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Friday, December 17, 2010

Jon Stewart Hits CNN Hard

The Daily Show took another swipe at CNN and Piers Morgan this week. Take a look:



Also the American Journalism Review had some interesting theories about CNN's future. If you have the time you might enjoy the read. Here are a few paragraphs, you can read more by following the link.

Will that change? Not likely. Klein's replacement, Ken Jautz, is a former Associated Press reporter and CNN veteran, which might sound reassuring to in-house proponents of big-J journalism. But Jautz made his mark as an executive by transforming what used to be Headline News into the gossip channel HLN. And he told the AP after being named to the top job that "the traditional, straightforward, facts-only approach" probably won't work in prime time. "People are interested in something in addition to the facts: context, analysis or, yes, opinion."

CNN has come a long way in 30 years. Once derided as Chicken Noodle News, it came of age during the first Persian Gulf War and proved that Ted Turner wasn't completely nuts when he dreamed up the first all-news TV channel. When I worked there briefly in the early '90s, the mantra "the news is the star" didn't seem laughable in prime time. Sadly, it does now.




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16 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is really sad and the truth from Jon Stewart
and AJC. At this point can anyone get the attention
of the suits at CNN,CNN needs to find someone
who can find ways to make news innovative ,
creative and revolutionary. How about replacing
Parker Sptizer with a nightly show for woman
anchored by rotating female reporters from all
of the CNN networks of all ethnic backgrounds.
Women are the majority of the population and
care about news,information and interesting topics.
Rick Sanchez should never have happened either.
At 9 go with an anchor free news show. Just use
short packages and features from CNN reporters
and journalists from all of the networks of CNN.
Just set up a Facebook page to submit the news
and music for the show. One simple rule for
both shows no politics. People just saw that
with TSR & John King. The last thing 360 needs
is Piers Morgan as a lead in. They are both
right, this should not be happening at CNN.
Jeff Bewkes needs to fix this now. I am sure
he is a busy man seeing he runs the entire
Time Warner show, but Bewkes can no longer
afford to ignore CNN. If Steve Jobs, Google,
Twitter & FB can make the news interesting,
CNN ought to be able to find someone to
transform the network. CNN try being a real
alternative to FNC and MSNBC.I knew CNN
was headed for trouble when they took away
an hour of TSR for 2 hours of Rick Sanchez.
Another show that never should have aired
on CNN.I am willing to bet right off the bat
CNN will get a resounding rejection to Piers
Morgan. This show needs to be killed before
it even comes on CNN. They can do this.
Movies & tv shows get killed all of the time
before they make it and production is halted
and the movie or show dies. Does CNN really
think they can make a boring middle aged
Brit cool. Not happening and is going to
end in disaster.AJC is right about Ken Jautz.
Look at how he has messed up CNN with
useless tabloid half hour shows on the
weekends. Does anyone in the TW building
realize how stupid CNN looks these days.

Anonymous said...

Ouch. CNN is making a huge mistake by
importing a white male European to replace
Larry King. This sends a very bad message
about who CNN will permit in prime time.
It is unbelievable that in the 21st century
that CNN would put Piers Morgan in prime
time before Don Lemon or Tj Holmes. Rachel
Sklar called CNN out when the current changes
were announced.

Anonymous said...

I have mentioned a couple of Canadians who
IMHO would be great replacements for Larry
KIng. One is Mark Kelley. He anchors Connect
With Mark Kelley. Last night he did a segment
on Larry King at the top of his show. Now he
admitted he never really understood Larry,but
he had a great deal of respect for the man. The
other is George Strombolopouloous. He basically
hosts Canada's version of the Daily Show. This
is where CNN should be looking for talent . The
CBC can be seen in border towns in the USA.
So that means there are quite a number of
Americans who are familiar with these guys.
I am not sure if CNN would be able to get
either of these guys but they need to try.
Try Strombo at 8 and go with Mark Kelley
at 9.If you guys get the chance really check
these shows out online. You will enjoy. I
like that George always starts the show with
a quote. That is just my 2 cents.AT some
point CNN will have to reverse course.
Mark Kelley actually said something really
interesting last night he said CNN was
on the air before the CBC.It really hurts
so many people to see what the management
is doing to CNN.

Anonymous said...

@11:41 AM Totally agree with you.
But CNN management only cares when Jon Stewart takes on each unworthy anchor one by one.
Taking the entire station to task doesn't get their attention. He has done this before.
Unless he makes actual fools of the foolish, and unskilled, MANANGEMENT doesn't get it. Jon MUST slap them in the face to wake them up.
@10:44AM: Why bring up Rick Sanchez? He's gone. Don't beat a dead horse, please. Move on.

Anonymous said...

CNN's bathroom humor, during Ali Velchi's segment, was inexcusable.
To the new and improved President of CNN, I'm just a viewer, but guess what, "the NEWS IS STILL THE STAR." Got that, and interjecting bathroom humor, into serious subject matter, makes CNN look crazier than it already IS.

Anonymous said...

Love the way Jon said Piers'name.
Did his mother read the dictionary before she named him, or is this HIS own interpretation of what a first name should be??
Either way, Jon Stewart doesn't seem too impressed with CNN's new hire. I wonder why???

Anonymous said...

Friday night was the best 360 this week. It is
a real shame when a comedian has better news
judgement than news organizations. How is it
that the CNN political team missed the 9/11
responders bill.CNN needs to really do something
about content, story selection and story telling.
On a daily basis CNN is ignoring several stories
in favor of made up topics and opinion. There
is no denying that news brought in better ratings
for CNN in prime time than the recent changes.
The ratings don't lie and it is as clear as the
nose on your face. Viewers are not feeling the
new shows on CNN in prime time.

Something really interesting happened on HLN
Thursday morning. Robin was late due to the
weather in ATL. That meant that Ryan Smith
had to anchor the news. It was just him and
the sports guy holding down the fort until Robin
arrived. The ironic thing is that Morning Express
was the 2nd highest rated show in the morning.
Take a look at TV by the Numbers. Morning
Express came within 35,00 off F & F in the
demo. I think about a couple of months ago
HLN brought in Ryan Smith.If Don & TJ do
make it to the Mon-Fri shift. CNN needs to
be looking at Ryan Smith as a weekend news
guy. The tag team of Ryan & Robin killed
Morning Joe.In the morning people want to
know what is going on and is not interested
in politics in the morning as you are heading
out the door. I can't stand the new AM theme
song it puts you to sleep. Politics is the reason
why MJ demo numbers are bad. MJ beats AM
because AM is a bad show and needs to be
retired and replaced with a fresh news show.

Because of the juvenile stunt with Ali Velshi,
I no longer watch his 2 hour show. CNN
should have issued an apology.

2 words when it comes to Piers Morgan:
who cares. The only question is if CNN
will end up being 5th for the 9 pm hour.
The yuck & sleaze levels are rising. Turn
away in protest and CNN will understand.
Uh, maybe not.


Until CNN quits while they are behind with
using too many pundits to cover the news,
they are going to drop lower & lower. What
a way to say our reporting is lousy & we don't
know the facts or what we are doing. Pundits
are not journalists or factual and live in an
ideological universe. Pundits are no ratings fix
for CNN. They are helping drag down your
ratings CNN. Seriously, does anyone look
forward to see the pundits on CNN. Gosh
if I could really get the news on CNN. Yeah
I know I am dreaming but I hope I am not
the only one who would like to have some
real news for once. Once upon a time I was
a huge CNN fan & watched for many hours.
Now it is hard to sit and watch CNN for
10 minutes sometimes.

Anonymous said...

Believe it or not, CNN has a new Piers Morgan
promo and it is worst than the one that was
panned by Jon Stewart. Never will watch this
guy. CNN needs to make him shut up now.
Only Jon Klein could hire this guy. Those
promos are offensive. What makes him think
I want to invite him into my home. I don't
like Piers Morgan or CNN.

Anonymous said...

I don;t think too many people will want to be
a guest on Piers Morgan. He thinks it is all
about him. Larry King never disrespected his
guests. That is why his show survived for 25
years.CNN messed this one up. He is not the
right person to replace Larry King. What are
they thinking ?

Anonymous said...

Yes, exactly. What makes CNN think we would like to "invite this guy into out home?" Well put.
If snobbery had a definition without a dictionary, all we'd have to do is say, "it's what Piers
Morgan is.
When, not if, he fails, he will blame it on the American public, that didn't understand him.
I don't even undertand his linquistics when he speaks, no less suffer in silence for 60 minutes trying to decipher what he just pronounced in his British tonque.
What were they thinking, indeed.
There's no comparison. It's like going from "warm and fuzzy, to cold, distant. and humorless.
And speaking of humor, British humor is far different than American. Out culture is different.
Klein hired "an alien"...that boob tube.

Anonymous said...

CNN is making a huge mistake. In some ways
they are permitting Piers Morgan to become
the face of CNN. Piers Morgan really turns me
off. Every time one of his promos run I turn
the channel. When it comes to Parker Spitzer,
what is taking them so long to cancel the show.
CNN needs to get back to having standards and
principles and letting the news be the star
and letting the events of the day dictate the
narrative. There is going to be a huge fallout
for hiring Piers Morgan to replace Larry King.
Only this time instead of NBC being the
network that got it wrong. It will be CNN and
it will dog them for all of 2011. The AJR
article is just the first of a series to come
and it is going to get pretty ugly for CNN
and they bought it all on themselves.CNN
is their own worst enemy.

Anonymous said...

Does the CNN management know that
CNN is a national joke. The bottom line
is this doesn't have to be and the more
CNN gets subjected to ridicule the better.
One thing is certain, CNN will stick with
Parker Spitzer and Piers Morgan because
they can't get their act together. Look at
how long it took them to fire Jon Klein.
The firing came a year too late. They
stood by and let Klein destroy CNN.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:19 you are so right. There is a cultural
and language difference and it shows by the
words used in the promo. The moment people
hear the first sentence out of his mouth, click
goes the remote. We all know this is going to
be absolutely boring. If someone has to tell you
they are not boring by using certain words,you
know it is a lie. Don't believe the hype. Why
would CNN think a judge on a reality show
would bring in ratings. Piers Morgan is not
the draw for America's Got Talent. People
don't like the guy.CNN needs to go with a
hipster Nightline type show.20 & 30
something journalists of a new breed. More
commonly called backpacks because they
take their cameras all around the world
to discover the news. Remember Nightline
is beating both Letterman & Leno.IMHO
Ken Jautz is not the right man for CNN.
This is the guy who purged the journalists
from prime time on HLN. Can you say
recipe for disaster ? For goodness sake
Ken Jautz thinks it is okay for Spitzer &
Parker to anchor breaking news. Seeing
how poorly the duo is suited for tv news,
why would you let them handle breaking
news. Now journalists can't do breaking
news in prime time on CNN. Viewers are
bolting from CNN and it is going to be
really hard to get them back. Very early
in 2011 CNN's ratings will take a huge
dive.AJR is right 2 of these things do
not belong on CNN and never should
have happened in the first place.Stewart
is right as well. Instead of stupid stunts
for ratings try doing some news.He is
right CNN's credibility & journalism has
gone down the toilet.

Anonymous said...

CNN management keeps on being as stupid
as they want to be and it is going to have
consequences. Not even established American
stars would be as arrogant as Piers Morgan,
Creating headlines his what he does best.
Sure and that is what got him fired from a
British tabloid. Does CNN really have to sink
this low ? The American press aint biting.
They are in enough trouble already and will
not waste time on Piers Morgan. Just look at
how they are ignoring Parker Sptizer.

Anonymous said...

CNN is in a downward spiral. The numbers are
coming in for 2010.CNN has reached new lows
for the 7,8 & 9 pm hours.360 also finished behind
The Last Word. Why CNN decided to ruin 360 is an
absolute mystery.360 without news is just like all
of the other cable news shows.It is predicted that
the numbers will get lower for CNN in 2011. All
you have to do is look at the trends. Replacements
are making things worse.CNN forgot about viewers
and why people watch CNN. They can't blame
things on Jon Klein much longer. If they don't
make changes real soon, it is the current
management's fault.CNN has less than 6
months to fix this.

Anonymous said...

@7:33AM Ken Jautz has proven that he's going to be worse, if that's possible, than Jon Klein.
He's already released a statement denouncing the news, by saying the "news is no longer the star."
Really?
CNN is a News Organization buddy and your viewers want to watch the News, not a British tabloid snob that was booted out of Britian.