Most broadcast news more opinion orientated than newsworthy
When I think of cable news, the first network that comes to mind is the Cable News Network – CNN.
Apparently though, it is now the fourth network that comes to mind to the American people.
Last week, the October primetime ratings for cable news stations were released and CNN limped to a fourth-place finish. According to an article in the New York Times, CNN was not only beaten by first-run airings of Fox and MSNBC editorial shows, but was even outwatched by a repeat of Keith Olbermann’s 8 p.m. show.
“Countdown.”
This was a first.
What does this say about the American people? What do we want when it comes to TV news?
More and more I realize that many people do not want hard news anymore but, instead, would like their own opinions validated by a talking head. Whether you watch Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity or Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, you’re not getting real news.
What Beck, Hannity, Olbermann and Maddow do is spew their own thoughts about the issues.
This is why CNN is in last place — because they attempt to give its viewers hard news.
It is easy to see the difference between CNN and either Fox or MSNBC, and not just during primetime. Flip to CNN at 8 p.m. and Campbell Brown will be discussing what she believes to be news with “No Bias, No Bull.”
Whereas, if you turn on MSNBC, Olbermann will most likely be ranting about an issue, or constantly interrupting his guest. The same thing happens on the “O’Reilly Factor” with Bill O’Reilly.
CNN is more news-centric than any of its three better-performing competitors. This is why it finished last.
If CNN were a person, it would be the nice guy all the girls just want to be friends with. On the other hand, Fox and MSNBC are CNN friends that the girls want to date. They’re more interesting.
Fox News senior vice president Michael Clemente released a statement that said the average American knows the different between opinion-based coverage and news, using the editorial page of a newspaper as his example. But, as I have been told in several journalism courses here at CMU, this is not the case.
The problem is most people don’t know the difference between editorials and news stories. Many people, myself included, like to have their opinions validated by others. This is what primetime “news” does.
The primetime news ratings show that many people not only enjoy the “infotainment” of Fox and MSNBC more than the news-centric CNN, but also just want to be told what they already believe. If you’re a conservative, chances are you watch Fox. If you’re a liberal, you probably watch MSNBC.
But the focus of these networks should be to inform, not entertain.
