Is CNN now a reality TV?

Has CNN gone nuts? The last two days all they seem to be covering is flight MH370 search. And there hasn't been much to cover other than mentioning that Chinese satellite may have seen some large objects in the ocean. Ok, we get that. But is there no other news? Nothing happens in Ukraine, not even the well-selected right wing neoconish footage they love to report? Nothing in the US? Nothing in Michigan or elsewhere?

Is this really news reporting? I found myself cycling to Fox and BBC World News quite often because of this. In my opinion it's truly disgusting how the major TV channels are milking yet another "drama of the week" for all the ad dollars that they can get. So much for "independent news media". Wait. I forgot to insert "corporate driven" before independent.

Many of CNN's better anchors from years past have migrated over to Al Jazeera America, which, along with BBC America, is one of the best news sources in the U.S. right now (IMO). I used to watch CNN a decade ago. Now I never watch Headline News (Nancy Grace and her alcoholic partner in crime, Jane Velez-Mitchell, are very effective vomit inducers) and I seldom watch CNN.

Bloomberg News has now admitted that they edit and change news stories based on political concerns and how the terminal sales business would be affected ( http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...d-8952711.html ) and we all know what Fox News and MSNBC are all about. So yes, I agree, it is sad that CNN is now not much more than a "story of the week", reality TV news station, staffed by half-baked, politically correct anchors.

Jag, your assessment is right on the money.

CNN has always loved these "human dramas" surrounding a disaster. Only liked their election coverage when I stayed in the US for a while. CNN International (which we get here at home) is pretty bad as is the Indian venture CNN-IBN.

Al Jazeera and BBC World is where the real news usually is.

It's next to impossible to get factual news anywhere in the US these days. Most of it has so much speculation, spin, added drama, etc. We need a channel that drills down to facts, and facts only. Having a little bit of discussion that allows some speculation, points, counter points and such would be fine, as long as it was identified as such. But personally I think it's really old hearing all about what might have happened, what could have happened, what should happen, and what will likely never happen.

The sad part is that their all round tv-numbers are probably higher now than they were when they broadcasted 'serious' news...

The last time I watched some cnn was with the Boston bombings I guess, or maybe some mass shooting. The impression that I get is that cnn (the other commercial news networks are no different) deliberately wants to create hysteria in order to glue as many people to the screen as possible. Instead of only reporting the facts and then shutting the f up, they sprout out ever wilder theories all in a tone as if the apocalypse is coming.

Although everyone I know complains about the drivel you always see on the news, the tv-ratings show that people just can't help themselves from watching. The most worrying part to me is that people are nowadays most obsessed with hearing something first, but are only mildly interested in hearing the truth. The CNN of today slots in perfectly in that mentality...

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Originally Posted by zako85

Has CNN gone nuts? The last two days all they seem to be covering is flight MH370 search. And there hasn't been much to cover other than mentioning that Chinese satellite may have seen some large objects in the ocean. Ok, we get that. But is there no other news? Nothing happens in Ukraine, not even the well-selected right wing neoconish footage they love to report? Nothing in the US? Nothing in Michigan or elsewhere?

Is this really news reporting? I found myself cycling to Fox and BBC World News quite often because of this. In my opinion it's truly disgusting how the major TV channels are milking yet another "drama of the week" for all the ad dollars that they can get. So much for "independent news media". Wait. I forgot to insert "corporate driven" before independent.

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You're right on facts, but you don't have to be so bitter, do you?

CNN is now the National Enquirer of television. Has been for a while too.

What is CNN? Sounds like an explosive! :p

Don't fault CNN for being reality TV .
Given all the "reality" on TV today , it seems to be the way people want to be entertained .

They are in competition with all that "reality" , after all .

So , if you have to get your message out there because you need to tell the good people how and what to think , you do what works .
Today , they are walking around on a map , talking about standing in the middle of the ocean .