Interesting article on CNN vs. Fox

[RichmondVA]

Battle of the (cable) Network Stars! (http://ajr.org/Article.asp?id=2875)

[GWB]

Thanks for the article. They both make watching the news alot more fun than the run-of-the-mill network news. Great article!

[dcXhc]

Interesting article.

Personally, I think that CNN is not the standard it was during Gulf War I for a very simple reason -- Aaron Brown sucks. It's got nothing to do with his politics, it's just that I find the guy painful to watch. I would much rather watch CNN than any other cable news outlet I receive, but Aaron Brown just bugs me too much. I get three CNN stations (CNN, Headline News, CNN International) and lately, he has been on all three at once. Bring back Bernie Shaw or someone that adds a little believable gravitas to the situation and CNN would be tops again.

On a side note, I really haven't found any outlet on TV that I like for their war coverage. CNN International is good in the late, late night when they switch to ITV or whatever the British outfit is. But beyond that, once I surf through CNBC, MSNBC, Fox, CBS, ABC, NBC, and CNN, I generally find myself turning off the TV and booting up the PC.

[tobedawg]

The article hit the nail right on Bill O' Reilly's big head. :D

I am kind of sickened by the way both networks are covering the war however. They both seem to be about presentation and make it look like an action movie. I can't stand watching either for more than 5 minutes.

[Danosaur]

The network coverage of the war is reality TV to the max. It's frightening and entertaining all at the same time. It's completely real and surreal. If I allow myself I become glued to the screen, not because of the reporting, but because of having war right there in real time in my living room. If the networks showed the real gore of this war I think I would need counseling. I feel like I should be there sometimes too. No politics involved, I just feel like I should be in this crisis somewhere. Sitting in my living room watching just doesn't seem right.

Other than that, I think the article was a fair depiction of the networks and I like having all of them. I honestly do watch CNN when I want to get the straight story, and Fox for entertainment. Sometimes I watch Fox just because the color is so much better on my TV.

[Bearcat]

I don't care what's going on in the world so long as Robin Meade is reading the headlines. Smokin' hot!!!

[Duemellon]

I am kind of sickened by the way both networks are covering the war however. They both seem to be about presentation and make it look like an action movie. I can't stand watching either for more than 5 minutes. I often refer to our coverage of the war as "Sport coverage".

We get color commentators (Geraldo, Koppel, Arnett take the roll of John Madden, Vitale, and Esiason) and we get analytical commentators (Ret Generals vs. Summeral, Tasker, and ... uh... what's his face).

We get the play by play with instant replay.. as well as highlights every hour.

We have diagrams and "score cards", strategic status updates...

We have 1 less camera in play than in the Super Bowl, but when an explosion goes off, we get to see it 3 ways in two minutes.

It's a tragedy that war is being fed like a sports game. We're consuming it and cheering them on as if it was Home vs. Away.

GW2:Best of 3 USA:Game point

[slow-dog]

Originally posted by dcXhc
Interesting article.

Personally, I think that CNN is not the standard it was during Gulf War I for a very simple reason -- Aaron Brown sucks.

I agree that Aaron Brown blows, but Sheppard Smith (that's the Fox guy, right?) is pretty frickin' annoying.

[GWB]

Originally posted by Bearcat
I don't care what's going on in the world so long as Robin Meade is reading the headlines. Smokin' hot!!!

http://www.foxnews.com/images/1321/7_22_200x300_bio_edhill.jpg http://pages.ivillage.com/meltmx/images/kiran_chetry_big.jpg

Gimme E.D. Hill or Kiran Chetry anyday, Baby!!!;)

DO-AB-LE!!!!

[lawdog]

Dayum, Dubya, I know we don't agree about politics, but I thought we could've at least agreed about hot chicks.

Gimme Erica Hill (http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/hill.erica.html) from CNN HN any day over those two Fox Network gals. There's also Carol Lin (http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/lin.carol.html). I'm personally not that attracted to her, but this is the 97x board, and she is the only female news anchor to have her own Whiskeytown song ("Lovin' you, has gotten weird...").

If you must go with conservati-babes, Ann Coulter is hott. I'd love to get a B.J. from her. Not for any sexual purposes, mind you, but just because it would be a few minutes when she wouldn't be talking.

[lawdog]

Oh, and yeah, Aaron Brown is terrible. Every time I see the guy, I think he should be achoring the afternnon newscast on the UPN affiliate in Boseman, Montana or Terre Haute, Indiana. He is so not ready for prime time.