CNN ratings at a 20 year low (Washington: lawyers, health care, donation)

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by arjay57

The Politico article made a good point about the difference between CNN and personality-driven networks like MSNBC and Fox. CNN is still trying to steer a more middle of the road, hard news course, but many viewers prefer something that caters to their political leanings.

CNN not a 'personality-driven' network? I beg to differ. They are, but are simply being beaten at their own game. The truth of it is that most Americans resent the idea of taking a backseat to 'globalization' ( aka socialization and wealth redistribution) and dont embrace the idea that CNN does.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by billl

Unfortunately, all televised news reporting in the US has gone away from journalism and moved towards entertainment. Why? Because that's what gets ratings, and ratings drive the price for commercials, and commercials generate revenue.

That's why most of the people I know don't use TV as a primary news source any longer. Some of us never did, anyway.

CNN was a very good news channel once. I used to watch it all the time. Now? I'll bet it's been six months or more.

[RoslynHolcomb]

I don't have cable and pretty much loathe all three networks. I can't deal with the local stations and their "who got shot last night while their house burned down" coverage, so I don't watch the news on television at all and probably haven't in two years. I don't even watch 60 Minutes anymore and I'd watched that since I was a child. I always have npr on in the car and on my ipad. I read the NYT and The Economist online. I like being able to read an indepth story. I hate "news by soundbite" and all the extraneous sensationalist nonsense televisions news covers these days.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

CNN not a 'personality-driven' network? I beg to differ. They are, but are simply being beaten at their own game. The truth of it is that most Americans resent the idea of taking a backseat to 'globalization' ( aka socialization and wealth redistribution) and dont embrace the idea that CNN does.

Well, you may be right, LD, although I can't think of anybody on CNN who caters to a specific political following like Maddow on MSNBC or Hannity and O'Reilly on Fox.

[researchnerd]

Originally Posted by cittic10

I'm sure it's incredibly profitable. After all, they're pretty much non-stop commercials and what are obviously paid stories.

Do you have a source for this, or is it opinion?

Yeah, CNN's TV rankings are in the toilet. But I never watch TV news, unless you count the Daily Show. I don't read newspapers either, I get my news from the web. And the CNN website is consistently ranked #1 or #2 for news (Nielsen, eBiz).

[PedestriAnne]

I don't have cable, but my digital antenna picks up a 24-hour news network from Paris called France 24 (They have three networks - English, French and Arabic). I get news from Deutsche Welle, BBC and Al Jezeera on my phone. Having gotten used to the way those networks approach news, I don't think I could even watch CNN any more.

The way things are now, news hardly seems like something that belongs on American TV any more. The constant need to interrupt with commercials undermines their ability to report a lot of stories with the depth they require, and the pandering to emotion with "scandals" and the Missing Pretty Girl of the Month just to get people to watch is so undignified. Add in the fact that it's an election year and it's nearly unbearable.

One thing that might help is to air the commercials the way that the European news networks do - all in a block at the beginning/end of the program, not interrupting it every five minutes. I wonder if that idea has been considered and discarded because advertisers would refuse to pay the customary rates to have their commercials aired in a fashion that makes it easier for people to avoid them.

[RoslynHolcomb]

I forgot sbout France 24, I do like their news. I do miss the Daily Show, but watch it online sometimes. I feel better informed by Jon Stewart than any of the actual news anchors. The news has been corporatized and gutted to the point that they don't cover news anymore, then they create a fake "reality" of voyeuristic nonsense to pacify the masses. It's the ultimate camera obscura and the American people have fallen for it. Depressing.

[MiamiRob]

Originally Posted by po-boy

I agree that the quality of CNN has gone downhill over the years, and I think it would be better if it had not been purchased by Time Warner. It was much better when Turner Broadcasting was independent. That being said, I think CNN is probably the best source of actual news among American cable networks. If there is actual breaking news and I'm going to watch tv to see what is going on, I always go to CNN.

The problem (ratings-wise) is that when there are not big breaking news stories, the other networks have CNN beat on the talking-head stuff. Fox caters to the right, MSNBC caters to the left, and CNN is mostly in the middle (with a slight left lean IMO). People generally watch something that reinforces their beliefs, so they go with either Fox or MSNBC.

I have known about the declining ratings at CNN for a while, I'm glad to read that its other activities keep it profitable.

I agree! There really is no other News Channel that can compare to CNN when it comes to news.

[cittic10]

Originally Posted by researchnerd

Do you have a source for this, or is it opinion?.

It's my opinion. Do you think the corporate media would go publicizing how they choose what stories they're going to do? Next time you see a story about how great the economy is doing in some podunk down thanks to the gas drilling or next time you see a story about some medical procedure or some medical study, doesn't it ever cross your mind what prompted them to cover it? Especially when so many of the commercials you see are for oil & gas and pharma?

If not, it should.

And it's not just the stories they do but the stories they don't do.

Originally Posted by PedestriAnne

I don't have cable, but my digital antenna picks up a 24-hour news network from Paris called France 24 (They have three networks - English, French and Arabic). I get news from Deutsche Welle, BBC and Al Jezeera on my phone. Having gotten used to the way those networks approach news, I don't think I could even watch CNN any more.

France 24 (Pronounced Fwonce van cat ) is great and it's available over the air here for free. I forget what channel number... 30-something. D/W ain't bad either.

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

I feel better informed by Jon Stewart than any of the actual news anchors. The news has been corporatized and gutted to the point that they don't cover news anymore, then they create a fake "reality" of voyeuristic nonsense to pacify the masses. It's the ultimate camera obscura and the American people have fallen for it. Depressing.

You know your country's so-called news offerings are bad when the most trusted man in news is a comedian who does a fake news show 4 nights a week on basic cable.

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

I agree! There really is no other News Channel that can compare to CNN when it comes to news.

You're right. It's so incredibly bad, nothing compares.
It would be nice if they actually had some news.

[afonega1]

While CNN is lacking as other American news channels are,it does have "CNN INTERNATIONAL.The quality and the content is like NIGHT and DAY.Its definately on par with the BBC or France 24. Unfortunately you cant get it without getting a package that causes you to pay over $100 a month to Comcast.Hence why I no longer have it.