If you still watch CNN, you are now basically alone. April was their worst month during the daytime in a decade. And their primetime lineup is all but dead. For once, I actually agree with Cenk Uygur. CNN should change everything. They can start by realizing that no one likes Wolf Blitzer. Then they can go out and find some onscreen talent that doesn’t remind people of the Clinton administration. Get rid of Carville and Begala and Brazille. I never watch CNN because I truly dislike almost everyone that they have on regularly. If I did watch CNN, I’d probably have a much longer list of people they should fire. Dana Loesch, for example, but I only know her from her incredibly stupid tweets.
If you look at MSNBC, you see that they’ve cultivated new talent. They brought Rachel Maddow along slowly until she emerged as a star. They’re grooming Chris Hayes and Melissa Harris-Perry on the weekends and as substitutes in primetime. They brought Ed Shultz over from radio. What MSNBC should do is replace the insufferable Lawrence O’Donnell and the way-past-his-selling-date Chris Matthews with Hayes and Harris-Perry. And, while I like Al Sharpton and I think he’s improving with experience, he’s had about 3 million more minutes of microphone-time in the span of his life than any mere mortal should enjoy. Give someone else a chance.
In addition to firing literally everyone who works there, CNN should play to its strengths. Cenk’s right that they should be aggressive fact-checkers, but they also should be using their resources better to bring people stories that MSNBC doesn’t have the resources to do. I mean, can the ridiculous Piers Morgan and bring us something closer to Frontline or 60 Minutes, or at least Nightline. Put some really smart people on television instead of paid political consultants and hacks. Try educating people about something. I think CNN does this from time to time with specials, and that’s fine, but people don’t form habits from watching specials. They need to know that a program is going to be on at a certain time.
Pretty much everything is wrong with CNN. It isn’t just their refusal to report the truth if it conflicts with Republican talking points. It’s unlikable no-talent talent that doesn’t appeal to partisans or non-partisans. It’s news that is both bland and noncommittal. And it’s a near 100% focus on theatrics and process, with very very little attention or value placed on policy.
The whole place should be razed to the ground and rebuilt from scratch.
