Posts filed under ‘CNN / TimeWarner’
The Department of the Obnoxious
Geezus. Check out the countdown clock on CNN this morning:
Is Wolf Blitzer The Dullest Guy in the World?
Is Wolf Blitzer the dullest guy in the world?
Yes?
Bravo. It’s unanimous!
CNN boasts that Wolf has lived in Washington D.C. for 39 years
Does anyone think — like me — that that might be part of the problem?
Hello.
Anybody home?
Piers Morgan and Christine O’Donnell? WTF?
Piers Morgan, CNN’s lifeless replacement for the lifeless Larry King attempted to interview the failed wannabe politician Christine O’Donnell today. You remember Christine.
In 2010 she ran for the Senate in Delaware but was defeated by Chris Coons, a Democrat, 57% to 40%.
Oh, and she has a thing for witches:
(Via.)
Anyway, Christine O’Donnell walked out of an interview with Piers Morgan today and you can tell Piers is really, really, REALLY happy about that because his ratings might go up tonight. Check out his tweets. He’s drunk with excitement. (Start reading at the bottom.)
This would be the state of “news” in the United States of America folks.
CNN Lets the Head of the GOP Lie About the Reasons for the Wisconsin Recall Election
If the leader of the national Republican party has to lie about why Wisconsin is holding a recall election today for six GOP state senators, you know they’re up to no good. I mean, he knows if he tells the truth, people will be kinda pissed at what they did so, rather than standing up and being proud of it, he’s gotta lie:
Whatever happens tonight in Wisconsin, it has been a constant of this fight that Republicans have consistently falsefied the reason labor and Dems have waged this battle so bitterly. They have steadily downplayed the most extreme union-busting aspect of Scott Walker’s proposals, and have falsely asserted throughout that Dems and labor only made this stand because Walker asked public employees to cough up health and pension benefits.
So it’s fitting that as the recall elections hit their climax, the leader of the national GOP repeated this lie in the most hilariously blatant way yet. Here’s RNC chair Reince Priebus on CNN this afternoon:
ANCHOR: Is there buyers’ remorse in your home state of Wisconsin with Republican/Tea Party policy making?
PRIEBUS: No. I don’t think there’s any buyers’ remorse at all. You have a leader in Scott Walker who asked state employees to pay just a little bit more in pension and healthcare benefits, which was about half of what the rest of the state pays in those benefits. And that’s all he did. Now, in reaction to that, the public employee unions took $25 million, they put together a petition drive, and now they’re dumping millions of dollars on television trying to recall the senators for trying to balance a state budget.It’s the same type of tough choice that is were made in Wisconsin that the Republicans are trying to present to Americans in Washington.This is a completely false rendering of what actually happened. In reality, the protests from Democrats were prompted by Scott Walker’s proposal to strip public employees of their bargaining rights, protests that were later sustained by the deep cuts in his budget, leading to the recall drive.
Too bad CNN’s anchors don’t inform themselves about what’s going on so they can call someone like Priebus out and actually inform viewers as to what the facts are. That the head of the national Republican party feels free to bald-faced lie on national television is a pretty good indication of the abhorrent state of our “news” media.
Huge Explosion in Norway
10:06 p.m. ET:
Norway: Blast near prime minister’s office in Oslo
A large explosion has hit near government headquarters in the Norwegian capital Oslo.
The blast is thought to have caused damage to the offices of Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and a number of other official buildings.
Witnesses have said several people were injured in the incident in the centre of the city.
Pictures from the scene showed shattered windows and smoke drifting in the streets.
A journalist with Norwegian public radio station NRK said the headquarters of tabloid newspaper VG were also damaged.
As I post this, the U.S. cable “news” networks are covering: Fox - the deficit negotiations; CNN – the deficit negotiations; MSNBC – the heat wave.
UPDATE: 10:31 p.m. ET: U.S. cables still aren’t covering it. Follow Doug Sanders of the Globe & Mail here for updates.
(Image via.)
Slow-News-Day Fear Mongering
Gosh, golly, gee. It seems the 24/7-what-are-we-gonna-do-to-fill-all-that-time cable “news” shows covered a “terror alert” this evening (absent a “high-speed” LA car chase), as in a “suspicious package” at the White House:
Thank God I missed it.
Think: Manufactured fear because the cables are lazy ass, cheap “news” organizations and turning a “suspicious package” into an hour’s worth of “news” is easy.
Factoid of the Day
Check out this headline from TVNewser: HLN Planning 19+ Hours of Casey Anthony Coverage This Weekend.
Wow. 19+ hours of “news” you can’t use. How long will it take before HLN devotes 19+ hours to covering how hedge funds, investment firms and banksters destroyed the world’s economy.
Says it All
Watch this amazing video compilation from TalkingPointsMemo showing how all three cable “news” networks cut away from a presser being given by Nancy Pelosi immediately after she announced she was there to talk about jobs, and would not comment on Anthony Weiner:
I just heard MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell say that Weiner had to resign because coverage of other news “just stopped” and Democrats couldn’t get any other messages out (about the deficit, Medicare, etc.).
Well Andrea, given that ya’ll cut away from Pelosi when she wanted to talk about jobs, you tell me who has control over that.
This is such clear proof that if it bleeds it leads and our 24/7 cable “news” organizations don’t deserve the privilege of being called that.
Yes, “Weinergate” Was the “News” Last Week
If you watched cable “news” last week, you probably wondered: Is there anything else happening other than the Anthony Weiner scandal?
The answer is essentially no. Check out this graph showing how much time the cable “news” channels devoted to the Weiner story last week:
33%. 33%!
So, considering all the things that happen every day all around the world, the cables spent 33% of their “news” time talking about Anthony Weiner.
I think it’s insulting.
Read more here at the Project for Excellence in Journalism.
CNN’s GOP Presidential Debate: Introduce Yourselves in Five, Six, Seven Seconds
John King opened CNN’s GOP presidential “debate” tonight by telling the audience that each candidate had “five, six, seven seconds” to introduce themselves.
Yep. That’s a sure sign that the “journalists” at CNN are going to do all they can to educate us about the people who are running.
This and That
Good morning all.
Are we looking forward to the “debate” on CNN tonight? You know, the one with the GOP presidential candidates? Me neither. It should be on Comedy Central.
A doctor on his morning walk noticed the old lady pictured above. She was sitting on her front step smoking a cigar, so he walked up to her & said, “I couldn’t help but notice how happy you look! What is your secret?”
“I smoke 10 cigars a day,” she said. “Before I go to bed, I smoke a nice big joint. Apart from that, I drink a bottle of Jack Daniels every week, & eat only junk food. On weekends, I pop pills, have sex, & I don’t exercise at all.”
“That is absolutely amazing! How old are you?”
“Forty,” she replied.
(H/t Nancy.)
“Anthony Weiner Running Errands”
Check out the chyron on CNN this morning:
(Via.)
This is what “news” in the United States of America has devolved into.
Congratulations to CNN’s Don Lemon
From Mediaite:
In a Twitter posting to his 89,805 followers Sunday night, CNN anchor Don Lemon linked to a New York Times story that reveals he is gay, and thanked his followers in advance for their support. The revelation comes in advance of his upcoming book, Transparent (due out June 16), and in the interview with NYT’s Bill Carter, Lemon reveals that, while his sexuality was known to his colleagues, going public carries with it considerable anxiety.
I can only imagine the anxiety but with that, I would think, comes a sense of relief as well — not having to pretend and/or worry about people “finding out.”
Congratulations to Lemon for his courage. Sadly, courage it was it takes in the United States of America in 2011 to be true to one’s self if one is gay or lesbian.
Follow the Media Brown-Nosers Here
Follow the happenings at tonight’s White House Correspondents Dinner, a gathering of lobbyists, elected officials (they’re supposed to represent us, no?) and elite media — the people who tell us what we should think and believe, as if they have any idea – on Twitter at #nerdprom and/or at #WHCD.
Cable “News” is Unwatchable Today
Cable “news” is unwatchable today. Nothing but Donald Trump/birther stuff (oh, and now they’re taking The Donald’s lead and moving on to questioning Obama’s college credentials).
(HEAR ME SCREAMING?)
Are we to believe the legitimacy of Obama’s birth certificate is the most important thing on the planet?
CNN Touts Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer as “Moderate”
Just saw a segment on CNN’s John King featuring Arizona Governor Jan Brewer captioned: “More Moderate Than Advertised?”
Talk about moving the country to the right of the right of the right.
Let me out of this fucking asylum.
I’ll put up video as soon as I can.
Oh. BTW. Gotta love that “liberal media” huh?
Geezus.
How Can 58% of Americans Approve of Budget Deal If We Don’t Know the Details?
Bear in mind that we still have no idea what the specifics are of the budget deal brokered at the last minute on Friday. I’ve read and heard some guesses that the details will be released late this evening. So this makes no sense:
A new CNN/Opinion Research Poll released today found that the budget deal that avoided a federal government shutdown is viewed as big win for President Obama with the American people. 58% of Americans approve of the budget deal, and the President got the lion’s share of the credit 48%-35% over the Republicans.
The CNN/Opinion Research Poll painted a picture of country that really didn’t want the government to shutdown. 63% of respondents would have considered a shutdown either a crisis or a major problem. From this viewpoint the budget agreement was viewed as a positive, and widely approved of by a margin of 58%-38%. President Obama got much of the credit for avoiding the shutdown. 48% of those polled believed that Obama and the Democrats deserve the credit for the deal, 35% credited the Republicans, and 11% felt that the credit should be shared.
Obama personally received a 54% approval rating for his handling of the budget negotiations. The Republicans were given a 54% disapproval rating for their handling of negotiations.
Given that 76% of respondents said that Obama didn’t give up too much to get the deal, and 67% also believed that Republicans did not give up too much, it is safe to say that a majority of Americans view this as a fair deal.
Go to the link above (pdf) to see the poll questions themselves. Yes, they actually asked if Obama and/or the Republicans “gave up too much,” even though we don’t know what either of them gave up.
Ridiculous.
Does CNN’s Joe Johns Think of Himself as a Journalist?
Does CNN’s Joe Johns think of himself as a journalist? If so, he’s in denial. What he is is a spokesperson for the right wing:
CNN reporter gets punk’d by GOP Congressman: This one is pretty clear cut: CNN reporter Joe Johns last night credulously repeated an accusation by GOP Rep. Sean Duffy’s camp that Talking Points Memo posted a selectively edited video in which Duffy claimed to be having a tough time getting by on a Congressman’s $174,000 annual salary. Duffy’s camp insisted the video — which has created a big controversy for the Congressman — was edited to leave out his willingness to take a pay cut.
In fact, TPM originally posted the full video, but it was only pulled down after the Wisconsin GOP demanded it be yanked, and TPM’s original reporting specifically mentioned Duffy’s openness to the pay cut.
It’s not surprising that Duffy’s camp resorted to this maneuver. What’s perverse is that Johns was willing to amplify serious accusations of selective editing by TPM (where I once worked) apparently without making any cursory effort to check out what happened, despite TPM’s well-respected journalistic track record. Meanwhile, mainstream news outlets too frequently give the benefit of the doubt to video “revelations” from right-wing pseudo journalist/activists with known records of deception.
So, Johns took as fact what the Duffy camp told him and went on air and reported it as such.
Here is the Society of Professional Journalism’s Code of Ethics. The first rule is:
— Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
What Johns did is really inexcusable. Being a journalist doesn’t mean repeating what you’re told. It means taking a few minutes to confirm if it’s true and a then reporting the truth; the facts.
War, Live on CNN
CNN wants me and Mr. SayItAintSoAlready to snuggle up in front of the TV tonight and watch bombs falling and people getting killed — LIVE!
Forget about renting a movie.
Yahoo!
Is CNN Doing Peter King’s Dirty Work?
I just saw a promo for a CNN “special” that will air on Sunday, March 27: “Unwelcome: The Muslims Next Door.”
Just looked it up. Here’s the trailer.
Wow. “Does freedom of religion mean freedom from suspicion?”
What’s the deal? Is CNN doing Peter King’s dirty work?
The timing here is so suspicious.
.
CNN Meteorologist Chad Meyers Moonlights as a Geologist
If you’ve spent any time watching CNN over the last three days you know one of their meteorologists, Chad Meyers, has been called upon to explain the mechanics of earthquakes and tsunamis.
So, WTF?
Again, Meyers is meteorologist, not a geologist.
Seems to me this is “news” on the cheap. You know, the traffic guy is suddenly an expert in forest fires. The cooking guy morphs into an expert in child abuse.
Sloppy CNN Fail
Chyron on CNN just now (7:07 p.m. ET): “Japan Awakes to Disaster.”
Wrong. The earthquake began at 2:46 p.m. Friday (in Japan) and the tsunami happened before the sun went down the same day. It is now Saturday morning there. Japan went to bed knowing about the disaster. It didn’t wake up to it.
Geezus. If CNN can’t correctly report a simple fact like this, one wonders how they’re screwing up the important stuff.
CNN: “Are Whites Racially Oppressed?”
A headline on CNN right now:
Here’s a link to the article.
Nothing more to say.
(H/t Mino S.)
CNN Puts Madison Behind the 1st Anniversary of Earthquake in Chile
I made a point to watch CNN at the top of the hour (6:00 p.m. ET) to see what the “top stories” were:
1. People lining up in Libya to receive free money.
2. 100,000 laborers flee Libya.
3. Today marks the 1st anniversary of the earthquake in Chile, and
4. The Governor of Wisconsin says “pack it up and get out.”
So, what’s happening in Madison is fourth, behind the 1st anniversary of the earthquake in Chile.
It’s amazing how CNN has suddenly decided to report international news.
CNN Ignores Madison
CNN is airing a “Special Report” tonight about the “unrest in Libya.”
Hey! What. About. MADISON?
CNN’s Tired Old Model for Eliot Spitzer’s New Show: “In the Arena”
You may have heard that CNN fired Kathleen Parker this week and ended the “Parker/Spitzer Show,” the one she starred in alongside former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer.
While Parker has left the network (wouldn’t be surprised to see her pop up on Fox), Spitzer is staying and will host a new show called, “In the Arena.” Spitzer is a Democrat but as is so often the case in the “liberal media,” there have to be two conservatives to provide “balance:” The former Fox News reader, E.D. Hill of “terrorist fist jab” fame, and “Will Cain, a columnist for the conservative journal National Review and a sometime panelist on Fox News.”
There is CNN’s unoriginal, uninspired vision for the show:
“Simply put, the new program will look beyond the headlines to analyze and discuss the most important stories of the day,” Jautz wrote. “The program will provide context and analysis through balanced and thoughtful discussions and interviews with a wide range of guests and newsmakers who cumulatively represent various points of view.”
Wow. Let’s see. How many shows are there like that on TV already? A couple hundred at least.
Way to go CNN. Can’t wait not to watch it.
Anderson Cooper on Mubarak’s Wealth
CNN’s Anderson Cooper tonight on Hosni Mubarak: “He’s obviously very wealthy.”
Ah, yeah. But let’s be clear about Anderson Cooper’s perspective on wealth. This would be the summer home — yes, the cabin, the cottage — Anderson Cooper’s mother grew up in:
This is the dining room:
(Via.)
Anderson Cooper — bless his heart — doesn’t view life from the vantage point of a protester in Cairo’s Independence Square. He views it from Mubarak’s palace, er place.
.
When, Oh When, Will We Get a Better Media?
Just watched an interview about the situation in Egypt between CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Roger Cohen of the New York Times. Immediately after Blitzer said goodbye to Cohen he said, “And of course we’re watching other top stories, like the race for president in 2012.”
Ridiculous.
Mubarak is Destroying Egypt to Protect His US Taxpayer-Funded Bank Account
Hey, what better way for Hosni Mubarak to stay in power than to collapse the economy and ride in on a horse (or a camel) and claim he’s the only one who can save it:
And no, sorry scared Americans, this isn’t a tweet from “the Muslim Brotherhood.” It’s from CNN’s Ben Wedeman.
On second thought, I should amend the title of this post. It should read something like, Mubarak’s destroying Egypt in order to protect the billions of US taxpayer dollars that are sitting in his Swiss bank account:
President Hosni Mubarak’s power may have visibly crumbled before the world on Jan. 25 when protesters took to the streets of Cairo, but his personal wealth will likely be intact when he leaves office as pledged at the end of the year, or sooner if the crowds have their way.
Experts say the wealth of the Mubarak family was built largely from military contracts [funded by US taxpayers] during his days as an air force officer. He eventually diversified his investments through his family when he became president in 1981. The family’s net worth ranges from $40 billion to $70 billion, by some estimates.
News About Egypt
Reminder: there’s no comparison between the atrocious coverage of CNN and MSNBC as to the goings on in Egypt to that of Al Jazeera. Watch Al Jazeera here on Facebook.
What’s happening in Egypt (and in the Middle East) is much more complicated and fascinating than MSNBC and/or CNN let on.
The “news” we get here in the U.S. us nothing but awful.
