well.
Let's hope we will all get to see some shows
ReplyDeletethat are on CNN I in the US. I am not sure
why Jon Klein got rid of international shows
on Sunday. I would like to see World One,
World View,International Desk & Connect
The World.At least it is something different
that US viewers don't get the opportunity
to see. Heck i am one of those in favor of
see 2 hrs of international news from CNN I
on CNN Mon-Sun. This would cost CNN zero
dollars. They already own the rights.If CNN
could do this for the Chilean mine rescue
why not make it a permanent fixture.
Remember when we could see Inside Africa,
Inside Asia and World View. What happened ?
Unfortunately, CNN only brings us international
ReplyDeletenews when it is something bad, Thus forcing
certain perceptions upon the public. China &
the rest of the world is not what you see on
cable news.I think David Doss has been asked
to come up with a news magazine show. Doss
worked with 20/20 at ABC. Ted Turner thought
on the global scale. I am not sure that type of
mentality is the norm at CNN anymore. They
forgot the brand and as Jon Stewart says just
threw stuff up against the wall hoping they
could get something to stick.
CNN prime time woes is due to lack of
ReplyDeletediversity in the lineup. How could they
think it was a good idea to have 3 white
males in prime time in 2010. CNN needs
to take a look at the end of Real Time,
which airs on HBO. That sums up the
mentality of CNN management and is
the reason why they are not attracting
viewers. Women, people under 50 and
minorities are the growing population.
Data shows women are the majority.
That is exactly why CBS is doing a
women's show in the daytime and CNN
would be smart to have a news show
with women of all ethnic backgrounds
who are journalists doing a prime time
news show. Also 18-49 are coveted
more by advertisers and the minority
and multicultural populations continues
to grow. How can cable new choose to
ignore the changing demos in America?
You just can't aim your programs at
white males anyone. America is changing
and is a very diverse population and
cable news looks nothing like America.
Advertisers are learning this the hard
way and trying to have mass appeal.
CNN is trying to draw a shrinking
population.
You know CNN is a laughing stock when
ReplyDeleteGlen Beck makes sense talking about
Eliot Spitzer and CNN hiring him and
putting a female on the show simply
because he was caught up in a hooker
scandal and had to resign from office.
So somehow CNN thought that would
make things okay and people will now
watch the show. Wrong. CNN people
are not stupid.
David Doss had better have some ideas
ReplyDeletethat can hit the ground running. Friday
was bad for CNN. At this point CNN has
nothing to lose. Try a live hour long
world news program at 8. It can't do any
worse than Parker Spitzer. CNN does not
have the luxury of waiting this one out.
I get the feeling cancelation will come
really soon. Also, 360 needs to be live
on Friday. No more taped shows. Hello,
where is the backup anchor. The writing
is on the wall for CNN, Pov talking head
shows are dull and a major drag on
ratings. this can't continue.
@5:59PM Fully agree about backup anchor for 360 on Friday. If you see something needs fixing, than doing the same old, same old isn't fixing it.
ReplyDeleteCNN always overdoes something that worked....like the miners story, but that story worked on all the cablers, not just yours.
News is getting lost on CNN in favor of
ReplyDeletenoise and it is not worth watching. All day
long CNN is horrible. Nothing of substance
is being covered or discussed in an intelligent
fashion.CNN will rot you brain. Just skip the
channel. When I see and hear visible signs
that CNN is changing course, I will come back.
As long as Eliot Spitzer, Kathleen Parker &
Piers Morgan have shows on CNN I have to
say no thank you and not watch CNN.
CNN is going downhill at lightning speed.
ReplyDeleteThe content is pathetic. Now to make matters
worse CNN is running clips of Parker Spitzer
all day long.Go ahead CNN and keep being
ratings repellent.By the way I turned from
360 tonight. Where has the news gone.
CNN needs to have a better look. The graphics
ReplyDelete& and video show from the huge monitors look
horrible on HD. CNN needs to reach out to people
who make apps and get them to make apps that
will make CNN look like the movements and
sharpness of the Ipad. Develop a media bar just
like when you go to CNN.com with tabs included
instead of banners. Something must really be
done to improve the content on CNN.It is lacking
to say the least. Also, if CNN says 360 is a news
show, don't tie the show to Parker Spitzer.
The programs have nothing in common.
CNN needs to get 360 back to being original
and unique and quit boring up the show.
In this day and time you have to do live
streaming on you website of your programs.
CNN should never have gotten rid of
Nicole Lapin and the others who did the
hourly updates on CNN.com. Tell me that
CNN has a digital news desk made up of
at team who scan the web for what their
affiliates might have on their websites
and just searching the web for news that
is out there. What CNN is currently doing
will put them out of business. It is time
for the bosses to wake up and I agree
about younger viewers and international
news.CNN also needs to understand how
to really use video to add to the story.
Do we really need to see anchors reading
the news alongside video. Full screen
people. Quit hiring pundits as well.
I hope CNN takes a look at an ABC/Yahoo
ReplyDeletepoll out today that says people blame the
media for political division.CNN has got
to get back to good journalism.It seems
the appetite for divisive news is waning.
CNN here is your chance. Don't have the
pundits. People can smell the crap right
away and CNN comes up with another
left vs right political show. Come up with
something original for once.CNN is a part
of the problem and doesn't seem to be
able to do anything else.
CNN's recipe for disaster : politics, crime
ReplyDeleteand boring talk.Is it just me or does it
seem as though CNN is a little slow with
finding out what is going on ? Sometimes
it seems like CNN is as much as a day late
with a story. Throw in the obsession with
Sarah Palin and the tea party and you know
it is just plain awful. I can't watch CNN
anymore.
360 did poorly in totals yesterday to start the week off and it may well be because the content just wasn't there.
ReplyDeleteOnce you report a story and it goes over well, please don't keep harping on it, unless there is something new to add. Viewers lack retention spans and they don't want rehashed news over and over.
By now CNN should have learned this. They never learn from their mistakes!
CNN is just limping to 2011. I can't
ReplyDeletebelieve Campbell Brown topped Rick's
List & Parker Spitzer in the ratings.360
should have lead with DADT tonight.
Christine O'donnell is getting too much
attention for someone who won't win.
At least the rent is too high guy is
interesting.
The 8 pm show sets the tone for your
ReplyDeleteprime time lineup. Campbell Brown got
the boot for her ratings. How long will
CNN stick with Parker Spitzer? Will CNN
be more concerned with people saying
told you so and not admit they messed
up big time.CNN also now is completely
newsless in prime time and that is dong
severe damage to the CNN brand..
One story CNN has been focusing on a lot
ReplyDeletetoday is the Uganda gays story. Guess who
did a doc on this subject in depth. Current
TV's Marianna Van Zeller. CNN should really
try and get her or one of the producers of
the doc. Also, CNN should think out of the
box when talking about the subject of hard
hits in the NFL. How about going with Dr
Kaku from the science channel. The man
can talk science with video games. You have
velocity, physics, impact.etc.I really hope
360 does this tonight and focus less on
the political panels, Maybe they should
save the politics for the end like Nightline.
CNN really needs to try and get something
ReplyDeletegoing with a women's show. The Talk on
CBS is not off to a bad start, it had like 2.2
million viewers at 2 in the afternoon on
premiere day. I like that it is civil and they
don't shout each other down like The View.
Fredericka Whitfied does this during the
weekend, Kyra Phillips and Brooke Baldwin
during the week and bring in Sandra Endo
along with someone from either CNN i or
CNN Espanol and make it a fast paced
news show that is not political and see
what happens. Put It on right before TSR.
Eventually widen it to all of the women
at CNN and HLN and rotate the hosts
so that it never gets old. Each day you
can have music that relate to women
for the opening of the show,during breaks
and at the end of the show when it is
sign off time.It is time for cable news
to have a show like this.
CNN asks loaded questions and tries to
ReplyDeletemake it seem as though there is on dislike
of Obama and the Dems but people love
the Repubs and tea party. The data does
not reflect this and Rachel Maddow calls
out people like CNN each night.CNN is
now thought of as the tea party channel,
Not to even mention the inaccurate banners
that CNN has on during stories.
The Sarah Palin and O'Donnell channel
and hate and anger channel. Keeping
them honest is suppose to be serious.
Why waste the segment with the crazy
campaign news that is nothing but a
circus.It is absolutely silly and CNN
tries to call it news. That is exactly
why 360 is getting creamed by the
Last Word. The silly season is not
serious news.CNN is in crash and burn
mode. They don't even know what news
is anymore.FNC and MSNBC don't have
to do anything CNN is doing bad all
by itself and can't be taken seriously.
@anonymous4:00pm, a women's show might work, but there's a good chance it'll just end up like the view. If they can keep it out of view territory it might be a pretty good show. Especially if they talk about topics that aren't really being discussed anywhere else. That would make the show more appealing. And what is music that women can relate too? Women have different tastes in music so they would have to have a wide variety of music and not just that frilly pop crap.
ReplyDeleteCNN listen to Jon Stewart and do everything
ReplyDeletehe said tonight talking with Larry King.CNN
is misusing it's resources. Stop using Twitter,
get rid of the pundits, except David Gergen
and go with analysts. Build the network around
AC. You have to get rid of Parker Spitzer and
Piers Morgan. It is making CNN a burning
building and the Titanic. Stewart is right. The
infrastructure at CNN permits them to do
news that no one else can come close to
doing and it is all being wasted and CNN
ends up with really bad shows. Enough of
left vs right and people with agendas.
"Build the network around AC." This is not a direct quote from Jon Stewart. He would never say that. The pundit part yes, etc, but don't insert your own opinion into what Jon said.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that CNN has resources that they don't use correctly, but Jon would never elevate just one anchor above other competent anchors, like Soledad O'Brien or Joe Johns.
In the future, when you quote, quote directly or not at all.
@anonymous 1:39, I have to disagree with you. Jon Stewart did pretty much say build a network around Anderson Cooper.
ReplyDelete"STEWART: You got to turn this baby over to him.
KING: Twenty four hours.
STEWART: Yes. Him and --
KING: Twenty three hours. Let me do an hour."
The clip is up at All Things Anderson.