The Cooper/Brown saga: Take 3
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Gail Shister plays up the Brown angle and whips out the “D” word….
If CNN’s Aaron Brown is forced to swap time slots with Anderson Cooper, expect Brown to see red.
CNN is pushing for hot-as-a-rocket 7 p.m. anchor Cooper to trade up to the 10 p.m. slot occupied by Brown’s NewsNight since 2001, according to several highly placed CNN executives, speaking on condition of anonymity.
It would be a major demotion for Brown. Far fewer people watch TV at 7 than at 10, and, more important, it would cement Cooper’s image as the new face of CNN.
Brown, 56, is the anti-anchor - slow, deliberate and old school. Cooper, 38, is New Age - cute, hip, glib, and able to multitask on the air.Forget fire and ice. It’s been gasoline and butane since CNN/U.S. chief Jonathan Klein added Cooper to NewsNight and expanded it to two hours in early September.
The most glaring example is visual: When Cooper surfs the Net on his laptop for the latest “downloads,” Brown looks like his slightly annoyed grandfather. Not a pretty sight. And not one that will attract younger viewers.
I personally think that AC constantly flipping open that laptop and surfing (IMO, he’s checking his emails) before the camera is off of him is totally rude and shows a lack of concern for the viewers, that he doesn’t think enough of them that he can’t wait to get to that computer instead of maintaining eye contact until the camera/program cuts to a commercial.
Comment by sam — November 2, 2005 @ 10:32 am
Sounds like instant feedback to me.
Comment by Terance — November 2, 2005 @ 10:49 am
Shister just took TVN’s rumor and enbellished it. Nothing new, everone’s ding the same thing.
Whatever happened to columnists/reporters who actually go out and find the truth, whatever it is, and report it, instead of repeating rumors. Unbelievable!! or, maybe not, maybe just annoying.
Comment by anonymous — November 2, 2005 @ 11:16 am
In my opinion flipping the lap top is just a sign of the times. Computer Technology is the rage and everyone is involved in the mult-tasking required of today’s society. I do it myself at the ripe old age of 69. I am on the computer doing research and talking on the phone at the same time. Anderson is not good at sitting still and I think that he uses that computer as a prop. Just my opinion.
Comment by Judy Stage — November 2, 2005 @ 11:33 am
I can’t believe that Anderson Cooper gets less than a million viewers in all the times he is on the air. He reminds me of a more sophisticated Geraldo.
Comment by anonymous — November 2, 2005 @ 12:34 pm
Anderson reminds me of a younger, less knowledgeable Geraldo. I also think the whole “laptop” thing is a sign of insecurity and shyness. Eithe that or he’s checking where to meet his latest conquest after work.
Comment by anonymous — November 2, 2005 @ 1:19 pm
I think he’s checking his email. I sent him a message during one of the segments he and Aaron were doing and he answered it about 2 minutes later, when the next break occurred.
Comment by sam — November 2, 2005 @ 1:27 pm
I think he’s checking his email. I sent him a message during one of the segments he and Aaron were doing and he answered it about 2 minutes later, when the next break occurred.
Comment by sam — November 2, 2005 @ 1:28 pm
Sam thinks he’s checking his e-mail - did everyone get that? :)
Comment by Caroline S — November 2, 2005 @ 2:47 pm