Your Views On The News March 15, 2010

There was a lot of buzz on the Internet last week about changes that may or may not be coming to CNN. As a long time AC360 watcher I have noticed a difference in the program's direction during the last few weeks. Less panels and more diverse stories on a wider range of topics have been a welcome change. Here are a few observations from insiders about what maybe in the works for American Morning. The Wrap wrote:"CNN – which has been shuffling its weekend and evening lineups of late – is developing a new morning show pilot, with a format closer to MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and “Fox & Friends” than anything it has ever done, TheWrap has learned......
But according to one source familiar with the network’s development process, CNN is testing a concept that would include personalities with dueling political ideologies and opinions. That would be a bit of a departure for CNN, which considers itself to be a bipartisan, journalistically-driven network unlike its rivals at Fox News and MSNBC. (CNN does have a roving band of politically-charged commentators like Mary Matalin and Ed Rollins, but other than Lou Dobbs and the late "Crossfire," never had them host.)
A CNN insider, however, stressed that the programming and talent department are “always testing new talent” and formats, and that the pilot in question is not similar to “Morning Joe.”
It’s also unclear how the pilot would affect CNN’s current a.m. offering, “American Morning.” While the show, hosted by Kiran Chetry and John Roberts, is in second place in the ratings behind “Fox & Friends,” the gap is widening.
According to Nielsen, “American Morning” is down 30 percent across the board in 2010."Medialite took The Wrap's story a few steps further and wrote:
"In some ways, what’s happening in the morning at CNN is symptomatic of a larger issue at CNN – where hard news continues to drive prime time as well. While the formula may have worked in the past, the ratings are declining, and CNN hasn’t evolved in the same way the competition (FNC, MSNBC and even sister-network HLN) have.
Another element to this is Kiran Chetry, who came over from Fox News (very suddenly) almost three years ago exactly. Would a change at CNN in the morning coincide with her contract being up? CNN had no comment (although, regarding Chetry, others yesterday did).
One final note – in TVNewser’s write-up yesterday they highlight “another top-line talent may bolt the cable channel when her contract expires. We hear she’s being wooed by one of the big 3 news divisions.” It would make sense that this person is Christiane Amanpour, whose name has been rumored for the vacant This Week job. In that case, it wouldn’t directly related to CNN’s morning show changes (or non-changes). "

And while we're on the topic of Christiane Amanpour,
TVNewseris reporting that she was offered the job at ABC News and has not decided where her future lies.




Someone who has found her future is Gerri Willis, who has signed with Fox Business News. Willis will host a primetime weekend program called Willis Report. When announcing the new hire Roger Alies,FBN chairman and CEO, said "Most of the CNN talent have been restrained from showing what they can do."


So there you have some of the latest developments in CNN's struggle back up the viewship ladder. We look forward to your views on the news.



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Candy Crowley to Speak at FOSE

Candy Crowley, CNN senior political correspondent and host of State of the Union, will be the keynote speaker for FOSE on March 24. FOSE is a comprehensive event for government IT professionals and will be held March 23-25 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. CC's keynote speech is scheduled for 9AM.
The FOSE Expo is free to government employees, military and government contractors. The conference is not. A two-day ticket costs $245 for government employees and $345 for nongovernment employees. For more information just follow the link.





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Can CNN Survive on News Alone?

The following article appears in this week's issue of TV Guide magazine. (Please remember to click to enlarge.)

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Ratings For The Week of March 1st

Rating calculations are weekly averages based on nightly ratings provided by TVNewser with data by Nielsen Media Research. Numbers reflect Live and same day (DVR) data.

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Candy Crowley in NY Magazine

NY Magazine posted an article with Candy Crowley about her new show. Here's an excerpt. Click here for the full article.

Four weeks ago, reporter Candy Crowley took over CNN's Sunday political show State of the Union from anchor John King, who will be moving to a weekday show to take over Lou Dobbs's spot. We spoke to Crowley about her new role, and about being a woman on a day of the week, and in a field, dominated by sputtering white men.

So, what are your goals with the new show? What do you hope to do?

I don't think the core of the Sunday genre changes. I think you want to have people on to either explain last week, or to look into next week. Still, one of the things that [CNN president] Jon Klein told me when I got the job was, "I don't want Candy Crowley to do John King's show. I want Candy Crowley to do Candy Crowley's show." And I wish that I could delineate for you what that is. For instance — and this is a small thing — last week we got a smaller table. And it made for a more intimate discussion, which I liked. I have topics that I’ve written out that I think would be nice to cover, but I don’t have specific questions, because I like to listen to the answers and just see where it’s going.

Sometimes it does seem like a big table makes people take turns talking.

It feels very much like I throw a jump ball, and they play the game. And some people can handle that, but just for me, I need to be able to look people in the eye and be close to them.

You are a woman on a day of the week, and in a position, where there aren’t many women. Did you think about that when you took this job?
I didn't. When Jon offered me the job I just thought, "What a good journalistic opportunity. This is gonna be really fun." And then it got announced three days later on the Sunday show. And I didn't really think about the whole female part of it until I started getting all these e-mails. I got this one great e-mail from a young woman, who worked in a small TV station somewhere, saying: "I worked here and I watched you for so long. All of my friends here are so excited to have a woman. I'm going to watch every Sunday, because I think it's so terrific and so about time. Also, it's time for more leopard prints on Sunday." And I just cracked up.

Are women subjected to different standards? You've talked about your appearance before, and whether or not that matters. Do you think that viewers look at women differently than men in this position?
I'm sure they do. I think sometimes it's helpful, and I think sometimes it's not helpful, depending on the viewer. I don't think anyone ever wrote John and said, "That’s a really ugly tie and never wear it again." But I fully expect someone, and it will probably be my mother, will write me and say: "Don't ever wear that again." Maybe there are more hills to climb. But you know, I’ve been a girl all my life, I’ll deal.

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CNN on SNL

If you are a regular CNN viewer you will recognize, and probably get a chuckle out of Saturday Night Live's opening skit. It pokes some fun at CNN's iReports, Twitter, Jack Cafferty, Gloria Borger, Wolf Blitzer and Christiane Amanpour. Enjoy!

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Your Views On The News March 5, 2010

ATC's readers have questioned Jon Klein's decisions from time to time......ok constantly. TV Guide Magazine posed some questions to Klein that might clarify why he does what he does.

I thought this might make a good starter for our Your Views on the News discussion.

So why isn’t CNN U.S. president Jon Klein worried? He thinks his channel’s straight-ahead news coverage has become more valuable as his competitors draw viewers with opinion. “Last year was our most profitable year ever,” he says. “We’ve doubled our profit just in the last four years by being the only reliable provider of TV news day in and day out, online and internationally.”
Noting that CNN’s 2009 prime-time audience was higher than it was in 2005, Klein says his network has not been hurt by FNC, which he believes is in a different business with its partisan personalities. “We cover the news,” he says. “They are about fomenting outrage. They do it very well. Their viewers stay longer. That’s about a state of mind.” (A Fox News Channel spokesperson said: “We don’t respond to presidents of fifth-place news networks. The last time we looked, Jon was losing to the Weather Channel, so call us back when he and CNN regain relevancy.”) Fox News points out that its regular news programs also top CNN by wide margins.

I couldn't resist highlighting the response from Fox, sadly it is so true. To read more just follow the link.

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