Saturday, April 02, 2005
Cable News Covers Pope's Death
Source: Associated Press The pope's death was something for which networks had been preparing for years and, more recently, anticipated as the pope's conditioned worsened over the past few days. CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC had been essentially holding an electronic vigil since late Thursday.
Aaron Brown was in Rome for CNN, which simulcast its international network in the United States for the hours preceding the pope's death. Its cameras showed tearful young people mourning the Polish pope in Krakow, Poland.
Shepard Smith anchored Fox News Channel's coverage from Rome, 26 hours after the network's embarrassing faux pas of declaring the pope dead based on an erroneous report. Fox featured an interview with one of its top executives, John Moody, a former Time bureau chief in Rome and biographer of the pope.
Lester Holt anchored MSNBC's coverage, with Chris Matthews in Rome. MORE
# posted by ATN @ 9:59 PM 
CNN Coverage of The Pope's Death
Pic from TV Heads
02:57pm eastern CNN/I thus CNN/US were in the middle of a "standup" from Kelley Wallace when the Pope has died graphic was put up, Jonathan Mann interrupted Kelley to announce the news. FNC had the news at about the same time.
Headline News was in a commercial break. When they came back at the top of the hour from the commercial break the anchor was LIVE and announced the Pope's death then said we now join CNN for continuous coverage. SO for right now CNN/I is providing coverage to ALL of the networks news channels.
Update: 3:30pm CNN/US now in charge of coverage of the Pope's death. Aaron Brown in Rome anchoring the coverage. CNN/I and HLN viewers getting the whole CNN/US package.
Update: 10:50pm The death of the Pope coverage continues on CNN. I assume (gotta watch that, it will get you in trouble) CNN/US and CNN/International are still simulcasting. CNN's coverage remains crawless. One can only hope the crawl is gone for good, but I doubt it.
Update: 04/03 The crawl returned soon after joining CNN-I coverage Saturday night.
Update: Who had what, when?
This from the MSNBC Group
MSNBC at 2:54:25
Fox at 2:56:40
CNN at 2:56:50
HLN at 3:00:00 (from DCG)
# posted by ATN @ 3:00 PM
FNC Introduces New Motto
Source: Newshounds A sexy female voice-over says "We're always live" over the usual hyperactive background graphics as 24/7, then 365, then the Fox News Channel logo flash by. Total time = 4 seconds. Total truth = 0. (6:47pm ET 4/1/05)
FNC shows re-runs from 11pm ET to 5am ET weekdays.
DCG Comments: Also notice last night FNC's "hosts" now refer to their NYC Headquarters as FOX News World Headquarters in New York.
# posted by ATN @ 1:54 PM
CNN/I Anchors Hold Down the Fort
Not only is CNN/I different in that it actually has newscasts BUT it's anchors pull marathon anchor shifts. Anchoring from London, Richard Quest and Monita Rajpal anchored four hours of LIVE coverage that aired on both CNN/US and CNN/International. At 4am eastern Shihab Rattansi and Hala Gorani took over the reigns, anchoring from CNN Center in Atlanta. It's kinda discouraging watching the CNN/I coverage knowing it won't be on CNN/US forever.
# posted by ATN @ 4:00 AM
Critic:Pope Coverage "Amazingly Refreshing"
Source: Arizona Republic BillGoody- koontz writes: As cable news networks scrambled to cover the declining health of Pope John Paul II on Friday, they straddled the delicate line between life and death, between respect and intrusion.
Overall, though sometimes conducted in such a way that made it seem as if he were already dead, the coverage was enormously respectful, particularly when compared with the recent high-profile, cable-news-magnet death of Terri Schiavo.
What was most notable about the coverage, in comparison not only with Schiavo's last days and ensuing death but to almost every major story cable news has covered in the past 10 years, was what it lacked: argument.For anyone who closely follows cable news, this was amazingly refreshing. This is a story that doesn't lend itself to the ideological posturing and obscene my-way-or-the-highway grandstanding that so colored Schiavo's death, robbing her of dignity.
If coverage of the end of Schiavo's life revealed how cable news can get things wrong, coverage of the decline of Pope John Paul II showed how it can sometimes get things right. The trick is to make this the rule, not the exception.
Read the complete article HERE.
# posted by ATN @ 3:38 AM
Friday, April 01, 2005
Gettin' Out From Behind the Desk
>> Anderson Cooper hosted 360 tonight LIVE from outside Saint Patrick's Cathedral in NYC tonight. Looks like Paula will be inside tonight. IMO anchors need to get out from behind the desks more often than they do.
Update: Paula Zahn is in for Aaron Brown tonight. As reported earlier today AB is on his way to Rome.
Note: Earlier this evening I, DCG, totally did away with the post (confirmed info) related to AB going to Rome to make way for information posted on TVN regarding who will be in Rome when. Well come to find out TVN's info was WRONG. I apologize for posting erroneous information. Once again I regret that decision. Thanks.
# posted by ATN @ 7:49 PM
CNN Plans 24/7 LIVE Weekend Coverage
Yahooooooo!!! CNN/US viewers will get LIVE news overnight tonight thanks to CNN-International. The program schedule at CNN.com has been updated to reflect the changes. The simulcast will begin at midnight eastern.
ALSO get ready for a special American Morning on Saturday morning AND ALL DAY LIVE COVERAGE.
Saturday CNN/US schedule:
all times eastern
>>7am American Morning- CNN's Bill Hemmer is live in Rome with the latest on Pope John Paul II's condition.
>>Noon CNN/International Coverage
>>4pm CNN Live Saturday- CNN's Aaron Brown is live in Rome as the world awaits word on the pope's fate.
>>7pm CNN Saturday Night- Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour are in Rome with the latest details on Pope John Paul II's condition.
>>9pm Larry King Live- As the faithful pray for Pope John Paul II, Vatican experts weigh in with the latest news and debate.
>>10pm CNN Saturday Night- CNN's Anderson Cooper and Christian Amanpour are live in Rome as the faithful pray for Pope John Paul II
>>Midnight- CNN/International LIVE Coverage
Update: Sunday's schedule has now been updated and is as follows:
all times eastern
>>7am American Morning- CNN's Bill Hemmer is live in Rome with the latest on Pope John Paul II's condition.
>>Noon Late Edition- Wolf looks the political and cultural impact of John Paul II's papacy.
>> 2pm People in the News- Pope John Paul II's life and legacy, from his path to the papacy to his impact on Catholic doctrine.
>> 3pm CNN Live Sunday- Aaron Brown in Rome and Carol Lin in Atlanta bring you complete coverage of Pope John Paul II's condition.
>> 7pm People in the News- Pope John Paul II's life and legacy, from his path to the papacy to his impact on Catholic doctrine.
>> 8pm CNN Sunday Night- CNN's Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour are live in Rome as the faithful pray for Pope John Paul II.
>> 9pm Larry King Live- As the faithful mourn the loss of Pope John Paul II, Vatican experts look ahead at who may replace him.
>> 10pm CNN Sunday Night- CNN's Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour are live in Rome as the faithful pray for Pope John Paul II.
>> 11pm CNN International LIVE Coverage
# posted by ATN @ 6:41 PM
AP:FNC Jumps Gun First; CNN Follows Later but "Cautiously"
Want video of FNC goof? You'll find it HERE.
Source: Associated Press Fox News Channel erroneously reported the death of Pope John Paul II on Friday afternoon, swiftly backpedaled and, within 45 minutes, apologized to viewers for the mistake.Viewers could be forgiven for confusion as the cable news networks flashed reports at them. At 12:30 p.m. EST, MSNBC posted the words "Pope lost consciousness" on its screen. At the same moment, CNN was reporting: "Pope visibly joining in prayers of those around him."
But at 1:23 p.m., Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith reported that the pope had died. At least initially, he did not cite sources.
Within a few minutes, Fox reporter Greg Palkot in Rome was sending signals of caution, saying the report had not been confirmed and the network was checking into it.
"The exact time of death is not something that matters so much at the moment," Smith said.
Fox spokeswoman Irena Briganti said a Fox producer, monitoring a translation of reports from Italian media, erroneously shouted that the pope had died and it had gotten on the air through an open mike. Smith was responding to the producer's words.
At 2 p.m., Smith explained to viewers that a Fox affiliate in Italy had been listening to an inaccurate report and it was transmitted to Fox.
About five minutes after Fox's report, CNN reported that there were conflicting news agency reports about whether the pope was still alive. One of its Vatican reporters, Delia Gallagher, said CNN had no independent confirmation and "we have to be very careful."
The Associated Press sent an advisory to its members at 1:31 p.m. that some Italian media were reporting the pope was dead and that the AP was trying to verify the reports. At 1:55 p.m., the AP sent a NewsAlert that the Vatican had denied he was dead.
"There are a lot of conflicting reports over there and we apologize for the confusion," CNN's Miles O'Brien told viewers.
# posted by ATN @ 4:53 PM
Aaron Brown off To Rome
CNN insider advises, "Aaron Brown to Rome to be "point man" for coverage along with Jim Bitterman, Christiane Amanpour and Alessio Vinci et al"
Note: Earlier this evening I, DCG, totally did away with the above post to make way for information posted on TVN regarding who will be in Rome when. Well come to find out TVN's info was WRONG. I apologize for posting erroneous information. Once again I regret that decision. Thanks
# posted by ATN @ 4:25 PM
Conflicting Reports of Pope's Death
CNNFan is"Live Blogging" CNN/I-CNN/US simulcast. Check it out HERE.
Source: Lost Remote Blog
Conflicting reports of Pope's death
1:30PM ET - Reuters is citing Italian news reports that the Pope has died, but there's no confirmation from the Vatican. Both Fox News and CNN are relaying the Reuters report (clarifying that they have not independently confirmed it), but the networks and MSNBC are holding off.
1:35PM - CNN.com and FoxNews.com not mentioning the Reuters report.
1:40PM- Some Italian media now reporting the Pope's brain activity may have ceased, but his heart is still beating. "[We] got ahead of ourselves," Shep Smith said. Fox News has pulled the graphic citing Italian media. CNN replaced its banner with: "Conflicting reports among Italian media about Pope's condition."
1:50PM - Vatican sources say Pope's brain, heart still functioning.
2:00PM - Shep Smith explains on Fox News that Sky Italia initially reported the Pope had died. "I am very sorry," he says. "The word was inaccurate."
2:11PM - Here's the new Reuters report clarifying the Italian media confusion.
2:15PM - Moments after the first Italian media reports, Seattle's St. James Cathedral unveiled black drapes to signify the Pope's death. The church then said it made a mistake because of conflicting media reports.
2:20PM - CNN takes its first commercial break in awhile. Cable nets back in "wait and see" mode.
UPDATE: Found this on the Media Line message board: "Did anyone else hear that reporter on Fox yelling "the pope is dead.. helloooo.. the pope is dead!" Obviously and accident, but tacky. Then someone else yelling "hello, i'm yelling here, can anyone hear me?" How horrible."
# posted by ATN @ 2:26 PM
More Ted Rumors
My gosh will the rumors STOP about Ted Koppel!! There's a pretty good article in the Philadelphia Inquirer that has a quote from CNN Political Analyst Jeff Greenfield about his former ABC co-worker: "Ted's always had his head screwed on straight about life and taking plenty of time for his family."
But Ted has this to say about leaving ABC and Nightline: "It's time to start a new chapter in my life."
Tv Newser got CNN Prez Jon Klein to comment about Ted: "I'm sure he'll have no lack of interest from serious news organizations."
UPDATE 3:35p.m. : Yesterday I, DCG made this comment: "Oh how we hate not knowing the things we don't know." Then I get this from an insider: "Or, another way to look at it is, "oh how we hate knowing what we know and not being able to tell it." That opens up a whole different can of worms.
# posted by ATN @ 1:35 PM
Critics Not Happy With Schiavo Coverage
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer "Cable-television news is a triumph of intensity over reason," said Lee Wilkins, an ethics professor on the faculty of broadcast news at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. "And this story really requires thought."
Cable news' big sin has been to turn viewers into voyeurs, trespassing in a private person's life, Wilkins added.
The repetition of the now-famous footage of Schiavo's unfocused stare served only to intrude on the woman's misery, Wilkins said.
Fox News declined to comment for this article, but both MSNBC's Effron and CNN president Jonathan Klein, along with executives at the broadcast networks, said their organizations were aware of the video's power.
"We began to realize early last week that that video could be misconstrued," Klein said Wednesday. "We [visually] burned in the dates so that people would not believe it was a representation of what she looked like now. We have severely cut back on its use."
More Viewers for Cable News
March 18-26, 8 to 11 p.m
CNN 873,000; last year same time frame:798,000 ; % of change: +9
FNC 1.7 million; 1.5 million; +15
MSNBC 365,000; 289,000; +26
# posted by ATN @ 1:17 PM
AC to Be on Panel at Cable Convention This Weekend
Source: C-Net Cable kings will hold court this weekend in San Francisco for their annual get-together, discussing the state of the industry in the face of changing technologies and consolidation among their competitors.
Like every year, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association's annual convention will mix geek with glitz. Such tech luminaries as Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang, Cisco CEO John Chambers and Google co-founder Larry Page will share top billing with DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and NBC Universal CEO Bob Wright.
Other leaders, including the CEOs of the nation's top cable companies--Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Adelphia and Cablevision--will be headlining with keynotes and panel discussions. Panels will be moderated by well-known cable news anchors, including CNBC's Ron Insana and Maria Bartiromo, Fox News' Stuart Varney, and CNN's Anderson Cooper.
# posted by ATN @ 1:11 PM
Coming Soon: Foxes of CNN issue of Playboy
APRIL FOOLS!.... sorry, found that on a cable news message board and thought it was a rather good Aprils Fools joke!
# posted by ATN @ 1:01 PM
Roger Ailes Spouts his 2 Cents
Source: CBS Market Watch (sub needed) FNC President Roger Ailes participated in an interview series at Syracuse University's Newhouse in New York Thursday,03/31 and had something to say about everything, including CNN. Some of them are humorous and I added some commentary. Just couldn't resist.
When asked about if there was anything he envied about CNN, regarded as the Athens to Fox's Sparta, Ailes thought about it for a millisecond and concluded thoughtfully: "NO!" Then he added: "They get better press." Poor baby!
Ailes has made his own breaks in broadcasting. He has created a breezy, chatty environment for viewers. He recognizes that he can't outflank the larger CNN. What he can and does do, however, is out-hustle and outthink his adversaries.
Ailes waved off any suggestion that Fox is one-sided in airing pro-Bush stories. "We'll go after the truth wherever it is," he said flatly.
He acknowledged what his critics have said about him. "They talk about the "Foxification" of the news business and what they're really saying, he grinned was: "I can't believe we're getting beat by these guys and they're stealing our audience."
"When CBS did what they did, they knew what they were doing," he said. "We didn't have Tailwind at Fox News. Our journalism is fine." What journalism Mr. Ailes?
Ailes was at his best when he spoke about what differentiates Fox without needling CNN or blasting CBS. He was very convincing when he aid that Fox was wining in the ratings because he didn't have a degree from Columbia, "never wanted to get invited to a party in this town" (well, maybe) and that "life experience is as important" as academics.
# posted by ATN @ 12:29 AM
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Koppel Rumors are Running Rabid
With the announcement today that Ted Koppel will be leaving Nightline and ABC when his contract expires in early December, rumors start to fly. And one of the rumors is Ted is going to work for CNN. In fact I have gotten numerous e-mails from blog readers asking, "When does Ted start at CNN?" When asked by NYT about his future job prospects, Koppel responded, "There are some very interesting prospects out there, let's put it that way." Oh how we hate not knowing the things we don't know.
# posted by ATN @ 9:06 PM
Pinnacle Systems and CNN Complete First Two Phases of Vortex News Deployment
Source: PR Newswire Pinnacle Systems Inc. and CNN has announced thatthe first two phases of the installation of Pinnacle's Vortex news system attwo CNN locations have been completed. A revised third phase of the project enlarging the facilities and providing some integration options for CNN is scheduled for completion in January 2006.
Pinnacle's Vortex system is located at the CNN Center in Atlanta and theTime Warner Center at Columbus Circle in New York. The Vortex system has beenon-air continuously in Atlanta since November 2003 and New York since April2004.
Pinnacle and CNN are building a large-scale, fault-tolerant, end-to-endnews production solution that will allow CNN to stay ahead of news industrydemands by migrating to a data-centric, tapeless workflow for the majority ofdaily production in New York and Atlanta. The system will also support andallow users to manage file-based media movement within and between the NewYork and Atlanta facilities over a wide area network.
UPDATE: An e-mailer adds this: "This, as HDTV preparations, all were part of the the advancements planned into construction of the TWC/CNN headquarters in NYC. Sometimes announcements take time to catch up with what actually was always being done. The Atlanta center is being fully updated in all the ways, it is an on-going and very long process more for Atlanta because they're updatig where as TWC was built to specs."
# posted by ATN @ 7:11 PM
Schiavo a Full-time Topic for Networks
Source: Associated Press Terri Schiavo's last breath caused barely a pause in the national conversation over life and death that has preoccupied television news networks for the past few weeks.
CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC covered the story without interruption on Thursday from the time Schiavo's death became known shortly before 10 a.m. EST until midafternoon, when their gaze shifted upon news that Pope John Paul II's condition had worsened.
For the cable news networks, there was no shortage of people willing to talk about the case. By 10:07 a.m., the Rev. Jesse Jackson was on the phone to CNN. Fox News Channel delivered an interview with entertainer Pat Boone.
The video clips of a brain-damaged Schiavo smiling from her hospital bed, aired so frequently on the news networks during the time Congress and the courts were debating whether or not Schiavo's feeding tube would remain, were largely absent from Thursday's coverage. Fox flashed several pictures of a younger, vibrant Schiavo, including at least two in her wedding dress.
Coverage of the case lifted the news networks' ratings, particularly in prime time, over the past weeks.
# posted by ATN @ 7:04 PM
AB to Be Panelist at LA Seminar
Source: PRNewswire One of the hottest issues in the world of media is the topic of a major upcoming journalism seminar. Leading print and broadcast journalists will look at the use of anonymous, unofficial, little known and questionable sources in investigative and political reporting during "Who Can Be Trusted? - A Seminar On Sourcing." It is set to take place on Friday, April 22, 2005 in the Annenberg Auditorium at the USC Annenberg School for Communication in Los Angeles.
Broadcast panelists include Aaron Brown, anchor of CNN's News Night With Aaron Brown; Walt Bogdanich, a former "60 Minutes" producer now working for the New York Times and the Discovery Times Channel; KNBC-TV investigative reporter Ana Garcia; CBS News national investigative reporter Vince Gonzales; and KTLA-TV news director Jeff Wald.
# posted by ATN @ 4:38 PM
Sanchez and O'brien Update
We've got updates on the possible reassignment/promotion of Miles and Rick:
> Miles O'brien- An insider tells CNN Blog, "Still NOTHING FINALIZED, but, not moving from Atlanta, will take on more, bigger assignments; do more "primetime" fill-in; bigger specialty pieces for CNN Presents, etc."
> Rick Sanchez- An insider tells CNN Blog, "The final decision has not been made, but IF, it will be a contributing correspondent to AC 360, he's not moving back to NYC. He'll still do gig with Daryn or whoever is sitting in chair."
# posted by ATN @ 4:23 PM
Anchor's Getting Personality
Source: Washington Post In article titled, "America's Endless News Loop," Tina Brown writes:
Since the edict went out that all anchors have to turn themselves into "personalities" to avoid obliteration by Fox, we now have the nightly theater of watching dependable news vessels like CBS's Bob Schieffer or CNN's Paula Zahn changing before our eyes. Five weeks ago I caught Paula in big hoop earrings and swingy new red-state hair interviewing her own mother. How will CNN's lead yeoman Wolf Blitzer handle the new personality requirements? Watch for his first stand-up in a Don Imus hat.
Despite all the evidence they present to our eyes, network news bosses still feel the need to pretend they are committed to the integrity of information. The new president of CNN, Jonathan Klein, has had a great ride with a purity shtick. He keeps giving interviews to Charlie Rose and others about how he's purging CNN of "shout fests" like "Crossfire" and replacing them with "great storytelling," but his first big move was to replace the boringly useful Headline News updates with the snorting victims-avenger babe Nancy Grace. It's working, too. Grace, whose expressive nostrils I am warming to myself, has goosed ratings by 126 percent.
# posted by ATN @ 4:01 PM
Anchor Go Round Free For All Today
Let's start at the beginning. Kelly Wallace was in for Carol Costello on Daybreak. Kyra Phillips in for Soledad on American Morning. Kelly Wallace read the headlines on AM. Carol Lin filling in on Live From..... for Kyra while she's in the Big Apple.
UPDATE: An e-mailer says let's not forget about HLN: Catherine Callaway was in for Linda Stouffer today.
UPDATE: Judy Fortin in for Sophia Choi this evening.
# posted by ATN @ 3:58 PM
No Fox Business Channel Afterall?
Source: Reuters The fate of the much talked about Fox business news channel, expected to debut in the second half of this year, is in question as the company tries to find out whether viewers would want a third cable business news channel, the chief of Fox News said Thursday.
Comments from Fox News CEO Roger Ailes appeared to soften definitive public comments by executives of parent company News Corp. who in January said they were aggressively pushing for a launch in the second half of this year.
“I keep telling Rupert, ’Quit saying that,”’ Ailes — referring to News Corp. chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch — told attendees at a breakfast hosted by Syracuse University’s Newhouse School in New York.
Ailes said Fox still needed to learn who the viewers would be, where they lived and why they would watch a third cable business channel. “The question is, does an audience for business news really exist, have they gone on the Internet? ... Are you playing to the viewers in Indiana who are investing, are you playing to Wall Street?”
Media analysts have said Fox News, a part of Fox Entertainment Group Inc. , could pressure cable operators to carry new channels as part of its upcoming negotiations to renew deals to carry Fox News that begin to expire next year.
# posted by ATN @ 3:49 PM
Between here and there today. For any BREAKING NEWS click on over to CNNfan.com.
# posted by ATN @ 1:23 PM
AB a "Potato Skins Guy"
Source: New York Daily News On Sunday Aaron Brown appears on Food Network's "Iron Chef America" series. You can get a preview of the program in an article in the NYD. Below is a portion of the article talking about AB.
Among the celebrity or expert judges in Sunday's show is CNN's Aaron Brown, whose one memorable comment is when he admits, "I'm a potato skins guy." He doesn't help much. Nor do the reporters and announcers given the task of providing play-by-play as the chefs wield their knives and whisk their sauces; there's no sense of the breathless frenetic energy that pervaded the original "Iron Chef," with or without translation.
# posted by ATN @ 12:00 PM
LK Hosts 3-Hour Special Tonight: Life and Death: America Speaks Out
Source: CNN.com The Terri Schiavo case has polarized the nation. Larry King hosts a live, three-hour national conversation about life and death. Tune in at 8 p.m. ET.
Update 3:57p.m. : An insider tells CNN Blog, "Aarron Brown, Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn and Dr. Sanjay Gupta will be contributing to tonight's 3-hour special."
# posted by ATN @ 11:46 AM
Will Grace Bring in the $$$
Source: New York Daily News CNN's counting on its new Headline News star, tough-talking ex-prosecutor Nancy Grace, to help boost its ad bucks.
A sudden surge in ratings at CNN's sister network, Headline News, has CNN's long beleaguered execs feeling better as they head into the crucial upfront selling period in June.
"It's getting a lot of attention from the marketplace," CNN sales chief Greg D'Alba told the Daily News. "There will be a heck of a lot more demand for Headline News."
Earlier this week, Headline News surpassed MSNBC to become the third-ranked cable news net behind Fox News and CNN. A recent revamp of its prime-time shows - the first in its 23-year history - led to a 66% surge in ratings.
Insiders note that CNN spared no expense on a massive marketing campaign touting the new Headline News prime-time.
CNN Headline News chief Ken Jautz wouldn't discuss numbers but said the Headline News revamp took "a sizable investment. It's great to have a strong start."
# posted by ATN @ 4:52 AM
The Richard Quest Surprise
Another sleepless night and I got tired of tossing and turning and finally turned the tv on and on CNN/US is Business International with Richard Quest. No breaking news. No international tragedy, just CNN-International on CNN/US instead of a Lou Dobbs re-run. And this is a first for a CNN/US-CNN/I simulcast, (I haven't seen this anyway), CNN/US viewers have the full CNN/I graphics complete with the spinning globe next to the CNN bug. Ok back to bed and maybe catch some zzzzz's.
# posted by ATN @ 4:25 AM
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Fox Host Calls Congressman "Asshole"--Complete w/Audio
Source: Oliver Willis.com Sean Hannity, the talking-point spouting mouthpiece on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes was recently caught by Harry Shearer slamming a Democratic congressman as an "asshole" when Hannity didn't realize he was being recorded. AUDIO HERE. Now that doesn't sound fair and balanced. HA!
PS: Sorry about all the FNC posts. Sometimes I just can't help myself! HA!
# posted by ATN @ 11:18 PM
Fox Snooze Channel
Man I tell ya FNC needs to invest in some reporters who want to work after the sun goes down. The US Supreme Court once again rejected to hear the appeal of Terri Schiavo Wednesday night and CNN HAD IT FIRST. AB broadcasted it around 10:45p.m. eastern and then went to a live report from Joe Johns in DC. Meanwhile over at the "number one cable "news" channel" Greta was busy sticking with her regular scripted program then went to break and in the last 20 seconds of the program came in with a full blown FOX NEWS ALERT about the decision. The funny part of the NEWS ALERT was Greta saying FNC can now confirm an appeal rejection then cut to their supermodel/correspondent on the scene in Florida. Heck the NEWS ALERT intro was longer than the report.
Do ya reckin' FNC is kicking back and letting CNN do all the work in gathering the info in the court decisions then passing it off on the air as their own? One can only wonder.
# posted by ATN @ 10:58 PM
Tuesday Night #'s
From Sludge, I mean Drudge.
FNC OREILLY 2,428,000
FNC HANNITY/COLMES 2,121,000
FNC GRETA 1,700,000
CNN LARRY KING 1,529,000
FNC SHEP SMITH 1,402,000
CNN AARON BROWN 1,160,000
CNN COOPER 748,000
CNN PAULA ZAHN 664,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 490,000
CNNHN NANCY GRACE 420,000
MSNBC ABRAMS 412,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 396,000
MSNBC SCARBOROUGH 386,000
CNBC DENNIS MILLER 110,000
# posted by ATN @ 5:56 PM
CNN Prez Featured Speaker at 2005 NAB
CNN/US President Jonathan Klein is scheduled to address the "super session" IPTV: The Technology and Market Outlook at the 2005 meeting of the National Association of Broadcasters. The NAB is set for mid-April in Las Vegas.
# posted by ATN @ 5:51 PM
CNN International Tops in Asia
Source: CNN Press Release According to the latest findings of the Pan Asian Cross Media Survey (PAX), CNN International remains the undisputed news leader in Asia, and has grown its monthly reach among business decision makers, top management and the total PAX demographic.
Conducted by Synovate, the full-year survey results (Jan - Dec‘04) reveal CNN International further increases its lead over its nearest news/business competitor, with an 87 per cent audience advantage.
In addition, CNN International demonstrates the highest year-on-year growth in the news/business genre, adding over half a million more monthly viewers during 2004 (+18%).
PAX findings also show CNN International has a larger daily audience of top management and business decision makers than any other international cable/satellite channel.
According to The Synovate PAX Emerging Channel Indicator (Jul –Dec‘04), a companion survey to PAX, CNN.com is the leading regional media web site across the entire PAX sample, attracting twice as many of its audience as the next most targeted news/business web site.
# posted by ATN @ 5:46 PM
HLN Beats CNN and FNC
Ok misleading headline I know BUT it got your attention. Anyway HLN had the "breaking news" FIRST of the latest appeal being denied in the Schiavo case. Was watching HLN when I believe correspondent Mary Snow had the info on the air BEFORE CNN/US and FNC. Very strange right after I heard the news on HLN I flipped to CNN and Miles O'brien was talking away then throwing a break. FNC came back from break before CNN and FNC had the news on the air about 15 seconds before CNN.
# posted by ATN @ 3:23 PM
CNN's LA Bureau Movin'
An e-mailer brought this to my attention: At Skyscraperpage.com there's a message thread regarding the horrible state of the CNN Tower in LA. A poster on the board says he works for CNN, and says the LA Bureau is moving.
"I work for CNN and we are not moving downtown. For a number of reasons, downtown was never considered. My company has found a new location on Wilshire and we should be moving in late 2006."
UPDATE: An insider tells us, "Thinking for years of moving. No lease signed as yet."
# posted by ATN @ 11:31 AM
Fox Asleep In the Foxhole
Isn't it strange how after 11p.m. everyone at Fox News seems to go home, leaving only an overnight tele-prompter reader and a graphics person. Last night/early this morning CNN broke into a rerun of LKL to report Terri Schiavo's parents has filed another appeal with the courts. CNN was on air at 12:20a.m. with Richard Quest anchoring from London and Sean Calebs in Florida. Fox had a FOX NEWS ALERT graphic up at 12:34a.m. but didn't interrupt taped programming until 12:43a.m. for a 30 second FOX NEWS ALERT. For a complete play by play just head on over to CNNfan.com.
# posted by ATN @ 1:20 AM
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Cable News Embraces Bloggers
Source Hollywood Reporter Blogs certainly have made news during the past year or so, shining light on the veracity of documents used in a "60 Minutes Wednesday" report last year about President Bush's National Guard service and the remarks made by a top CNN executive at the World Economic Forum that led to his resignation. But blogs, blogging and bloggers have become an increasing part of cable TV news.
Fox News Channel has long had anchors write blogs and included viewer e-mails on its programs. It also has interviewed bloggers on the air, as have the other networks.
CNN, particularly in its midafternoon program "Inside Politics," reports on what some key bloggers are writing. It's been a focus for CNN's new president Jon Klein, who founded pioneering broadband company the Feedroom after a career at CBS News. Klein said he and Washington bureau chief David Bohrman have been finding ways to do more about blogs.
Klein said CNN staffers are sifting through blogs all the time, trying to digest what they're saying.
"Among influential people, there's a need to know what the blogs are saying, yet they're the ones who have no time to read them," Klein said.
# posted by ATN @ 10:44 PM
DCG Rants: Is it a SHOW or a Program?
More than ever today I have heard CNN anchors/hosts refer to their programs as SHOWS. Geez...I thought Seinfeld was a SHOW and CNN had news PROGRAMS or newscasts. Believe me this doesn't just happen on CNN. FNC is guilty of it as well but on FNC what they claim to be "newscasts" really are SHOWS.
# posted by ATN @ 9:15 PM
AC Moonlights; CNN Last to Report Cochran Death
> Anderson Cooper is appearing in his second job as correspondent on 60 Minutes Wednesday, tomorrow night, 3/30/05.
> A source tells CNN Blog, "CNN a FULL 15 minutes later than MSNBC and FNC in reporting the death of Johnnie Cochran. MSNBC announced at 5:55pm; FNC about 30 seconds later. Lou Dobbs threw to Ted Rowland "live" to report after receiving "multiple sourcing and talking with OJ Simpson".
# posted by ATN @ 8:50 PM
FOX TV Network Prez: FNC is Ailes' Baby
Source: Arkansas Business Online Fox Television Network President Ed Wilson on Tuesday spoke to the Little Rock Rotary Club about the challenges facing broadcast networks, dealing with the Federal Communications Commission and a certain cable news network that dominates the ratings.
Wilson also answered questions about Murdoch's political influence on Fox News, the No. 1 24-hour cable news network, which some critics perceive as having a conservative bias. Wilson said the news network's politics aren’t reflective of Murdoch's views but of Roger Ailes, the former Republican operative who is president of Fox News.
Wilson said Ailes felt Fox News needed to have a different point of view than competing television news operations, one that reflected the views of the "flyover states."
# posted by ATN @ 8:06 PM
2005 First Quarter Analysis: FNC Up, CNN Stable, HLN Up, MSNBC Down
Source: Broadcasting and Cable Fox News was up 15% year-to-year in the first quarter, from 1.39 million to 1.6 million viewers in prime; CNN was stable at 808,000 and MSNBC was down 8% from 333,000 to 308,000 viewers in prime.
Headline News, which launched a new prime time block, Headline Prime, in March, was up 23% from 204,000 to 250,000 viewers in prime – largely as a result of Nancy Grace, which in its first month on the air (March, 2005) averaged 518,000 total viewers and set a record for the network in that time period.
The Headline Prime block (7-10 p.m.) has increased Headline News’ viewership 66% year over year in its time period since its launch.
And of course if you want the #'s spun in all direction just head on over to Tv Newser. Here are a few of the highlights from TVN.
HLN Continues To Beat MSNBC
Is it now fair to say that CNN Headline News is the #3 cable news net? In March, for the fourth consecutive month, Headline News outperformed MSNBC in total viewers (247,000 vs. 242,000) and the 25-54 demo (107,000 vs. 94,000).
In Q1, HLN outdelivered MSNBC by 6% in total viewers (232,000 vs. 219,000) and the demo (101,000 to 85,000). "This is the first quarter since Q4 99 in which HLN outdelivered MSNBC in both P2+ and P25-54 in total day," CNN noted.
> In March primetime, HLN outperformed MSNBC by 3% in total viewers and the 25-54 demo.
In Q1, HLN outdelivered MSNBC by 6% in total viewers (232,000 vs. 219,000) and the demo (101,000 to 85,000). "This is the first quarter since Q4 99 in which HLN outdelivered MSNBC in both P2+ and P25-54 in total day," CNN noted.
> In March primetime, HLN outperformed MSNBC by 3% in total viewers and the 25-54 demo.
FNC Total Day Beats CNN Prime
In the first quarter of 2005, FNC's total day ratings beat CNN's primetime ratings. Among total viewers, FNC averaged 884,000 total day viewers -- beating CNN's primetime average of 808,000. In the key 25-54 demographic, FNC averaged 298,000 total day viewers, while CNN averaged 250,000 viewers in primetime. FNC's total day #s also beat CNN' primetime in the 18-49 demo.
CNN's "Viewership Gains"
CNN is touting its "viewership gains" in March. "CNN/U.S. and Headline News are the fastest growing cable news nets versus last year in March," a press release says. Here are the numbers they provided:
March 05 vs. March 04 (Mon-Sun, total day)
P2+ % change / P25-54 % change
CNN: +8% / +13%
HLN: +37% / +35%
FNC: +2% / Flat
MSNBC: +1% / Flat
March 05 vs. March 04 (M-F, Primetime)
CNN: +10% / +31%
HLN: +66% / +64%
FNC: +9% / -9%
MSNBC: +8% / +9%
March 05 vs. March 04 (Mon-Sun, total day)
P2+ % change / P25-54 % change
CNN: +8% / +13%
HLN: +37% / +35%
FNC: +2% / Flat
MSNBC: +1% / Flat
March 05 vs. March 04 (M-F, Primetime)
CNN: +10% / +31%
HLN: +66% / +64%
FNC: +9% / -9%
MSNBC: +8% / +9%
# posted by ATN @ 8:05 PM
CNN Could Use a Charisma Makeover
Source: Portland Tribune Pete Schulberg writes: Today’s pop quiz: What’s the obvious common denominator of “American Idol” and the Fox News Channel?
Answer: Enough visual glitz and pulsating graphics to make the Vegas strip seem duller than Ruben Studdard’s broom closet.
Seeing static camera shots on “American Idol” is rarer than Paula Abdul in a high-cut dress. On the Fox News Channel, there’s enough rotating colors and twirling American flags to power several red states.
CNN, which continues to get mauled by Fox in the ratings, needs to take a clue. One of the advantages that TV has over every other source of news, including the Internet and its blogosphere, is that it can appear dynamic. CNN’s “look” still seems like it’s stuck in the 1980s, with as much pizazz as an Aaron Brown sign-off. MORE
# posted by ATN @ 12:30 PM
Monday, March 28, 2005
AC Coming to Late Night
Anderson Cooper is scheduled to appear on Late Night with Conan O'brien this Friday night. Also scheduled to appear is actress Pamela Anderson. Check local listings for time.
# posted by ATN @ 9:09 PM
Swanni Predicts: CNN to Launch HDTV Channel in 2005
Source: TV Predictions.com Phillip Swann writes: I predict that CNN will launch a High-Definition TV channel by year's end. And, if it happens, CNN will be the first cable news network to go high-def.
Although I am saying that the high-def network will be announced by year's end, it could come much sooner than that. One well-connected source tells me that CNN was once considering a March 2005 launch. However, the network apparently felt it was not quite ready. CNN has been quietly working on several changes to their production and studio operations to prepare for the switch.
For instance, I have learned that CNN has been conducting training sessions to teach its makeup artists the latest techniques in "airbrushing," the makeup method used by The Tonight Show to prepare guests for its high-def production. Airbrushing is supposed to help cover up facial imperfections and aging signs that are more visible when seen in crystal-clear HDTV.
In addition, CNN has purchased several new HD cameras and revamped some of their studio stages to get ready for high-def. You may notice, for instance, that Anderson Cooper's nightly newscast at 7 p.m. Eastern offers a much clearer picture than other live CNN broadcasts. Cooper's show is produced at the network's New York headquarters, where much of the HD planning has been underway. MORE
UPDATE: This from an e-mailer: The TWC facilities were built with the express purpose of going forward to HDTV. this is "old news". Go back and read all stories written when it was first announced CNN would be moving into TWC and you'll find all the information written way back then with specs and all.
# posted by ATN @ 8:59 PM
Rupert Murdoch Dodges Paying US Taxes
Source: The Observer Rupert Murdoch last week floated his family's 3.8 billion-pound personal investment company in Bermuda - saving himself 522 million pounds in taxes.
Bermuda was chosen because the media tycoon, who chairs News Corporation, wanted to avoid the taxman after his firm changed domicile from Australia to the United States recently. Just prior to the Bermuda float, Murdoch bought a 20-room, three-floor residence opposite Central Park in Manhattan for 22 million pounds. Days later he bought a house in Beijing.
That means Murdoch avoided more than $976 million in taxes.
# posted by ATN @ 2:48 PM
Death By Television
Source: Broadcasting and Cable Like the rest of the nation, we watched the Terri Schiavo ordeal play itself out on the news networks last week. As we did, we supposed that for at least some of those millions watching, the questions raised weren’t only about states’ rights, or patients’ rights, or whether Schiavo is in a “persistent vegetative state”, or whether Republicans are saints and the Democrats are killers.
Surely, many must have wondered: Aren’t CNN and Fox and MSNBC and radio talk-show hosts making a freak show out of this sad, sick woman’s predicament? And if those listeners and viewers considered the contrived shouting matches unseemly, what then did they make of the news media who used Terri Schiavo as a ratings gimmick?
Not much, we conclude. It is significant to us that the more news there is out there—the 24/7 news cycle—the more Americans have grown to doubt it and mistrust it, and the more the news business itself has bent its own better journalistic instincts to stay competitive. Terri Shiavo’s predicament has existed for years but, for the media, the literal life-and-death struggle is impossible to resist. To jaded media-watchers, however, she is just more fodder—easiest to cover by not straying too far from the emotional argument.
The television and radio news media have by now nurtured the Us versus Them story so completely, it is not difficult to come up with medical experts with political agendas, or religious leaders who also have theirs. Roving bands of pundits travel the TV carny circuit at times like this, and even the stars at the center of the controversy show up everywhere.
Robert and Mary Schindler—Terri’s parents—and Terri’s sister, Suzanne, sat in the Florida outdoors in producers’ chairs on Fox News Channel’s Hannity & Colmes last Wednesday night, their sound bites down pat. Terri’s father stated flatly, and without contradiction, “They’re murdering her. It’s judicial homicide.” Suzanne said, emphatically, “I know my sister. She would never in a million years want to be starved to death.” Pat Robertson, up next, said, “Why, you wouldn’t treat a dog or horse the way they’re treating Terri.” A few minutes earlier, on The O’Reilly Factor, Bill O’Reilly ended his program with letters from viewers who lamented: The trouble with America is that the power elite confuse legal right for moral right. And yes, there was just one lonely letter from a rational physician, who said he’d participated in “pulling the plug” cases and who admonished news professionals and their glib guests for referring to “killing” or “murdering” Terri Schiavo. On other networks, to varying degrees of tastelessness, the same show was repeated.
The plight of Terri Schiavo would be sad enough if there had been no media coverage. But as she evolved into a media plaything, her situation became sadder than it was before. If the question was ever about Terri Schiavo dying with dignity, her opportunity to do so ended last week, right on your TV set.
# posted by ATN @ 12:28 PM
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Block Fox
Source: Associated Press It's not that Sam Kimery objects to the views expressed on Fox News. The creator of the "Fox Blocker" contends the channel is not news at all. Kimery figures he's sold about 100 of the little silver bits of metal that screw into the back of most televisions, allowing people to filter Fox News from their sets, since its August debut.
The Tulsa, Okla., resident also has received thousands of e-mails, both angry and complimentary — as well as a few death threats.
"Apparently the making of terroristic threats against those who don't share your views is a high art form among a certain core audience," said Kimery, 45.
A Fox spokeswoman at the station's New York headquarters said the channel's ratings speak for themselves. For the first three months of this year, Fox has been averaging 1.62 million viewers in prime-time, compared with CNN's 805,000, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Something tells me we can see conservatives coming up with a CNN blocker!
# posted by ATN @ 11:08 PM
Live From...Anchors to be Apart of Economic Group's Meeting
Source: AJC CNN's "Live From....." anchors Kyra Phillips and Miles O'Brien will present downtown stories from the past year and a forecast of what's ahead in 2005 at the Central Atlanta Progress' 63rd annual meeting Wednesday. The meeting is set to begin at 8am at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center.
# posted by ATN @ 4:02 PM
Weekend Coverage of the Schiavo Fiasco
Disclaimer: MSNBC isn't offered on my cable system. Therefore I have NO knowledge of it's coverage.
All weekend I have been watching CNN then when a development or a court decision has come down flipping to Fox to see how far behind they are. Well CNN has been on the ball all weekend. CNN correspondents seem to be at least 2 minutes ahead of Fox in delivering the latest court decisions.
Also while watching a little bit of Fox I feel which "side" they are on. Friday night during Greta what's her name's program, the reporter on the scene made sure to tell viewers that they set up where they did so viewers could get a clear view of how many protesters there are on the scene. THEN on Saturday during a "news update" the anchor made sure he emphaisized that the judge has thrown out yet ANOTHER appeal. Then all through FNC's programs you hear the typical "we", "they".
The CNN vs. Fox Blog does a great job of comparing the two. That blog's observation is Fox continues to emphasize Terri being starved.
You've gotta love the Newshounds for their observations. I too noticed the same thing they did this afternoon with FNC's failure to carry a news conference:
"At 2:00 p.m. ET today (March 27, 2005), Larry Klayman, the president of Judicial Watch, held a press conference outside the Florida hospice caring for Terri Schiavo. Klayman implored Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to save Schiavo. He begged Florida senator Mel Martinez to speak to Gov. Bush and convince him to step in and rescue her. CNN aired the press conference for ten minutes.
Fox News couldn't get enough of the Schiavo case or the ignore-the-law crowd last week. They gave the issue wall-to-wall coverage. I think Mel Martinez was interview almost every day on one show or another and Fox routinely aired live coverage of save-Terri speeches made outside the Florida hospice.
Interestingly, this afternoon as Klayman made is plea, Fox News was talking about Iraq, Bush visiting troops this morning at Ft. Hood, and interviewing Tom Feeney (R-FL) who said Gov. Bush had done everything that could be done. At 2:30 p.m. ET, during a "news break," the Schiavo case wasn't even mentioned. The topics covered were Iraq, Bush's visit to Ft. Hood, and Easter services in Iraq."
This from an e-mailer: "I share your contempt for FNC but the cable channel that has had news reported before anyone else has been MSNBC, especially on Saturday."
03/27 10:27p.m. And yet ANOTHER e-mail: "I have no idea what MSNBC that emailer said they were watching, but the MSNBC I was watching consisently had repeats of "Headliners & Legends" and their entertainment show on insead of advancing the Terri Schiavo story on Saturday. And believe me, I watched a lot of MSNBC on Saturday. CNN beat everybody in reporting the latest details and on showing important press confrences taking place."
# posted by ATN @ 3:07 PM
