I hate it when this happens. I hate it when Fox’s flunkies at their Ministry of Proganda say something I agree with. I just hate it:
The Holloway story has been less prevalent - though not absent - on CNN. In early July, Mr. Klein pulled CNN’s correspondent out of Aruba and dropped the subject from most CNN shows in the absence of new developments.
"It’s easy and it’s brainless," Mr. Klein said in a telephone interview, explaining why cable news outlets have gravitated to it. "They’re looking for an ongoing drama" along the lines of the NBC crime show "Law & Order," he said, adding "Except ’Law & Order’ doesn’t do the same plot every night."
Mr. Klein said that the audience that sought out news all day on the Internet was not clamoring for a rehash of the Holloway case every night. Besides, Mr. Klein said, there has been ample other news to cover.
He said that on the day earlier this month when 14 marines were killed in a roadside bombing in Iraq, Ms. Van Susteren, who was in Aruba that night, stuck with the Holloway case. "Fourteen Americans dead, and they have Natalee Holloway on," Mr. Klein said. "And they’re supposedly America’s news channel."
Fox executives accused CNN of flailing with holier-than-thou criticisms because the channel is falling farther behind Fox in the ratings. Fox’s margin in viewers over CNN has grown 57 percent since Mr. Klein took over last December.
"If Jon performed as well as he talks he wouldn’t have to explain his network’s dismal ratings," said Irena Briganti, a spokeswoman for Fox News.
Irena Briganti is absolutely right. Jon Klein is a hypocrite whose chief talent is talking and blowing smoke rather than doing what should be his job, which is elevating CNN. He’d feed himself to a shark; uh, correction, he’d feed Rick Sanchez to a shark on live TV if it meant higher ratings.
For too long, too many industry journos have allowed Klein a free pass, dazzled by the shiny objects he dangles before them ("storytelling!") rather than reporting what’s abundantly clear. The ratings suck, and Klein’s insistence on aping Fox’s formula is largely to blame. Who gave us the Runaway Bride for what seemed like an eternity? Who popped his cork over the BTK maniac? And then who blabs to the press about how stories "are overplayed", after he’s ordered his people to, uh, overplay them?
What Jon Klein needs to learn (and it’s about time he figured this out, considering that he RUNS A CABLE NETWORK) is that he can match Fox story for story, but in the end not one Fox viewer will defect and CNN’s ratings will still be in the dumper. Why? Because it’s not just the types of stories Fox covers, it’s how they cover them. Fox’s viewers enjoy tuning in to watch O’Reilly make some Aruban official squirm. Aaron Brown could invite O’Reilly’s entire roster of guests on and his ratings wouldn’t come close, because Aaron isn’t a bully and a namecaller like O’Reilly. Mr. "No Spin’s" viewers enjoy watching Bill engage in character assassination, empty threats and bully boy posturing. Aaron’s viewers would never tolerate similar behavior on his show, and indeed, he’d only lose whatever audience he has already. Fans of Fox’s primetime lineup have invested in the personas of Hannity, O’Reilly, Greta and Shep. Not only that, viewers of Fox’s primetime probably watch Fox during the day as well, because they like Fox’s slant and presentation of the day’s events (notice I didn’t say "news"). In other words, Fox has branded itself effectively, while CNN, like an old dowager, is going under the knife for the thousandth time to compete with her younger rival. After all, when faced with the challenge of how to draw more viewers, Klein’s solution was to give us 5 more hours of Wolf Blitzer per week.
Enough already. Save CNN. Someone please save CNN.
Dc Media Girl Permalink
Comments (37)
|
How about a nice, hot cup of STFU?