CNN’s Free Fall: Lou Dobbs Leaves
CNN continues its free fall in the cable news industry as Fox news dominates with its straight forward unbiased news reporting and colorful commentary which gives conservatives a voice all but totally silenced elsewhere and MSNBC locks in the ultra-liberal audience with its agenda oriented advocacy journalism and left-wing pundits. CNN tries to position themselves as the real news choice, the one that is truly centered, where in fact they are yet another left-wing shill that avoids the outright confrontational elements of MSNBC.
Lou Dobbs, formerly their chief business anchor, abruptly resigned CNN leaving them with only Larry King as a long-standing major figure on the network. Dobbs became more an issues commentator after 9/11 presenting a populist point of view strongly critical of illegal immigration angering Latino viewers demanding his dismissal. To further ratchet up the controversy, Dobbs helped ignite more controversy talking up conspiracy rumors that Barack Obama was not born an American citizen. While certainly able to stir up controversy, Dobbs show produced few viewers. Fed up with efforts to persuade Dobbs to behave in a more compliant mainstream manner, he abruptly departed the network on which he was one of the originals.
The only program remaining from CNN’s heyday is “Larry King Live.” Larry remains their most watched personality despite lagging behind his competition. King’s softball interviews have become increasingly irrelevant.
With no identity, leadership, or compelling personalities, CNN, the network that invented cable news is barely hanging on with even its sister network, HN beating them.
Surely, there are ways for CNN to get back into the picture but it appears doubtful Time-Warner has the people in house to make it happen.
CNN continues its free fall in the cable news industry as Fox news dominates with its straight forward unbiased news reporting and colorful commentary which gives conservatives a voice all but totally silenced elsewhere and MSNBC locks in the ultra-liberal audience with its agenda oriented advocacy journalism and left-wing pundits. CNN tries to position themselves as the real news choice, the one that is truly centered, where in fact they are yet another left-wing shill that avoids the outright confrontational elements of MSNBC.
Lou Dobbs, formerly their chief business anchor, abruptly resigned CNN leaving them with only Larry King as a long-standing major figure on the network. Dobbs became more an issues commentator after 9/11 presenting a populist point of view strongly critical of illegal immigration angering Latino viewers demanding his dismissal. To further ratchet up the controversy, Dobbs helped ignite more controversy talking up conspiracy rumors that Barack Obama was not born an American citizen. While certainly able to stir up controversy, Dobbs show produced few viewers. Fed up with efforts to persuade Dobbs to behave in a more compliant mainstream manner, he abruptly departed the network on which he was one of the originals.
The only program remaining from CNN’s heyday is “Larry King Live.” Larry remains their most watched personality despite lagging behind his competition. King’s softball interviews have become increasingly irrelevant.
With no identity, leadership, or compelling personalities, CNN, the network that invented cable news is barely hanging on with even its sister network, HN beating them.
Surely, there are ways for CNN to get back into the picture but it appears doubtful Time-Warner has the people in house to make it happen.
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