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CNN Launches Comedy News Show - Warn Colbert?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:30:10 -0700

CNN Headline News isn't always full of laughs - at least not on purpose anyway - but they're taking a look at the Colbert Report's success and hopping in the ring. Not Just Another Cable News Show premieres April 5, according to the network. They say, "it's an entertaining way to recall some of the more memorable moments captured on video." The 30-minute show will air Saturdays at 7 p.m. ET, followed by News to Me, a series that shows hot Web videos.

Are you into watching this? I'm still a little burned by Fox News', 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour. . .

CNN's New iPhone App Allows Easy Customization, iReporting

GeekSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:32:33 -0700

CNN launched its new iPhone application this morning, featuring breaking news, video, personalization options, and, most notably, an interactive iReport feature.

The application allows you to search for and follow topics of interest to create a personalized "MyCNN" news feed - from breaking stories about your home state to gossip about your favorite celebrity. Tapping any news story from the main screen leads to two summary bullet points, the main story, and any relevant video. An additional tap on the share button allows you to email the story, choose to follow the topic, or save it to read later. The app also pinpoints your current location to provide weather, traffic, and breaking news near you.

Its most interesting and unique feature is the iReport function, based on CNN's popular citizen journalism feature. Users are encouraged to capture photos and video of breaking news and upload it to CNN directly from the application.

The app is available now at CNN.com, and the iTunes App Store for $2. And if you were to ask me, it's well worth the $2.

CNN Ratings Falling - What's Your Favorite Cable Network?

CitizenSugar — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 10:00:11 -0700

So far in March, CNN has trailed Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN Headline News, showing that its no-bias, no-bull angle might not be paying off.

While CNN does get accused of having a more liberal tone than, say Fox News, the network's personalities usually show more restraint than those on MSNBC.

Perhaps cable news viewers are looking for a little more in-your-face coverage. Then again, maybe if the network really built out its news coverage, and relied less on pundits, it could differentiate itself from other cable news stations.

Source

Former CNN Anchor Bobbie Battista Now on The Onion

TresSugar — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:00:00 -0700

“You watch the news today, and you don’t know what is real. When I was doing newscasts at CNN, people would come up to me and say, ‘That story can’t be real.’ Now the lines are really getting blurred.”

- Former CNN news anchor Bobbie Battista, now an anchor on the satirical news site The Onion, doing her part to blur the lines between real and fake news even further. Although hesitant at first to accept the job at The Onion for fear that her former CNN colleagues would think less of her, Battista nevertheless doesn't see it as a step down. She thinks cable news itself has taken a dive. To watch an example of her hilarious deadpan reading of ridiculous news, read more

Become an Insta-Reporter - CNN's iReport.com

CitizenSugar — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 09:00:03 -0800

We spotted CNN scouring Facebook for fast photos, and talked about their use of i-Reports - those-on-the-fly eyewitness accounts BlackBerried in, that turn every viewer into a fact-finder. Now CNN has gone one step further: they've established iReport.com. It's a whole site dedicated to news by you and for you. Here's how they describe it:

Welcome to a brand new beta site for uncensored, user-powered news. CNN built the tools, you take it from there. All the stories here are user-generated and instant: CNN does not vet or verify their authenticity or accuracy before they post. The ones with the "On CNN" stamp have been vetted and used in CNN news coverage.

Now their tagline is "Unedited. Unfiltered. News." While eyewitness accounts are great, I'm not entirely sure I'm so hot-to-trot to get rid of the editing and filtering of my news. To see what I mean, read more. When one of the headlines is:

Well, I don't know... It's not exactly how I imagine Wolf Blitzer would report the story. What do you think? Do you want to join the iReport force? Would you read these stories?

87% of Fox Viewers for McCain: News Watchers Discriminate?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:00:03 -0700

Though media may or may not be biased (depending on your perception of it) viewers it seems might be. In a recent Rasmussen poll, the cable network of choice was a big indicator of how a viewer plans to vote in November.

The network that was most closely tied to a candidate? Fox News, with 87 percent of viewers saying they're likely to vote for John McCain. (The results are similar to 2004 when 88 percent favored Bush.) Though Fox has an anecdotally popular niche among conservatives, they're not the only ones with pals; other networks lined up as well. Over at CNN, 65 percent said they'll vote for Obama compared to 26 percent for McCain, and at MSNBC it's 63 percent to 30 percent for McCain, with the major networks showing similar results.

The results do bring up an interesting question about coverage - to see what it is, read more.

Do networks cover stories in a way to cater to one population or another - or do people seek out coverage they feel closely allies with their own beliefs? Or as one blogger at NewsBusters asks, "Chicken and egg question: which came first, Obama supporters or pro-Obama media coverage? Did all the glowing, sycophantic, journalistically unprofessional coverage of Obama by CNN, MSNBC, and the nets create this support?" What do you think? Any merit to this musing? When you pick your news source, what do you look for?

Source

Last Night's CNN Hologram Technology: Freaky and Amazing

GeekSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:35:09 -0800

During last night's election coverage, I found myself bouncing around from high-def channel to high-def channel, seeing what ABC, CNN, Fox, and MSNBC had to offer. I already knew that CNN correspondent John King would be showcasing election news from the high-tech Multi-Touch Collaboration Wall, but I had no idea CNN would take their techiness to the next level.

Were you as shocked as I was when they showed correspondent Jessica Yellin in "hollographic 3D form?" Turns out this impressive technology was made possible by Vizrt and SportVu with the help of 44 HD cameras and 20 computers. The A+ geekiness award definitely went to CNN last night!

Did you happen to see it in action? What would you think if they used "virtual" correspondents regularly?

Lighten Up: When the News Goes Bad

CitizenSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:15:43 -0700

Nope, not bad news, just terribly, terribly wrong. Hey, it's live - anything could happen. Check out this round up of crazy news outtakes, that um, made it right on the air. Oh, watch when the guy loses his satellite interview and it gets replaced with some guy he's never seen before.

CNN doesn't have nearly enough of these moments. Give me Tony Harris with some guy behind him making bunny ears and TJ Holmes for, um, entertainment value and I'd be a happy camper.

How to Pick Which Election Coverage to Tune Into on Tuesday

CitizenSugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:00:49 -0700

With less than a week left until election night it's time to start making plans - not what election parties or events you're attending, this is a much, much more important decision- who you're spending the evening with, teevees-wise. The media has been as important this campaign as the candidates - and since McCain is saying they've all been fooled as to the real state of the race, I can't wait to see the results. I know who I'm watching, I've been so CNN-loyal the whole campaign, the thought of abandoning my Wolf wouldn't happen by a hair of his chinny-chin-chin. I might peek to see what the other kids have going on though, so luckily there's a whole passel of lists to help us decide who to watch.

To see them, read more.

Men's Vogue has ranked the news teams broken down into crucial details like what their set looks like, their biggest scoop during the campaign, and who their MVP talking head is. They said my poor Wolf's set is "Monitor-cluttered set design ripped off from Shatner-era Star Trek Enterprise." But John King's map! Rules!

New York Magazine has rounded up the Top Ten Cable News Election Coverage Gimmicks, including yes, CNN's "Perception Analyzer" that line graph thing they used during the debates - but a few I even missed. Fox had a text-in flash poll? The sample and results didn't turn out as randomly as some would hope. If you're into gizmos this list can help.

Finally, my list of Top Ten Newscasters That Push My (Remote) Buttons. While there are quite a few CNN-ers on the list, my precious Wolf is nowhere to be found.

Who are you tuning into for your election night coverage?

Source

This Just In: CNN Anchor Reports Crucial Fart News

GiggleSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 08:00:00 -0700

This isn't exactly breaking news - it's a few days old - but it is breaking wind news now with video! Not only do you get to hear the charming tale of a kid suspended from riding the bus for three days for ~~farting~~ causing a disturbance, you actually get to hear a CNN news anchor start a segment with the phrase "letting it rip." Bet you didn't think you'd live to see the day!