I miss CNN Headline News (cartoon, shows, 90s, doctor)
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I’m not a fan of CNN. But I miss the original format of the CNNHLN. Turn the tv on any time of the day and get a brief overview of the biggest news stories of the day. I remember open waiting areas (like doctors offices, airports, etc) having this station as one of the family safe options for their TV. I know the network still exist but it’s become more like CNN2.
Whenever I think of HLN, the following two things come to mind for me:
1. I worked at a burger place in college that head HLN on all.the.time. As in, that was pretty much the only channel they would have on during the day unless it was a weekend and football was on. When I worked a 6-7 hour shift, I got really, really sick of listening to the same story over and over and over.
2. Robin Meade. She was the main anchor in the mornings (I think it was am). Anyway, my husband could not stand her. And he felt compelled to tell me that all the time. For years. Personally, I always rather liked her.
Whenever I think of HLN, the following two things come to mind for me:
1. I worked at a burger place in college that head HLN on all.the.time. As in, that was pretty much the only channel they would have on during the day unless it was a weekend and football was on. When I worked a 6-7 hour shift, I got really, really sick of listening to the same story over and over and over.
2. Robin Meade. She was the main anchor in the mornings (I think it was am). Anyway, my husband could not stand her. And he felt compelled to tell me that all the time. For years. Personally, I always rather liked her.
This HLN news sounds like The Satellite News Channel "Give us 18 minutes and we'll give you the world!" which was the basis for my news caster spoof of "W P R X, the grand prix of news. Give us a minute and we'll take you around the world!".
Morning Express with Robin Meade was best to me when they had an internet feed/contest where the viewers could link in each morning. The contest was over little details in each story. In between the questions, it was a massive chat channel between all of us and even Robin and the weatherman, what's his name, one syllable, were reading that, chirping in at times. Such as ......
Me (as Tamara Ounce): Robin looks like she is about to fall out of her top.
(a few seconds later) I am not about to fall out of my top! I am wearing a tee under this!--Robin
Me: Ooooops!......sorry, Robin
That little piece of Internet fun quickly disappeared, however.
Working the mid shift in a Networks Operation Center, I was there when she came on at 0500 and the Spanish news shows came on shortly after......and because I was watching all 3 (Un Nuevo Dia (then Levante) & Primero Noticias), I eventually realized the joke that American news had become. First of all, some of the stories showing up in English had been shown in Spanish the day before. Secondly, the American "news" show was really about just feeling good, there really wasn't any substance to it at all. It wasn't a news show but it called itself that; it was more like a morning show.....but Un Nuevo Dia had a lot more substance to it.
As things go, that period in my life is where I fell for Robin, Rashel Diaz (Un Nuevo Dia) and Laura G (Primero Noticias)......but it is only the last two that I actively follow to this day.
Point 2, rather related. A number of years ago, I had to work New Years Eve in the op center so I got to see the English and Spanish celebrations.......the Spanish one, with Laura G in a DisneyWorld (I think) segment.......was a HECK MORE FUN!
I’m not a fan of CNN. But I miss the original format of the CNNHLN. Turn the tv on any time of the day and get a brief overview of the biggest news stories of the day. I remember open waiting areas (like doctors offices, airports, etc) having this station as one of the family safe options for their TV. I know the network still exist but it’s become more like CNN2.
CNN was awesome the first year or 2. There was no 24 hour news cycle, so they really only had about 4-6 hours of programming and just repeated it over a 24 hour period. That gave you several changes to catch that days domestic and international news.
Best yet, it was NEWS. Lynne Russell was just a straight "here are the facts" anchor.
The closest we have today is One America News Network. It is a lot like CNN was back when CNN was new.
There is no daily national cable news anymore. Only the local news is still "news". Pretty much all of the national cable stations have gone to a tabloid format where the anchor gives 2 or 3 minutes to lead a news story, followed by 10 minutes of discussion with guest or a panel.
Way back in the day, the McLaughlin Group was sort of the only type of show that had this format. A quick lead in to introduce a discussion topic followed by discussion.
Back in the day, the news used to cover a goodly number of stories describing how, what, when, where, and why, and did not tell you what it meant or what to think about it. It was up to you to digest the news and create your own opinion. Then all of these news outlets went tabloid and spent 10 times the amount of time telling you their interpretation of what the "news" means, rather than actually telling you the news.
I really miss the old days when they simply covered stories, gave pertinent details, and did not offer analysis. Today, you can't find news on CNN, Fox, MSNBC, etc. It is all opinion. The only time there is news is when something huge happens, and even then they report relatively briefly before falling back to analysis.
DON'T tell me what to think or believe. Give me the raw facts and I will decide what to think about it. The national news is dead. It is all tabloid. It is all opinion. They convey very little news today, just tons of analysis and spin. They just introduce a news topic and then waste the next 10 minutes discusing it rather than giving you the news.
National cable news is dead. No wonder I get all my news from the Internet. I really miss the original CNN.
Last edited by Igor Blevin; 08-27-2020 at 01:38 AM..
When HLN was in its early days, ex or I would put the tv on before the coffee! Bobby Battista and her hubby were the co-anchors. Can't remember his name.
I also liked how old-school Headline News had "newsreaders" (the British term) whose only job was to read the info off the prompter and introduce/lead out of the taped segments. They were much more interchangeable. Headline News wasn't purposely trying to create "celebrity anchors" back then (though they ended up with a few, such as the above-mentioned Lynne Russell) with a following. Once they have a following, they inevitably develop an onscreen point of view (bias) and the sharing of information becomes "what I think of the day's events".
The CNN mother-ship became all about the creation of "celebrity anchors" somewhere along the line and they sold their respectability along the way. Now they are indeed like a parody of a news network.
News from the old days. Imagine how Walter Cronkite would rip Trump a new one, and Trump wouldnt even know it was happening. He would have to get Kellyanne to explain it to him.
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