Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Klein Defends Jolie Interview
The Associated Press has a pretty good article summing up the great ratings CNN pulled in for the Angelina Jolie interview last week. 1.33 million people tuned in for the interview last week. Below are a few quotes from Klein about the interview:
> "I don't know of any news organization that would not have talked to Angelina Jolie," said Klein, "and I also don't know of any other news organization that would have aired that interview as the apex of a day's worth of coverage ... of that important issue. It was both good journalism and well within the brand of CNN."
> Klein said CNN hadn't actively sought the Jolie interview; she came to the network because of its track record covering international issues. For instance, Christiane Amanpour just spent a week with refugees in Uganda, he said.
CNN's one-day focus on World Refugee Day during most of its programs on June 20 - immigration-focused Lou Dobbs was a notable exception - mirrors what the network has done recently on other issues, including lung cancer and the Dubai ports, he said.
"You don't spend the whole day covering immigration or the whole day covering Dubai ports because you think you're going to get huge numbers for that," Klein said. "These are not sexy subjects. But we've done that in the past and we'll continue to do that in the future."
> "The public will always sniff out a fraud," he said. "Since Anderson is so obviously the real deal, I don't think there will be any backlash that sticks. There will be an increasing number of people who will want to throw darts at him, but I think they will bounce off harmlessly."
AND Oh and a thought for the people at FNC that call CNN the 'Celebrity News Network'. I don't guess you ever watch your own channel since you constantly have the Hollywood actors on your programs HUH? Just last week there was Whoopi Goldberg on one of your prime-time yackfests!
> "I don't know of any news organization that would not have talked to Angelina Jolie," said Klein, "and I also don't know of any other news organization that would have aired that interview as the apex of a day's worth of coverage ... of that important issue. It was both good journalism and well within the brand of CNN."
> Klein said CNN hadn't actively sought the Jolie interview; she came to the network because of its track record covering international issues. For instance, Christiane Amanpour just spent a week with refugees in Uganda, he said.
CNN's one-day focus on World Refugee Day during most of its programs on June 20 - immigration-focused Lou Dobbs was a notable exception - mirrors what the network has done recently on other issues, including lung cancer and the Dubai ports, he said.
"You don't spend the whole day covering immigration or the whole day covering Dubai ports because you think you're going to get huge numbers for that," Klein said. "These are not sexy subjects. But we've done that in the past and we'll continue to do that in the future."
> "The public will always sniff out a fraud," he said. "Since Anderson is so obviously the real deal, I don't think there will be any backlash that sticks. There will be an increasing number of people who will want to throw darts at him, but I think they will bounce off harmlessly."
AND Oh and a thought for the people at FNC that call CNN the 'Celebrity News Network'. I don't guess you ever watch your own channel since you constantly have the Hollywood actors on your programs HUH? Just last week there was Whoopi Goldberg on one of your prime-time yackfests!
# posted by ATN @ 5:36 PM 
