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> But Licht genuinely appears to have represented an attempt to move CNN back into a trustworthy news organization. What?!? He fired a bunch of “radical left”

by hedora 3y ago

> But Licht genuinely appears to have represented an attempt to move CNN back into a trustworthy news organization. What?!? He fired a bunch of “radical left” reporters for saying there was no evidence the 2020 election was stolen, and for pointing out that it had been proven that many people claiming it was were intentionally lying. (these are both verifiable facts, and CNN management doesn’t dispute that). Then, they said their business plan for the next few years was to pull in the Fox News demographic by running similar content. Trump famously made fun of them for this, since it’s a transparently desperate, destined to fail strategy. It also immediately started alienating their existing audience. Note that, for legal reasons, Fox News is extremely clear that its programming is entertainment, and not news, so, even if you approve of their stated intentions, you can’t plausibly argue they are trying to become a “trustworthy news organization” by emulating Fox.

_8j50 3y ago
That wasn't why they were fired, the way they states facts was flame-baiting, emotional and personal (as in against specific people, personally): https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-04-25/don-lemon-cnn-fired-nikki-haley-vivek-ramaswamy-kaitlan-collins-poppy-harlow https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-04-... It's not politics so much as tone that lacks semblance of neutrality. "It's not what you said but how you said it" , there are many ways to state a simple fact and journalists are trained to do so in a way that lets viewers/readers trust in them. They have to sound objective and their conclusions must be (and sound as if they are) based on facts and rational thinking as opposed to emotional reactions anyone one of us could have. Their emotional presentations help them with viewers that are only looking to have their biases confirmed but alienate viewers looking for facts and truth.
zoogeny 3y ago
What evidence do you have that the reason he fired those reporters was "for saying there was no evidence the 2020 election was stolen, and for pointing out that it had been proven that many people claiming it was were intentionally lying." He could have fired them for any number of reasons. > they said their business plan for the next few years was to pull in the Fox News demographic by running similar content. Who are "they" and where did "they" say this? Licht's background, based on the article, was as the producer for Morning Joe with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. My understanding is that show would be considered a left-leaning show. He is also known as the show-runner for the late-night Stephen Colbert show. I believe that is also a pretty left-leaning show. I am maybe more willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in the face of the clear smears against him from The Atlantic article, but it seems well within reason to see him as a left-leaning believer in journalistic integrity. I assume that he honestly believes that the remedy to the rise of right-wing populism is to engage the other side in open debate and encourage the truth to shine through. But it seems beyond reason for me to assume he was a covert right-wing operator masquerading for decades as a left-wing political show runner waiting for his chance to transform CNN into Fox News. Your response is totally in-line with the implied environment that The Atlantic is painting. The left is so ravenous for blood that they will paint anyone leaning towards the center as an enemy. The execs at CNN don't want moderate and unbiased voices (they "helicoptered" in). The reporters at CNN don't want moderate and unbiased leadership (they undermined Licht). And the public don't want moderate and unbiased media (they didn't tune in and ratings dropped). It doesn't matter if that is true or false, it is the narrative being implied.
- hedora 3y ago
  Licht made the statement about their strategy.

by hedora 3y ago

_8j50 3y ago

That wasn't why they were fired, the way they states facts was flame-baiting, emotional and personal (as in against specific people, personally): https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-04-25/don-lemon-cnn-fired-nikki-haley-vivek-ramaswamy-kaitlan-collins-poppy-harlow https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-04-... It's not politics so much as tone that lacks semblance of neutrality. "It's not what you said but how you said it" , there are many ways to state a simple fact and journalists are trained to do so in a way that lets viewers/readers trust in them. They have to sound objective and their conclusions must be (and sound as if they are) based on facts and rational thinking as opposed to emotional reactions anyone one of us could have. Their emotional presentations help them with viewers that are only looking to have their biases confirmed but alienate viewers looking for facts and truth.

zoogeny 3y ago

What evidence do you have that the reason he fired those reporters was "for saying there was no evidence the 2020 election was stolen, and for pointing out that it had been proven that many people claiming it was were intentionally lying." He could have fired them for any number of reasons. > they said their business plan for the next few years was to pull in the Fox News demographic by running similar content. Who are "they" and where did "they" say this? Licht's background, based on the article, was as the producer for Morning Joe with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. My understanding is that show would be considered a left-leaning show. He is also known as the show-runner for the late-night Stephen Colbert show. I believe that is also a pretty left-leaning show. I am maybe more willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in the face of the clear smears against him from The Atlantic article, but it seems well within reason to see him as a left-leaning believer in journalistic integrity. I assume that he honestly believes that the remedy to the rise of right-wing populism is to engage the other side in open debate and encourage the truth to shine through. But it seems beyond reason for me to assume he was a covert right-wing operator masquerading for decades as a left-wing political show runner waiting for his chance to transform CNN into Fox News. Your response is totally in-line with the implied environment that The Atlantic is painting. The left is so ravenous for blood that they will paint anyone leaning towards the center as an enemy. The execs at CNN don't want moderate and unbiased voices (they "helicoptered" in). The reporters at CNN don't want moderate and unbiased leadership (they undermined Licht). And the public don't want moderate and unbiased media (they didn't tune in and ratings dropped). It doesn't matter if that is true or false, it is the narrative being implied.

hedora 3y ago
Licht made the statement about their strategy.