A different take on CNN. It's not claiming to be MSNBC.

[LAS14]

Watching the exchanges here about John Harwood, I'm struck by the assumption that CNN OUGHT to be like MSNBC, a left-leaning outlet. I must confess that I've been irritated now and again by CNN's blatant left leaning opinion people. If an outlet purports to be neutral, I don't want it to sound like MSNBC. I want it to sound more like PBS.

I LOVE MSNBC. They make no bones about their identity, and their opinions jibe with mine.

But a democracy requires that there be some news outlets that actually do not take sides.

NOTE! IMPORTANT! I'm not advocating both-sides-ism. I've been so relieved to find newcasters on virtually all the outlets I watch rigidly adhere to the principle of identifying claims of election fraud, or stolen elections as NOT TRUE. Or A LIE. Thank God they learned something after the Hillary debacle.

If this statement at https://www.axios.com/2022/09/02/john-harwood-leaving-cnn turns out to be accurate, I'm OK with it.

Chris Licht, CNN's new CEO, has made changes to curb the alarmist tone of CNN’s coverage, including cutting back on the use of breaking news banners.
Axios reported that Licht has been evaluating whether personalities and programming that grew polarizing during the Trump era could remain a good fit for the network.

Bottom line. CNN is not MSNBC, and I would prefer that the two outlets be different.

[BootinUp]

1. Not left or right. Lies vs. Facts.

[kentuck]

2. That's the true balance, isn't it?

Take out the propaganda and give us the facts.

[LAS14]

3. No, no! A healthy democracy is not based on lies vs facts. It...

... is based on legitimate left and right views of how society should work, with EVERYONE agreeing about facts.

[edhopper]

6. And if they want to tone down talking about Trump

and his lies about the election to get on more Republicans, how is that agreeing on facts?

[kentuck]

8. Perhaps in a political discussion...

But maybe not in criminal investigation?

[panader0]

10. It's a fact that TFG lies all the time.

[Celerity]

20. +10000000000000000

[LAS14]

26. And, as I pointed out in the OP, CNN and all the other neutral/left point that out religiously! nt

[jrthin]

4. +100

[PortTack]

14. Exactly! And.. when the coverage of a speech given by a president was only considered worth mention

Because he had marines standing behind him when it seems ALL presidents have done it…I’m just f..king done!

THAT is not news! It’s pick pick picking

[edhopper]

5. But that is not the problem is it.

It's that Licht is asking that Republicans can come on with their lies going unchallenged.

That saying "The Big Lie" about the election, or going after Trump's criminality is to "partisan"

They don't need to be another MSNBC, but they look to becoming Faux-lite.

[LAS14]

27. Can you give me a link to the "asking...their lies unchallenged?" nt

[edhopper]

34. Read between the lines

Last edited Sat Sep 3, 2022, 10:44 PM - Edit history (1)

Or the actual lines, it is pretty clear if you get past the BS.

https://freebeacon.com/media/chris-lichts-republican-apology-tour/

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/06/cnn-chief-chris-licht-big-lie

[LAS14]

37. Do these links contain instances of Licht...

... asking that their lies go unchallenged? I don't want to plough through whole articles trying to figure out where you would layer on your pre-conceptions to "read between the lines."

[Atticus]

7. We disagree. Responsible journalists are being dropped because they DARED to accurately

characterize Trump and his cult.

There is no liberal version of FOX, but yes, MSNBC leans left. CNN was a slightly less left leaning network that has decided to recreate itself as "FOX-lite", not because of poor ratings, but because the extreme right kept whining and a billionaire bought a board seat. Their new "fair and balanced" approach too often offers only Republican views about political issues.

With a couple exceptions, I no longer watch CNN programs. I fully expect those exceptions to disappear soon.

[True Blue American]

12. Atticus, you are quite

Right on this subject. John Harwood was right on his last appearance and so was Brian Selter.

Jeffrey Toobin should never been allowed back on.

Now Fox is showing the President while the other 2 are cutting him short. I will mostly watch movies or CSPANuntil they quite the 24;7 Trump.

[Xoan]

9. Licht would have fired ...

Edward R. Murrow, IMO. For being too polarizing.

[Treefrog]

11. People who hate any particular network should stop watching it.

All these hate threads about CNN are too funny. Don't watch!

[Raine]

40. Agree, a very simply solution. nt

[FelineOverlord]

45. Nope

We’re holding them accountable for their bad journalism.

Especially when they spew this filth on social media.

We will not shut up.

The gloves are OFF.

Someone even suggested on Twitter to Brianna Keilar that she’s mad at Biden because he withdrew our troops from Afghanistan and Brianna’s husband has a long career in the military.

[panader0]

13. When I saw Asa Hutchinson being allowed to go on and on about Joe's "devisive speech"

to Brianna Keilar and she didn't correct him, I knew. She got the word to let repubs lie.

[LAS14]

28. Do you actually categorize the opinion that the speech..

... was "divisive" as "a lie?" I actually thought it was divisive in a very good way. But still. Come on.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

31. Of course the speech was divisive.

Biden sought to divide those who support the values and institutions of American democracy from those who embrace MAGA-style fascism.

And he divided out of the latter group non-MAGA Republicans, which was wise.

We are facing a stark dividing-line and kudos to our president for painting it as a bright one.

[Cosmocat]

42. Framing his speech as "divisive" is 100% enabling the RIGHT wing frame of it

and why we are were we are now, the NEVER ending persistence in this country to allow them to frame EVERYTHING

It is "decisive" because THEY didn't like it, and anything that they don't like is "decisive.

Name ONE time when they said or did something that we would object to that got framed as "divisive."

Sure, I would like to envision CNN as being "neutral."

If this about them going back to 1990 CNN, great.

But that isn't what this is about it, and everyone here knows it.

[Novara]

15. "But a democracy requires that there be some news outlets that actually do not take sides."

Watch NEWSY. See if your cable carries it. You can get the app on Fire TV to stream it live, and you can watch it though an app on your phone. If you have big streaming services they may carry it.

They are not opinionated. They are NEWS. They don't shout, their anchors are not there to spout an opinion or a side. They just report news, dispassionately.

It's refreshing.

[relayerbob]

22. I will look it up. Thanks

[LAS14]

29. Never heard of it, so I'm guessing we don't get it. But will look. nt

[Brainfodder]

16. Report the news, not try to make or augment it?

[Just A Box Of Rain]

17. I'd like to see a major 24 hour cable news network that focuses on providing a broad range

of news stories.

One that covers both domestic news and has journalists and bureaus around the world who get ahead of stories "before" there is a crisis (as opposed to only parachuting in [and out] as a reaction to breaking events).

I'd like the coverage to be serious, informative, and straightforward.

I'd like to less of the CNN propensity to fixate on the "disaster of the day" type approach with hyped "Breaking News," where basically one story gets flogged to death (until attention spans wane).

I'd prefer more solid news reporting--including investigative journalism that breaks important stories and provides viewers with the background they need to better understand breaking events, and less "opinion."

I see nothing wrong with a news organization aiming to be a "trusted" news source.

Having on guests or interviewing those with dissenting positions on policies isn't "both-siderism" in my estimation, but rather how news organizations should operate by default.

I also think that trusted sources should call out claims made my politicians (and others) that are simply untrue. To that end it is important to have reporters, anchors, and producers who know their stuff. Quality journalism.

To my mind CNN has done a pretty poor job balancing the way they cover "news."

It also seems to me that Chris Licht sees the situation the same way. I hope he succeeds in improving CNN. It has been quite dismal under Jeff Zucker IMO.

[BlackSkimmer]

24. Well put.

Thank you.

[LAS14]

30. Very well stated!!! nt

[Treefrog]

33. +1000

[Raine]

41. EXACTLY 👍 nt

[palinny]

18. The truth about CNN from one who worked there for 18 yrs

I apologize for only being able to post the link to the first post of this Twitter thread, but my MS cognitive troubles and brain fog are too much for me to do more than this:

Link to tweet

?s=20&t=L5z-PkLYjeGrRbbkX77zlg

[JI7]

19. Who is saying they should be like MSNBC ?

[relayerbob]

21. I'd prefer it if they dropped all the editorializing entirely

and focus on NEWS. There's a LOT of stuff happening world-wide, we need an outlet that just tells the freaking news, instead of pontificating on scandal of the day. Al-Jazeera does a far better job of news and journalism that any of the US networks. I'm ok with MSNBC being the anti-Fox, but if I was at CNN, we'd be "just the facts, ma'am." Maybe have one hour a day on analysis, at most.

[Raine]

36. Totally agree, just give me news

I can make up my own mind and don't need their analysis.

[BlackSkimmer]

23. Rec.

Yes.

[Kaleva]

25. MSM is a for profit business

They are going to do what maximises profits.

[Treefrog]

32. Absolutely.

Bottom line.

People should watch or not.

[Raine]

35. Agree 👍 nt

[LetMyPeopleVote]

38. CNN made a real BAD Decision...

Link to tweet

[Sympthsical]

39. It's important to forever be Goldilocks

Anything I dislike is right-wing. Anyone I deem too progressive is left-wing.

I, however, am practically perfect in every way.

I am very much America's barometer through which all things should be measured.

Honestly, this isn't hard to understand. That cable news execs and bingo hall operators aren't understanding this is a very consternating time for me.

[BlackSkimmer]

43. Lol!

Well played.

This kerfuffle over CNN is amusing. All these threads as though people are being forced to watch.

[Sympthsical]

46. Oh, it's fantastic

I've been taking a bit of social media break because fall semester is already kicking my ass (and a microbiology class now has me afraid to touch my keyboard). I came in to this, and I don't know if things have always been this bad or it's a late epiphany or what, but I scrolled down and wondered, "Is this really just reading Twitter and watching cable news all day?"

Because . . . that's what it looks like.

We may never recover from what a low rated cable network does. It reminds me of those dark times, when it was discovered the Learning Channel's obsession with child pageants may be somewhat less than educational.

Leaving the house is good. Well, not today. It's about to be 116 degrees here. But other days, outdoors is good.

[BlackSkimmer]

47. Exactly. Are people afraid that CNN is going to somehow turn people into tfg supporters?

Oh well, it's obviously the new shiny thing for the time being.

Better than reading about tfg, whom I hear WAY more about here than I ever do on CNN>

[Sympthsical]

48. The cable news networks really need to practice some self control

Now, if you don't mind. I need to copy and paste six Twitter threads about the man, complain about three hours of cable news and people talking about him, toss down two op-eds I agree with about him, and craft a couple of my own things speculating and discussing what he's been doing all morning.

Which brings me back to the main point that the media have a serious problem they're unwilling to admit. Where is the discipline? Don't they know we don't want to see this?

It's getting to be like those dairy commercials. All day with these dairy commercials. Just straight up pisses me off how much dairy advertises. Sometimes a guy just wants to eat a bag of string cheese in perfect peace without all these dairy people pushing dairy.

[BlackSkimmer]

49. Stop! And you owe me a cup of tea!

"Copy and paste six twitter threads about the man". So spot on.

And let's not forget those who frequent right wing sites just to enlighten us as to what they're saying...

[eShirl]

44. Bring back the old, old, old original CNN.