CNN & FOX: Birds of a feather?

August 5, 2001 8:57 AM

CNN & FOX: Birds of a feather? In an effort to improve his network's image with conservative leaders, new CNN chief Walter Isaacson huddled with House and Senate GOP leaders last week to seek advice on how to attract more right-leaning viewers to the sagging network.
posted by Rastafari (10 comments total)

The Republicans already have many media mouthpieces, including FOX. Who is Issacson kidding? First of all, CNN was never liberal. Second, since the Right-wing already views it with suspicion, they certainly won't come now (or maybe they will, but then it won't be CNN, it will be a FOXed version of CNN). Finally, has Issacson considered what happens if this move doesn't solve CNN ratings problem. Are they going to change their format yet again, to suit the Democrats? Will anyone watch them then?

Personally, I think that they should wear conservative scorn like a badge of honor, while being fair to all sides. If not, then I say screw CNN. I get most of my info from the web anyway. Hope the network goes out of business.
posted by Rastafari at 9:11 AM on August 5, 2001

I get most of my info from the web anyway
An awfully large number of Americans actually get most of their info from either tabloid tv or late night comedy shows. CNN, FoxNews, whatever, are definitely not perfect: but they're probably a little more reliable than other less...let's say less professional... sources
posted by matteo at 11:16 AM on August 5, 2001

CNN was never liberal

Former CNN head Rick Kaplan disagrees with you, and has made public statements saying so.
posted by ljromanoff at 12:18 PM on August 5, 2001

Former CNN head Rick Kaplan disagrees with you, and has made public statements saying so.

Really, when was that? Even if he did, I haven't seen *any* evidence that they [CNN] are liberal. On the other hand, FOX was started by Roger Ailes, who worked for both Reagan and Bush Sr., so there's no question where his loyalty lies.

Also, did anyone catch the following contradiction:

Isaacson confirmed that he also reached out to senior White House officials, but he denied that he was seeking counsel on how to boost CNN's ratings with conservative viewers. "I definitely did not say, 'How do we attract the conservative viewer?'"said Isaacson, who stressed that his message was, "Let me hear what you think of CNN, and I am here to introduce myself."


"[Isaacson] is panicked that he's losing conservative viewers," said a top aide to one of the GOP lawmakers who met with Isaacson.
"He said, 'Give us some guidance on how to attract conservatives.' He said he 'wanted to change the culture' at CNN. I think he perceived that they have a problem, and they do have a problem."
posted by Rastafari at 1:41 PM on August 5, 2001

Given what telegenic bombings tend to do to CNN's ratings, do you think it's possible he was just trying to give them some inducement to start something somewhere?
posted by willnot at 1:50 PM on August 5, 2001

Rasta, by the same logic you could say "Rick Kaplan was a great friend of President Bill Clinton, so there's no question where his loyalty lies"

The bottom line is that most bigtime Republicans and Democrats are big time money sucking leeches that will cozy up to whoever can offer the best deal. You can get rich with either party, it probably just boils down to where you came from, how you were raised, or maybe just what's convenient for you or your business.
posted by chaz at 2:12 PM on August 5, 2001

Rick Kaplan was a great friend of President Bill Clinton, so there's no question where his loyalty lies

Are you perhaps suggesting that Clinton cannot have any friends who are conservative? Rick Kaplan may be Clinton's friend, [I personally don't know his political affiliation] but he NEVER worked for Clinton, or the Democratic party, unlike Ailes, who WORKED for both Reagan and Bush Sr, i.e. he's a political partisan.
posted by Rastafari at 2:24 PM on August 5, 2001

Really, when was that?

Among other times, he gave an interview on Mike Barnacle's radio show where he said so, and pointed out several examples, particularly during election coverage.

Are you perhaps suggesting that Clinton cannot have any friends who are conservative? Rick Kaplan may be Clinton's friend, [I personally don't know his political affiliation] but he NEVER worked for Clinton, or the Democratic party

Kaplan started his career working for Eugene McCarthy's presidential campaign. He also gave Hilary Clinton a job in 1980, and counseled Clinton in 1988 on his convention speech and on how to handle the Gennifer Flowers scandal. He's hardly conservative, and hardly disassociated from the Democratic Party.
posted by ljromanoff at 3:17 PM on August 5, 2001

counseled Clinton in 1988 on his convention speech
Yeah? Since that slow, plodding, afwul speech almost ended Clinton's national career before it even began, I'm tempted to consider Kaplan a Republican double agent (just kidding guys...)
posted by matteo at 3:34 PM on August 5, 2001

counseled Clinton in 1988 on his convention speech
Yeah? Since that slow, plodding, afwul speech almost ended Clinton's national career before it even began, I'm tempted to consider Kaplan a Republican double agent (just kidding guys...)

He counseled him about how to recover from it, not about the actual speech itself. The speech itself was Clinton's own bomb.
posted by ljromanoff at 4:13 PM on August 5, 2001