FAFO time for CNN

[Jhawkmvp 1488]

CNN's ratings fall below Newsmax after Trump town hall backlash.

Quote

CNN shrugged off and even scolded critics of the Donald Trump town hall it aired on May 10. But while the network is still obstinately standing by that event, viewers, it turns out, aren’t standing by the network.

The town hall initially gave CNN a rare primetime win, with 3.3 million viewers tuning in, firmly making it number one in ratings among the other cable news networks. But just two days later, primetime viewership cratered, putting CNN in fourth place behind shoestring-budgeted right wing outlet Newsmax.

During Friday’s primetime, CNN brought in a dismal 335,000 viewers total on average, according to Nielsen live plus same-day figures. Newsmax beat that handily with an average of 357,000 total viewers. Both networks were well behind MSNBC’s total primetime viewership of 1.1 million and Fox News Channel’s 1.4 million total viewers.

 

Quote

Three hours after the town hall ended — long after it was clear that the overwhelming response to it was harsh criticism — CNN released a statement insisting that Collins was “tough, fair and revealing,” and that the event exemplified the network’s “responsibility” to “hold the powerful to account.”

That naturally failed to quell critics, including within CNN; Media reporter, Oliver Darcy published a scathing assessment 15 minutes after the network’s statement was sent out.

The next morning, in a meeting with employees, Licht insisted “I absolutely unequivocally believe America was served very well by what we did last night.”

Hiring Chris Licht to move CNN to the right is not paying off right now. CNN wants to be the middle ground between MSNBC and FOX; however, the right has moved so far right that MAGA/GQP/Christian nationalists consider the middle a bunch of libtards. You are either with them or against them. If you are not MAGA/GQP/nationalists you are left now. CNN, even positioned in the middle, is the far left to those on the right that they are trying to attract.  And the far right crowd have Newsmax/OAN etc. as an alternative to FOX News to watch and who will cheerlead their politics without reservation. The left/middle is abandoning CNN because who wants to watch Republican lies and divisive politics covered without criticism, or worse, used as a platform for it like the Trump town hall.    The middle is a ratings loser right now, and will be until sanity is returned to the Republican party. If we ever have 2 functioning parties again, the middle ground will have a viewer base worth courting.

[Longhorn_Fan68 33718]

[RPM 26096]

Meh, I think that Town Hall did more to hurt Trump than CNN.

[Fastbreak 3890]

Trumpers don't watch CNN.
The people who watch CNN, don't like Trump

By featuring Trump, CNN has pissed off people who liked them, without gaining any additional people who weren't going to watch it anyway.  Trump isn't hurt by this (he isn't hurt by much of anything), only CNN is hurt.  Whoever made the decision should be fired and shamed.

[Neonmoon 38126]

Fuck CNN 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13310]

I didn’t spend a second watching the trump town hall but from what I’ve heard, the worse part is how CNN allowed the crowd to be stacked with MAGA.

[YGIFS 19445]

Oh, I know how to fix this CNN.  Form a task force, put that spineless moron Kaitlyn Collins in charge of it, and drive all ‘em all directly into the fucking Sun.   

[jimmyjazz 45192]

2 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

I didn’t spend a second watching the trump town hall but from what I’ve heard, the worse part is how CNN allowed the crowd to be stacked with MAGA.

It's pretty much how these things go.  Their Biden Town Hall had a pretty sympathetic audience, too.

[hayden_horn 11311]

when they didn't let us have drunk anderson and drunk don lemon on new year's eve their days were numbered.  dummies messing with a fun thing for no good reason. 

pretty much all their recent changes suck. 

[YGIFS 19445]

Man, that was one of the few news highlights of Covid.  It was like watching those old 'Tonight Show' episodes when you could tell Dom Deluise and Carson were fucked up for realz.  

In other news Kaitlyn Collins should quit doing cosplay journalism and go back to being her sorority housemother or whatever the fuck she used to do.  

What a month for cable "news" 

 

[hpslugga 3984]

8 hours ago, Fastbreak said:

Trumpers don't watch CNN.
The people who watch CNN, don't like Trump

By featuring Trump, CNN has pissed off people who liked them, without gaining any additional people who weren't going to watch it anyway.  Trump isn't hurt by this (he isn't hurt by much of anything), only CNN is hurt.  Whoever made the decision should be fired and shamed.

This. I mean I don’t watch cable news just as a matter of sanity and sound decision making practices, but I know enough about it to know that they who watched Fox for decades consider CNN to be the “Communist News Network.” They were not looking to jump leftwards to CNN when Fox fell apart with this lawsuit. They just want equally nutbaggish networks that don’t owe three quarters of a billion dollars in defamation suits (at least for the moment). Motherfuckers who watch Fox News don’t watch it to be informed. They watch it to have their pre-existing opinions validated. CNN ain’t doin that. 

[jimmyjazz 45192]

7 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

In other news Kaitlyn Collins should quit doing cosplay journalism and go back to being her sorority housemother or whatever the fuck she used to do.  

I don't understand the fanboi-ism for her.  She's not smart, she just spews syllables, and she looks as much like a man as a woman (but she's "hot" according to our surly incels).

[ChuckNorrisActionJeans 2648]

14 minutes ago, hpslugga said:

This. I mean I don’t watch cable news just as a matter of sanity and sound decision making practices, but I know enough about it to know that they who watched Fox for decades consider CNN to be the “Communist News Network.” They were not looking to jump leftwards to CNN when Fox fell apart with this lawsuit. They just want equally nutbaggish networks that don’t owe three quarters of a billion dollars in defamation suits (at least for the moment). Motherfuckers who watch Fox News don’t watch it to be informed. They watch it to have their pre-existing opinions validated. CNN ain’t doin that. 

Well they're starting to try by normalizing and both-sides-ing things they shouldn't. Fuck CNN.

[Bookman 4589]

The last time I watched CNN was on April 18, 2013. It was during their coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing.

[High Plains Drifter 10931]

 

The criticism toward CNN shouldn't be about left vs right. It should be about normalizing lies and treason.

The minute that fat orange fuck said something about the election being stolen, the moderator should have cut his mic and said 'I'm sorry, this show will not be a forum for you to spread lies, especially lies that threaten our democracy." The second time he lied, they should have said "this interview is over" and gone to commercial.

 

edit to add: Also, wtf with the "townhall"? Lets let a bunch of partisan morons into the studio. yeah, that will work just fine.

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by High Plains Drifter

[WhatTheBuck 28613]

28 minutes ago, High Plains Drifter said:

 

The criticism toward CNN shouldn't be about left vs right. It should be about normalizing lies and treason.

The minute that fat orange fuck said something about the election being stolen, the moderator should have cut his mic and said 'I'm sorry, this show will not be a forum for you to spread lies, especially lies that threaten our democracy." The second time he lied, they should have said "this interview is over" and gone to commercial.

 

edit to add: Also, wtf with the "townhall"? Lets let a bunch of partisan morons into the studio. yeah, that will work just fine.

 

Yep, it was more rally than town hall. It certainly didn’t serve the public interest. It had no business being presented by anyone claiming to be a news network. 

[Red Five 40357]

CNN threw a big party for the guy who tried to overturn the last election, is accused of a million felonies with more on the way, and had the day before been found liable for sexual assault. 

Thankfully, Trump is such an enormous moron that he completely wasted it. If he had the ability to speak normal even just like 10% of the time, we'd be in big trouble. 

[WhatTheBuck 28613]

2 minutes ago, Red Five said:

CNN threw a big party for the guy who tried to overturn the last election, is accused of a million felonies with more on the way, and had the day before been found liable for sexual assault. 

Thankfully, Trump is such an enormous moron that he completely wasted it. If he had the ability to speak normal even just like 10% of the time, we'd be in big trouble. 

Trump doesn’t think he wasted anything. He saw that as a big win and he wants to do more just like it if anyone will let him. 

[C-Man 26698]

2 hours ago, hayden_horn said:

when they didn't let us have drunk anderson and drunk don lemon Andy Cohen on new year's eve their days were numbered.  dummies messing with a fun thing for no good reason. 

pretty much all their recent changes suck. 

FIFY

[Beau Vine 53718]

3 hours ago, Bookman said:

The last time I watched CNN was on April 18, 2013. It was during their coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing.

Yeah, they were fucking terrible on that.  I quit watching for awhile because of that.

[The Original Greaser Bob 2701]

I blocked CNN on twitter so I'm doing my part.

[wildcat09 28540]

9 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

Yeah, they were fucking terrible on that.  I quit watching for awhile because of that.

I still remember watching their live coverage of the VT mass shooting. The girl they had on the desk was clearly new and so excited to be working a big breaking news story that she couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice and she kept breaking out into a smile.

[mr.goodkat 464]

4 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

I don't understand the fanboi-ism for her.  She's not smart, she just spews syllables, and she looks as much like a man as a woman (but she's "hot" according to our surly incels).

 

['stache 21564]

I didn't watch because that fat tub of shit makes me physically ill. But while he's not a serious person, he's unfortunately a serious candidate in this fucked up country, so they can't just pretend he doesn't exist. I think a legitimate thing for them to do would have been to say that CNN is happy to air a debate, but if he's too chicken shit for that proposal, there's no basis to give him free air time alone, although I'm sure they will for Biden too, again, because the "alpha male" tub of goo is in fact a monumentally large pussy, like each and every person who would even consider giving him a vote.

[BamaATL 16209]

If Kaitlan Collins winds up doing fluff pieces for the weather people in Nome Alaska she will still be too close to journalism for my comfort.    And when someone just says working for Tucker was a means to an end, that's bullshit, you had a choice.  

[nbmishoid 904]

She’s been promoted to Cuomo’s old 9 pm spot

[YGIFS 19445]

6 minutes ago, BamaATL said:

If Kaitlan Collins winds up doing fluff pieces for the weather people in Nome Alaska she will still be too close to journalism for my comfort.    And when someone just says working for Tucker was a means to an end, that's bullshit, you had a choice.  

I can't imbed for shit, but I pictured that image of John Larroquette in "Stripes" when he gets reassigned to the weather station in the Arctic Circle.  I hope that happens to her.  https://thefictionaledition.tumblr.com/post/30317956815/amp

[BamaATL 16209]

35 minutes ago, nbmishoid said:

She’s been promoted to Cuomo’s old 9 pm spot

I've got a pretty good feeling whenever LIcht gets shit canned, contract or no, we won't be seeing her anymore.  Fair or unfair, see's the face of this shit show now.  

[Fudge Nuggets 18977]

14 hours ago, The Original Greaser Bob said:

I blocked CNN on twitter so I'm doing my part.

Be better.  Delete twitter.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13310]

CNN's overall strategy makes sense. If they perceive that Fox News is stumbling, a move to the right should be able to capture a wider audience while only losing a bit of the Left audience. On paper that works but not in reality.

For people that want to watch 24/7 news they want to be outraged at the other side, and nod their heads while being fed back what they already believe. They don't want to hear reasonable explanations why the other side believes something.  A centrist channel cannot exist if it requires a large audience and ratings.

[SydneyCarton 47471]

I had CNN on last night in the background. It was Erin Burnett, who I generally have liked in the past. They brought up the Feinstein situation, complete with all the internet rumor shit we've talked about. Talking about Pelosi's kid, etc. The level of disgust in her voice, and the shitting on democratic party, Schiff, etc. I mean, it's one thing for us to talk about that stuff, but for them to report it as news? And for her voice and tone to betray disapproval? Fuck.

The shift in tone and coverage has gone VERY right in the past few months, and I can tell a huge difference. It's unbelievable. I mean, give me a center just news network, please. You can be critical all you want, but I don't need to hear obvious disgust in the the voices of ANY anchor unless, I dunno, they're talking about fucking treason or the horrors of war. 

[Chuckie Finster 22321]

The people who would appreciate a "both sides" cable news network are not the people who watch cable news.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13310]

8 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

I had CNN on last night in the background. It was Erin Burnett, who I generally have liked in the past. They brought up the Feinstein situation, complete with all the internet rumor shit we've talked about. Talking about Pelosi's kid, etc. The level of disgust in her voice, and the shitting on democratic party, Schiff, etc. I mean, it's one thing for us to talk about that stuff, but for them to report it as news? And for her voice and tone to betray disapproval? Fuck.

The shift in tone and coverage has gone VERY right in the past few months, and I can tell a huge difference. It's unbelievable. I mean, give me a center just news network, please. You can be critical all you want, but I don't need to hear obvious disgust in the the voices of ANY anchor unless, I dunno, they're talking about fucking treason or the horrors of war. 

 

7 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

The people who would appreciate a "both sides" cable news network are not the people who watch cable news.

This is correct. You can definitely create a middle of the road, centrist network that focuses on news will not receive high ratings. People want to be outraged or scared.  

[Hank Kingsley 20105]

The crazies and olds keep the conservative news channels humming...for now.  And CNN has moved right to try and keep up. 

But eventually 24 hour news channels are gonna die off. 

[BamaATL 16209]

12 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

 

This is correct. You can definitely create a middle of the road, centrist network that focuses on news will not receive high ratings. People want to be outraged or scared.  

Maybe they should just cut cost dramatically and cover just the news, instead of having "personalities".  I quit watching sportscenter years ago because it used to be just highlights and scores, which was great.  Somewhere along the way, the higher ups decided on my behalf that I gave a shit what Skip Bayless and Steve A Smith thought.  I didn't, and I quit watching.  24/7 news is the same thing; first there is no need for 24/7 news whatsoever, and there sure as hell isn't a need for all the pundits.  I genuinely believe a more profitable network could follow the old Headline News format, no frills 30 minute non commentary news highlights.  Record new 30 minute show 4 times and day and repeat, break in during real events as needed.  

But apparently, I'm entirely wrong on this.  

[Pato del Muerto 52094]

Headline news was the way to do it. The actual news, repeated over and over so that anyone could tune in for 15 minutes and catch up. 
 

I forget if they would interrupt that cycle to cover a longer breaking story or if they let cnn do that. 
 

but the opinion shows made it get out of hand, and took it far away from news and into persuasion.  And arguably into propaganda. And the shittiest thing is that the propaganda wasn’t even to advance an ideology, it was to create loyal viewership. 

[Celery Man 20607]

i'm still laughing about how they launched a CNN+ app that didn't include CNN. and then shut it down in like 6 hours. I wonder how long Jeff Immelt would have lasted if his whole portfolio was TV channels that live broadcasted his obvious fuck ups.

[immamac 41718]

56 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

I had CNN on last night in the background. It was Erin Burnett, who I generally have liked in the past. They brought up the Feinstein situation, complete with all the internet rumor shit we've talked about. Talking about Pelosi's kid, etc. The level of disgust in her voice, and the shitting on democratic party, Schiff, etc. I mean, it's one thing for us to talk about that stuff, but for them to report it as news? And for her voice and tone to betray disapproval? Fuck.

The shift in tone and coverage has gone VERY right in the past few months, and I can tell a huge difference. It's unbelievable. I mean, give me a center just news network, please. You can be critical all you want, but I don't need to hear obvious disgust in the the voices of ANY anchor unless, I dunno, they're talking about fucking treason or the horrors of war. 

You ever watched ABC news? Best moderate news out there, straight facts usually not much spin. Very NPR-ish IMO

[jimmyjazz 45192]

Yeah, the people inclined to watch a 24/7 cable news channel are not inclined to seek the unbiased truth.  They're not reading AP News, they sure aren't going to watch BBC or Al Jazeerah, they're mostly looking for confirmation.  I'll turn on CNN every once in awhile for an update, mostly because they bug me less than MSNBC or FOX News, but it's pretty much an entertainment channel.  It will be interesting to see if they scuttle their own good fortune.

[YGIFS 19445]

Is Headline News still on?  Google Fiber took our cable away like 18 months ago, long before the CNN+ debacle.  

My mom is visiting and years ago my cousin (who is like her daughter) turned Mom on to FoxNews.  Mom loved Bill O'Reilly like people loved Walter Cronkite.  she still watches the overall channel and that's about all she watches for news except WGN for Chicago weather.  So I'm driving her around and just muscle memory, I oscillate between Smerconish on POTUS, Bloomberg, and BBC.  Just news and updates, POTUS takes calls but it's 80% centrist and fact driven.  anyway, she's just staring at the radio and said something like, "Is this what you listen to?  There's no energy to it."  It was an astute observation.  It's incredibly bland both audibly and content-wise.  That's what I like about it.  Smerconish will once a day use a cuss word which she found endearing.  I don't know if she was looking for racial slurs or a show host sex scandal with an intern.  

If we ever have troops on the ground in a foreign country or I'm staying at an Airport Hyatt, I'll turn on CNN.  But they serve zero fucking purpose anymore.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13310]

45 minutes ago, BamaATL said:

Maybe they should just cut cost dramatically and cover just the news, instead of having "personalities".  I quit watching sportscenter years ago because it used to be just highlights and scores, which was great.  Somewhere along the way, the higher ups decided on my behalf that I gave a shit what Skip Bayless and Steve A Smith thought.  I didn't, and I quit watching.  24/7 news is the same thing; first there is no need for 24/7 news whatsoever, and there sure as hell isn't a need for all the pundits.  I genuinely believe a more profitable network could follow the old Headline News format, no frills 30 minute non commentary news highlights.  Record new 30 minute show 4 times and day and repeat, break in during real events as needed.  

But apparently, I'm entirely wrong on this.  

CNN funds their overall news dept because they eyes on ads during their opinion and political shows.  Fox does as well, but they put the money in the Murdoch's pocket and not back into the product. Take away the opinions shows, and the news dept will cease to exist.

One thing about CNN is that everyone knows to switch over to them in a crisis. If there is a bombing or disaster, CNN is almost immediately onsite. Fox will just have talking heads blaming the Democrats party for lack of security and/or poor emergency response.

19 minutes ago, immamac said:

You ever watched ABC news? Best moderate news out there, straight facts usually not much spin. Very NPR-ish IMO

There's something to be said to legally require the broadcast networks to produce a news show that has to be apolitical since they use the public airwaves, even if most viewers don't watch via antenna.

[SydneyCarton 47471]

31 minutes ago, immamac said:

You ever watched ABC news? Best moderate news out there, straight facts usually not much spin. Very NPR-ish IMO

I don't, but I"ll start to look As other posters have said, I need something that repeats. Finding a finite time slot to watch the news isn't feasible. Maybe I need to DVR it. 

[pacman 7238]

CNN trying to undo a decade+ of right wing vilification of CNN is not going as they hoped?

They really saw the backlash 60 minutes received and said, "Hold my beer."

Nobody with any sense is surprised.

Right wingnuts still don' watch CNN and now they pissed off the people who used to watch CNN.

[G650 13285]

1 hour ago, Hank Kingsley said:

But eventually 24 hour news channels are gonna die off. 

Christ I fucking hope so. But my hopes aren't up

[G650 13285]

56 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

I don't, but I"ll start to look As other posters have said, I need something that repeats. Finding a finite time slot to watch the news isn't feasible. Maybe I need to DVR it. 

Or, stay with me here, just read it like a non cretin.

[Biff Tannen 45151]

1 minute ago, G650 said:

Or, stay with me here, just read it like a non cretin.

I read. 
Books, Jerry. 
Oh…big DEAL

[SizzleChest 8162]

3 minutes ago, G650 said:

Christ I fucking hope so. But my hopes aren't up

They will.  There's not enough eyeballs and ad dollars to attract enough viewers 18 hours per day.  It's not only not a lucrative business any more, it's quick kill business.  CNN's death will be faster than the others because they're still playing the game like it's 1995.

[G650 13285]

1 minute ago, SizzleChest said:

They will.  There's not enough eyeballs and ad dollars to attract enough viewers 18 hours per day.  It's not only not a lucrative business any more, it's quick kill business.  CNN's death will be faster than the others because they're still playing the game like it's 1995.

[BamaATL 16209]

1 minute ago, SizzleChest said:

They will.  There's not enough eyeballs and ad dollars to attract enough viewers 18 hours per day.  It's not only not a lucrative business any more, it's quick kill business.  CNN's death will be faster than the others because they're still playing the game like it's 1995.

Another aspect of this, right now I have sling, primarily to be able to watch hockey and cfb games, beyond that I wouldn't have it.  If sling gave me an option or package not to give fox news a dime of my money I'd do it and in a heart beat, but they don't.  CNN is in the same boat, but eventually this is going to change.  If you look at what is happening to Bally's sports and MLB (and to a lesser extent other sports) its a precursor.  For years everyone in TV thought things would stay the same and people would pay for packages that included broadcast rights for these events, whether they consumed them or not.  Well, things changed, and Bally's bullshit business model collapsed (don't feel bad, they were part of Sinclair, so fuck them).  This is eventually coming for other packages, like 24/7 news, and it can't get here soon enough.  

[RDCanecutter 25968]

Can't remember the last time I chose to watch TV news outside of tornado season.

My doctor's office reruns game shows from the 80s and 90s. People spilling all their personal details, hopes and dreams. Makes me want to stalk them and see if they've been crushed.