The CNN Conundrum

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CNN has been on top of the MH370 story since the plane’s disappearance. In the mind of some, they’ve been on top of it too much. I’m in that camp.

Because there’s more time to fill than there’s story, CNN has to reach into its vat of Newsroom Helper.

Why have a person speculate when you can have a gaggle of people speculate! Martin Savidge is in Canada (his home and native land), flying a 777 simulator. Tom Foreman has been standing in front of virtual props. Theories area pondered which contain two or more “what if”s.

A nameless friend just emailed.

“When I saw a ridiculous show answering tweets, I was wondering if Ted should die, turn over in his grave, then come back to life and beg TW to sell CNN back to him.”

cnn-hd-logo-png-skI should have mentioned… the numbers are up. They’re way up.

What should CNN do?

TV is an unusual business. The actual product, news, isn’t sold. What’s sold is access to the audience.

The newsroom is supported by a business. Without the business, there’s no newsroom.

People working in newsrooms often forget this. Maybe that’s for the better.

CNN has been hurting the past few years. First Fox News, then MSNBC left them behind. All of a sudden CNN is on the move. (Wednesday’s ratings at the end of this entry.)

Even I, who has kvetched about this before, finds it difficult to look away. Shame on me.

When CNN began it was primarily a news channel. Times and audiences have forced them to change. Now it’s information, some of which is news.

None of this makes me happy. Why CNN is doing it is understandable. I’m not sure they have a choice.

  • Total day: FNC: 314 | MSNBC: 133 | CNN: 201 | HLN: 97
  • Primetime: FNC: 470 | MSNBC: 245 | CNN: 296 | HLN: 136

4p: 5p: 6p: 7p: 8p: 9p: 10p: 11p: 12a:
FNC
Cavuto:

254

TheFive:

419

Baier:

453

Greta:

336

O’Reilly:

537

Megyn:

501

Hannity:

356

O’Reilly:

306

Megyn:

300

MSNBC
Wagner:

101

EdShow:

142

Sharpton:

161

Matthews:

215

Hayes:

239

Maddow:

266

O’Donnell:

227

Hayes:

130

Maddow:

155

CNN
Tapper:

163

Blitzer:

208

Blitzer:

285

Burnett:

322

Cooper:

342

Morgan:

277

SpcReport:

268

Cooper:

193

Morgan:

193

HLN
News:

45

Files:

21

Files:

63

Jane:

67

Grace:

101

DrDrew:

120

Files:

188

Files:

204

Files:

221

Total Viewers (Live +SD)

  • Total day: FNC: 1.451 | MSNBC: 428 | CNN: 617 | HLN: 228
  • Primetime: FNC: 2.226 | MSNBC: 777 | CNN: 794 | HLN: 339

4p: 5p: 6p: 7p: 8p: 9p: 10p: 11p: 12a:
FNC
Cavuto:

1.496

TheFive:

2.445

Baier:

2.177

Greta:

1.623

O’Reilly:

2.868

Megyn:

2.294

Hannity:

1.489

O’Reilly:

1.057

Megyn:

890

MSNBC
Wagner:

335

EdShow:

476

Sharpton:

535

Matthews:

755

Hayes:

667

Maddow:

941

O’Donnell:

720

Hayes:

441

Maddow:

413

CNN
Tapper:

633

Blitzer:

800

Blitzer:

823

Burnett:

767

Cooper:

869

Morgan:

811

SpcReport:

697

Cooper:

548

Morgan:

465

HLN
News:

123

Files:

96

Files:

158

Jane:

205

Grace:

374

DrDrew:

309

Files:

336

Files:

468

Files:

467