AHC: CNN more like MSNBC

As in that they are more liberal. Feel free to discuss the WI effects as well. Bonus points if you can get CNN to be the highest in ratings.

I think a good POD is Keith Olbermann being hired in 2000, as he almost was, and have him stay there for a while.
 

Minty_Fresh

Banned
CNN has its fair share of Clintonistas already, and leans left on social issues.

To be more like MSNBC, that means you need more hard left latte liberal type personalities like Maddow. Perhaps you get Soros to try to buy it.
 

jahenders

Banned
CNN has its fair share of Clintonistas already, and leans left on social issues.

To be more like MSNBC, that means you need more hard left latte liberal type personalities like Maddow. Perhaps you get Soros to try to buy it.

All it takes is a business decision that they can make more money and/or have more influence by being openly 'on the left.' It appears that their general view now is that they're most profitable if they stay/appear close enough to center to have braod appeal.
 

Minty_Fresh

Banned
All it takes is a business decision that they can make more money and/or have more influence by being openly 'on the left.' It appears that their general view now is that they're most profitable if they stay/appear close enough to center to have braod appeal.
Its also a correct view. They have been doing very well in the ratings. I find CNN to be cringeworthy the way they sensationalize things and the constant petal to the metal excitement about mundane things, but its a formula that works.

Fox ratings wise was on top for years, until they have splintered themselves and spun into a tailspin over the inter network issues over Trump and now, the sexual harassment suit which may or may not have merit. The only thing that keeps them afloat is Fox Business, which is actually pretty solid most of the time. I mean, at least they weren't the ones telling people to buy Bear Stearns in early 2008 (cough cough CNBC cough cough).

MSNBC was always awful in the ratings, and only briefly did passable when people hate watched Olbermann. But he's gone, and the kinds of people who like far left politics don't watch network news anyways. Giving Al Sharpton his own show didn't help them, either.
 
the kinds of people who like far left politics don't watch network news anyways.

They prefer The Young Turks and Salon? Makes sense.

To make it go from centrist to left-wing, you need a left-wing businessman to buy it. George Soros would be best, I guess.
 
Not happening. CNN likes to think it is the crown jewel of tv news and therefore has to remain unbiased - the New York Times of cable news if it were. And if that means they have to share the opinions of loonies so they can maintain the appearance in their own mind of being impartial, they'll do it.
 
Not happening. CNN likes to think it is the crown jewel of tv news and therefore has to remain unbiased - the New York Times of cable news if it were. And if that means they have to share the opinions of loonies so they can maintain the appearance in their own mind of being impartial, they'll do it.

Yeah, that's true. Moderation is part of the CNN brand.
 
Yeah, that's true. Moderation is part of the CNN brand.

They say that, but their approach to actually doing that is abysmal. It feels like several anchors (such as Blitzer and King) do nothing but throw softballs at any Republicans they have on, and display a complete lack of backbone on dealing with anything slightly discomforting. I question why beltway commentators are in love with the socially liberal, fiscally conservative viewpoint.

And yes, CNN is better than Fox, but that's like saying Nickelback is better than Creed. They're both bad, one's just a bit worse than the other.
 
They say that, but their approach to actually doing that is abysmal. It feels like several anchors (such as Blitzer and King) do nothing but throw softballs at any Republicans they have on, and display a complete lack of backbone on dealing with anything slightly discomforting. I question why beltway commentators are in love with the socially liberal, fiscally conservative viewpoint.

And yes, CNN is better than Fox, but that's like saying Nickelback is better than Creed. They're both bad, one's just a bit worse than the other.

Not just a bit. A whole lot worse. But yeah, I generally agree.
 

jahenders

Banned
Its also a correct view. They have been doing very well in the ratings. I find CNN to be cringeworthy the way they sensationalize things and the constant petal to the metal excitement about mundane things, but its a formula that works.

Oh, I agree. I was just positing that for CNN to become like MSNBC, they'd have to ditch that 'moderate', mass appeal view and let their liberals run free.
 

jahenders

Banned
Not happening. CNN likes to think it is the crown jewel of tv news and therefore has to remain unbiased - the New York Times of cable news if it were. And if that means they have to share the opinions of loonies so they can maintain the appearance in their own mind of being impartial, they'll do it.

OH, I agree that they won't, unless bought by Soros or someone.

However, on the point of "remaining unbiased" -- I think they either:
a) feel they must generally, appear relatively unbiased (i.e. only injecting bias when they feel it's most important), or
b) they have no clue when they're being biased [note: this is something that studies have shown is common in new rooms]

The New York Times is certainly the crown jewel of print news, but they've clearly concluded they don't need to maintain the same appearance of being unbiased
 
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