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CNN Will Continue To Fail Because They Refuse To Listen To Jon Stewart
For ten years, Jon Stewart has been telling CNN what’s wrong with their network, and they have responding doing the very things that caused their downfall. Things like reviving Crossfire.
For some reason that nobody can seem to understand, CNN seems intent on reviving Crossfire. The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart has been an outspoken critic of the network and Crossfire. Even before the epic 2004 appearance on Crossfire when he called Tucker Carlson a dick, Stewart was pointing out what had gone wrong at CNN.
Here is what Stewart said about Crossfire during a 2003 interview with Bill Moyers on PBS,
MOYERS: Which is funnier? CROSSFIRE or HARDBALL?
STEWART: CROSSFIRE or HARDBALL? Which is funnier? Which is more soul-crushing, do you mean? Both are equally dispiriting in their… you know, the whole idea that political discourse has degenerated into shows that have to be entitled CROSSFIRE and HARDBALL. And you know, “I’m Gonna Beat Your Ass” or whatever they’re calling them these days is mind-boggling.
CROSSFIRE, especially, is completely an apropos name. It’s what innocent bystanders are caught in when gangs are fighting. And it just boggles my mind that that’s given a half hour, an hour a day to… I don’t understand how issues can be dissected from the left and from the right as though… even cartoon characters have more than left and right. They have up and down.
I mean, how… it’s so two-dimensional to think that any analysis can come from, “It’s the left and it’s the right and well, we’ve had that discussion and that’s done.”
Stewart told CNN what the problem was back in 2004 when he was on Crossfire.
Video:
Transcript:
BEGALA: Let me get this straight. If the indictment is — if the indictment is — and I have seen you say this — that…
STEWART: Yes.
BEGALA: And that CROSSFIRE reduces everything, as I said in the intro, to left, right, black, white.
STEWART: Yes.
BEGALA: Well, it’s because, see, we’re a debate show.
STEWART: No, no, no, no, that would be great.
BEGALA: It’s like saying The Weather Channel reduces everything to a storm front.
STEWART: I would love to see a debate show.
BEGALA: We’re 30 minutes in a 24-hour day where we have each side on, as best we can get them, and have them fight it out.
STEWART: No, no, no, no, that would be great. To do a debate would be great. But that’s like saying pro wrestling is a show about athletic competition.
(LAUGHTER)
CARLSON: Jon, Jon, Jon, I’m sorry. I think you’re a good comedian. I think your lectures are boring.
STEWART: Yes.
CARLSON: Let me ask you a question on the news.
STEWART: Now, this is theater. It’s obvious. How old are you?
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: Thirty-five. STEWART: And you wear a bow tie.
In 2010 on Larry King Live, Stewart trashed CNN, and called the network a squandered opportunity.
Video:
Stewart has continued to point out what is wrong at CNN for years. Earlier this month, Stewart called out CNN’s, “lack of direction and utter disregard for common sense.”
How has CNN responded to years of criticism from the person who has become one of the country’s top media critics?
They ignored everything that he said, and they are now looking at bringing back Crossfire.
Their answer is to bring back the one show that Stewart identified as a symptom of their disease. This kind of thinking is exactly why CNN is going to continue to fail. Jon Stewart watches a lot of cable news as part of his job. He is like many other Americans who have criticized what CNN has become.
Instead of listening to the criticism, and taking it to heart. CNN is blowing it off, and repeating past failures.
If CNN would listen to what Jon Stewart has been trying to them for the last decade, they might have a chance to be something more than the laughingstock of cable news.
But this is CNN, so America get ready for the revival of a show that you never liked much in the first place, because the folks running the network are too arrogant to listen.
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Shiva
Apr. 27th, 2013 at 5:44 pm
I think John Stewart knows exactly what’s wrong with CNN. But it’s not only CNN, it’s Fox news and MSNBC. Whenever a politician goes on those channels they know exactly what’s going to be said because those channels only talk about what’s happening at the sperm of the moment. It’s the 24-hour news cycle.
I don’t know much about these things but I know that if CNN would get rid of Wolf Blitzer and his totally softball BS childlike questions and convert to a 24 seven news channel they might get some of their watchers back. They would get me because I am tired of opinion news channels. That’s not what a news channel should be.
Steven
Apr. 27th, 2013 at 6:09 pm
CNN is a joke they are going down hill real fast
Norbrook
Apr. 27th, 2013 at 6:12 pm
I remember CNN’s early days when they were about news. Where I think they really went off the rails was the OJ Simpson trial, where they first spent hours covering the car “chase,” then virtually constantly on the courtroom. It worked then, but now it’s the model. Along with that has been the merger between “opinion” and “news” programming.
The end result is that we now have hours of broadcast time spent on things where “nothing is happening” is the order of the day, along with people telling us what they think about that nothing. There actually are real events, news even, happening around the world which quite easily be used to fill up the air time, and as a consequence inform people. CNN used to do that way back when, maybe they should try it again.
majii
Apr. 28th, 2013 at 1:30 am
I remember when CNN was exactly the way you describe it, Norbrook, and it had a winning recipe for success back then. Ted Turner said a few years ago that he is disappointed at the direction the network has gone. He should be because an excellent news network has gone to the dogs ( no disrespect to dogs. I love mine dearly.)
Sugapea
Apr. 27th, 2013 at 7:26 pm
Wow…Stewart is spot-on!
Wish there would be an intelligent ‘Debate’ Program where both sides could paint their side of the story. What a great idea for MSNBC. Have the viewing public vote via cell phones for the best argument. Such intelligent programing would interest many people. Especially, those living in strong Blue or Red States where they seldom, if ever hear the opposing side.
Kimbutgar
Apr. 28th, 2013 at 6:59 pm
They don’t want regular people debating on tv because it would put paid pundits out of business. There are a lot of real folks who would do a better job discussing real issues in everyday life. Reality shows are heavily edited while a real people discussions would destroy the corporate approved narrative.
Paws
Apr. 27th, 2013 at 8:54 pm
There’s too much ideology on cable news these days. It’s an “us vs. them” dynamic, 24/7, and I really feel it contributes to the divisive nature of our politics these days. It’s not the sole factor, of course, but it doesn’t help.
majii
Apr. 28th, 2013 at 1:35 am
I’m so sick of CNN pretending that the Jody Arias murder trial is the only murder case in the U.S. being heard in court today. They are milking it for all it’s worth with Nancy Grace’s nauseating insight, mock juries, and panels with Dick, Jane and Harry Lawyer weighing in. The only thing I watch on CNN are the Mystery Detectives programs. Everything else is opinion-based BS.
Bob shipp
Apr. 28th, 2013 at 11:58 am
I want news, not analysis. I’ll decide what it means. How can cnn suck so much when its biggest competitor is fox news(?)? Was Ted Turner the last person at cnn with a new idea? Talking heads reading the news from a paper script would be better than what cnn has become. Perhaps the accountants should point out that the “news” should be a loss leader for the parent company.
I have to go to Al Jazerra for my NEWS outside US politics and I won’t return to cnn anytime soon!