How CNN can Beat Fox.
It just occurred to me. It really did.
If CNN wants to take over the news business again, they have one choice to make. And that is to be unrelentingly antagonistic toward the Bush administraton and the Republican party establishment.
This will generate a lot of attacks, whining, and complaining from the rightwing media machine. It may even generate a boycott of the network by the GOP, and/or a freeze out by the Bush administration.
If it does, that is 100% solid ratings gold for CNN. Nothing generates publicity like controversy. And nothing sends people rushing for their remotes to tune into your network like the prospect of fireworks.
Be honest. Do you tune in to watch American Idol to see some great feats of vocal gymnsatics? Or to see who will be the next William Hung?
CNN should summarily fire every one of its sycophantic, boring reporters, and hire every liberal, entertaining, anti-Bush firebrand they can find. Do story and after story after story on the latest way Bush is screwiong America and the world. Hire Al Franken, Jon Stewart, Joe Conason, Ed Schultz, and Bob Somerby. Tell people that if they want balance, they should become buddhists.
You can bet that every network, and major newspaper will write editorials denouncing CNN, and attacking them. Howie Kurtz will have a connyption! Advertisers will pull out. The establishment will run for the hills. But you can also bet that CNN will no longer be hemorraging viewers.
People will tune in. And when they do, a market for anti-GOP, anti-Bush news will be born.
Just a thought.
UPDATE: According to Drudge, someone over at CNN may already be taking my advice (snicker):
“CNN AIRS PROTESTER SHOUTING ‘F[UCK] BUSH’ SIX TIMES… NETWORK DOESN’T CUT AUDIO FEED OF PROLONGED JEER… DEVELOPING…”
All–fuckin’-right!
January 20th, 2005 at 12:31 pm
Excellent insight for CNN but I doubt they would entertain any of your thoughts. I wrote to CNN this past summer indicating I would no longer view any of their shows. After I viewed “Outfoxed” documentary I began to recognize similar patterns at CNN to race to the bottom of right wing muck. It’s obvious it is not working if CNN is still losing viewers. CNN doesn’t get that there is already a far right wing news network. In order to compete CNN must provide a different point of view. I believe within the next year or so the left will get their own news media channel. It would be great if it were CNN.
January 20th, 2005 at 1:36 pm
This would only work if America wasn’t an oligarchy. Those who have the gold (or in this case, the shares and directorships) make the rules.
January 20th, 2005 at 2:09 pm
No time for kvetching. Hesiod is on to something. I say enough of us get out there and BUY TIME WARNER, and then we can dictate corporate policy…
Controlling the levels of media is a key part of their arsenal. Its about time we fought back on the same terms.
January 20th, 2005 at 2:26 pm
Of course CNN could become very popular for the next four years by following that plan. But, the bottom line isn’t about being popular. It is about how much money the owners can accumulate. And, that is done by wheeling and dealing in TV stations, networks, etc. Without the complicity of the government, that gets iffy. Now, do you suppose this particular government would join in such an endeavor if CNN followed your advice? Where is Soros and his money when we really need him?
January 20th, 2005 at 7:02 pm
Soon to be unemployed Dan Rather could be the anchor and he’s already warmed up for the job.
January 21st, 2005 at 9:14 am
i like the idea… then again, i think instigation is the only way to make people sit back and think about what they’re doing, and getting things to start changing.
corporate advertising really doesn’t care as much about politics as the corporations would seem to. they go wherever there’s the perception of an audience to pander to.
if CNN’s market share were to increase because of the change in programming, the advertisers won’t go anywhere, not just because the message might have shifted. They may lose a few, but I’d bet they’d gain that same number back in new ads. Everything shifts, all the time… the key is adapating and waiting for the shift back, and to not let the shift back go to the opposite extreme.
is CNN on satellite radio, or any of it’s shows?
January 21st, 2005 at 7:08 pm
Brilliant idea. I don’t really care what gets better ratings than Faux, but I’d like a video version of Air America, disguised as a “Bare and Phalanced” network.