Thursday, March 03, 2011

Probably Unfair CNN Post

As I mentioned on mightygodking, I've been watching a lot of CNN at work lately. (While working--it's not like I just sneak off to the breakroom and veg out all day.) They've been covering the Libya situation, and while I can appreciate that there's a case to be made for intervention, I gotta say, it really does seem like CNN is pushing like hell for the USA to go to war ASAP.

Which makes a certain amount of sense. Let's face it, CNN made its rep off of Desert Storm, and they're probably best known for their determined, courageous war reporting. To CNN, a war might mean dead soldiers, tragedy, and the failure of everything fine and noble about the human spirit, but it also means ratings, Emmys, and the very real possibility that one of their reporters will become a sex symbol as he bravely reports from inside Tripoli as the bombs fall. And that's a trade I feel like CNN will take any day.

I'm willing to admit that I could be wrong, but when you hear their tones of voice as they talk about "establishing a no-fly zone", or "arming the Libyan rebels"...they almost sound eager. It's a little creepy, especially for an outfit that prides itself on its non-partisan, non-agenda'd reporting. Democrat, Republican, the important thing at CNN seems to be, "So when are you going to start the shootin' match?"

1 comment:

Jim S said...

I don't think it's a matter of pushing for war in Libya. It's more a matter of getting excited about covering real news and mattering again.

I suspect most, if not all, of these reporters would rather be covering the fall of a brutal dictator than the latest court troubles of Lohan, or the dating life of the Kardashians.
CNN was built for this. But they still have to fill hours when they don't have new footage or information. Which puts them at the mercy of the talking heads. And the heads have to say something different, plus even CNN heads have their own personal agenda. The disinterested expert (disinterested means neutral, uninterested means you don't care) doesn't exist. He or she has has a point of view based unique life expereiences, etc. With Fox, the views are propaganda, but even on CNN, the experts aren't pulling for Quadaffi to pull through.