Inside Cable News

February 13, 2006

FTVLive on Klein article…

FTVLive debunks the Jonathan Klein article I mentioned this morning…

There’s something odd about that entry though. The pic included in the article (a Photoshop job comparing the article’s author Steinberg to the actor who played Jimmy Olson from the 1950’s “Superman” series) has a white border around it with a blue line surrounding the border; the sort of border one gets when one downloads an image attachment to an email message in Gmail by right clicking on the image and doing a “Save As” instead of downloading the image properly by clicking on the download link, something I and other TV Blogs have done numerous times because it saves us the time of having to resize the image ourselves to fit in the relatively small space blogs have. So I’m left wondering who supplied that image to FTVLive and why. Actually I’m rhetorically wondering why. I know why…

UPDATE: TVNewser also has push back on the Times article after proclaiming it a must read earlier in the day

Filed under: Cable News, CNN - Spud Comments (7)

Tony Snow profile…

Rick Bird in the Cincinnati Post has a profile of FNC’s Tony Snow…(via TVNewser)

Snow’s style tends to be less hysterical and fist-pounding than his fellow con- servative talkers, like Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. The show is often more information-packed and cerebral, or as one caller told him recently, “I enjoy your intellectually pragmatic discussions.”

And Snow gets the A-list guests. For example, Vice President Dick Cheney and presidential adviser Karl Rove have been on in the past month.

Snow does criticize talk radio - on both sides of the political spectrum - as being too shrill.

“The shouting match stuff bores me. It’s sort of like being invited into a home where people have a bad marriage and listen to them screech at each other. It’s, ‘How do I get out of here?’ “

UPDATE: Accidentally left off attribution to TVNewser. Sorry Brian…

Father Jonathan on commitment

FNC’s Father Jonathan Morris blogs about what we men can do about the relationships in our lives as Valentine’s Day approaches…

It’s very hard for a guy to win on Valentine’s Day. He either does too much and comes across as trying too hard, or makes the very imprudent and insensitive decision of not doing enough, banking on guy-like logic that the relationship is far deeper and sweeter than any box of chocolates could express

So guys, I’ve got an idea for turning a lose-lose situation into a dazzling date. I know you won’t like the sound of it, but it’s very effective, and in the long run will even save you a lot of money. Oh, now you’re listening. Here’s the idea: Talk to your date about commitment. O.K., you’re no longer listening. No, you don’t have to talk to her about marriage just yet, and if it’s the first date, you better not. Just talk about the concept of commitment in general. Here’s why it’s important.

Koch anchors CNN Presents on hometown Katrina recovery…

CNN announced today that Kathleen Koch will anchor CNN Presents “Saving My Town - The Fight for Bay Saint Louis”. The special airs this Saturday, February 18th at 8 pm ET…

The documentary opens with Koch’s coverage as she returns to Bay Saint Louis in the days after the storm. In an emotional homecoming, Koch reunites with childhood friends who escaped Katrina and returns with residents as they discover leveled homes and businesses amid the near total destruction of the once-beautiful town. Koch, now based in Washington, D.C., also rode out the storm in Mississippi and has returned to her ravaged hometown six times since Hurricane Katrina for this report.

Koch remains close to many town residents, and this familiarity lends intimacy to the documentary. The residents tell heartbreaking stories of loved ones lost during the storm. Others describe losing almost every possession they have ever known. Koch discovers that insurance companies have left her town in limbo, denying claims and stalling the town’s recovery. Even the town mayor is compelled to purchase a trailer online for himself, rather than continue protracted communications with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Koch tries to get answers for the town from Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) and an insurance trade group.
(more…)

Filed under: Cable News, CNN - Spud Comments (2)

CNN launches interactive service on Dish Network…

CNN announced today the launching of CNN Enhanced TV, an interactive service available on EchoStar’s Dish Network.

CNN and EchoStar Communications Corporation today announced the availability of CNN Enhanced TV, a new content-rich interactive news service offering through EchoStar’s DISH Network™ satellite TV service. With CNN Enhanced TV, DISH Network subscribers can get the latest headlines and images from CNN.com in conjunction with CNN/U.S. programming on DISH Network’s “DishHOME” on channel 100.

“CNN Enhanced TV furthers CNN’s commitment to providing viewers with greater access to our extensive television news coverage, along with the top-notch reports and services available through CNN.com,” said Kevin Cohen, senior vice president, Strategic Planning, Corporate and Technology Strategy for Turner Broadcasting System Inc. “This application offers our viewers an interactive news experience, enabling them to not only benefit from our extensive televised coverage but also take advantage of the extensive resources of CNN.com, all without leaving their television sets.”
(more…)

Filed under: Cable News, CNN - Spud Comments (1)

Jonathan Klein profile…

The New York Times’ Jacques Steinberg has a profile of CNN President Jonathan Klein…

For all the attention he pays to his network’s ratings vis-à-vis those of Fox News, Mr. Klein might also have mentioned that MSNBC, which typically has less than half the audience of CNN in prime time, has lately been gaining on CNN in the 25-to-54-year-old demographic and has drawn some attention — including for “Countdown” with Keith Olbermann at 8 p.m. Eastern time and for experimenting with a prime-time Friday night lineup stocked with true-crime documentaries.

Mr. Klein said he was not necessarily impressed or concerned.

“Any of us can do the quick fix. We can all go to true crime,” he said. “But it’s a deal with the devil. You confuse your identity to the audience.”

“Next thing you know,” he said, summoning a name from the annals of crime shows past, “you’ll see Robert Stack anchoring.”

Filed under: Cable News, CNN - Spud Comments (5)

Get free blog up and running in minutes with Blogsome | Theme designs available here