Posted on 09/06/2005 10:20:00 AM PDT by sydbas
CNN made significant ratings gains on Fox News during the networks’ coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.
From a rating of 0.5 before the hurricane, CNN rose to a 2.0 – although it still lagged behind Fox’s 2.3 rating.
A particularly poignant moment in CNN’s coverage came on the Monday night following landfall, when veteran reporter Jeanne Meserve was interviewed by Aaron Brown after she had gone out into the flooded streets of New Orleans with rescuers. Meserve broke down in tears as she described hearing "people yelling for help and no one can get to them.”
Said Brown: "Jeanne Meserve has been on the team for almost 15 years, I think. She is a very tough, capable, strong reporter, and she met her match on a story tonight.”
CNN’s Anderson Cooper also left an impression on viewers when, during an interview with Sen. Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana, he seemingly lost his temper and told her, "I’ve been seeing dead bodies in the streets here in Mississippi. And to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other, you know, I got to tell you, there are a lot of people here who are very upset, and very angry and very frustrated.”
The New York Times reported: "Mr. Cooper’s well-shaded outrage – he stopped just short of editorializing – elicited the kind of anger that has been mostly missing from a toothless press.”
And fire Geraldo while your at it ... and Shep, too ...
Fox couldn't shift all its resources away from Aruba in time, obviously.
You're right. I blocked Fox after Shep and Geraldo's disgusting race and riot bating. Who knows what Ailes is thinking but I hope they lose market share for this.
Thats because Fox kept showing re-runs of tapes and the video phones instead of real cameras, CNN had constant live coverge and few video phones during the coverage.
Fox's hurricane coverage was so poor that I half-expected to see 30 mins. of Greta in Aruba as the storm hit.
I was a faithful watcher of Fox and loather of CNN but now I loathe Fox too except for Britt. I have no TV news outlet.
Geraldo, "The Fake", and Greta, "Clutch Cargo", calls for an instant channel change.
But, FNC renewed their contracts. Go figure.
I did notice CNN hired a man-of-color to report from New Orleans.
Shep Smith and Jerry Rivers did good.
CNN is just better at breaking news than is Fox. Once they identify the political angle, however, CNN must be shut off.
I see this as an indicator that CNN lacks loyal viewers. The ignorant populous that never watches any news on a daily basis, turned on the only name they knew for hurricane coverage. CNN is the name that's been around twice as long as Fox News. CNN's numbers came from soap operas and other garbage that normally is viewed by the ignorant populous.
But what are FNC's ratings?
Fox sucks. Whorealdo is only the tip of the iceberg.
...and Joe "B.O." Scarbourough over at MSNBC
What struck me is what a small slice of the pie they're fighting over. 2 and 2.3 shares respectively. Throw in MSNBC's miniscule audicence, and something like 5-6% of the public at most is watching cable news during the biggest natural disaster in at least a hundred years.
"something like 5-6% of the public at most is watching cable news during the biggest natural disaster in at least a hundred years."
And far less than that is reading this thread!
One word: Geraldo
I feel the same way. All of cable news switched from "aftermath" coverage to "Blame Bush" coverage. In the past I've been angry and said I wouldn't watch but always went back. Right now I am so turned off by all of them that I literally can't stomach them. I'm only listening to a couple of radio programs that are getting the truth out.
Yesterday, while Fox kept re-running the same stories over and over, CNN was doing a live broadcast of the levee repair.
Interesting. I found myself watching a lot more CNN since Katrina. Among other things, I got fed up with Geraldo's grandstanding. He is pathetic.
The new fall line-up of shows is starting this week. America will shift to more important shows such as Geena Davis as Pres, the return of "Night Stalker", "Prison Break", and of course, "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart". CNN ratings will be dropping back in the tank soon.
Hmm, Geraldo, or Aaron Brown? Greta Van Sustern without makeup or Larry King? So many many choices....
and the tabloid section that is growing and growing.
In other words, on their best day, CNN can't touch FoxNews. CNN is also carried in a lot more homes than Fox. So CNN has a major advantage in potential viewers to begin with. Yet they still lose to Fox. Leave it to the MSM to try and spin this ratings news as something positive for CNN. Can you imagine if a football team had a 10 point headstart and still lost by 10 instead of 20? That's all this is. CNN is still a LOSER!
AMEN
Oh, well, it was a nice run. Maybe a new reliable, balanced news source will come around to replace what Fox could have been. Or maybe we just need to rely on FR as a source of breaking news.
CNN did have some great coverage all weekend. They were also the first to report Rehnquist's death.
I must say, I thought Geraldo was going to blow a gasket on O'Reilly Friday night. I truly thought he was going to lose his mind.
Just look at Fox: sheesh!
The threw David Asman under the bus so they could bring in Bill Hemmer. Dayum!
O'Reilly and Sustern are unwatchable. Hannity's average intelligence seems to be leaking away.
If it weren't for Fox, we'd never have to hear from Bob Beckel or Susan Estrich or Ellis Hennican.
Shep Smith is an embarrassing drama queen.
And then of course, there's Whorealdo....in a class by himself.
It almost makes me yearn for the days of Lou Waters and Bella Shaw on CNN Newsday.
I was forced to endure CNN at CeCe's Pizza last night. I could see Anderson Cooper doing his best to slam Bush. He must have seen the ABC polls yesterday.
At least they didn't have Rita Cosby covering the hurricane FROM Aruba, as MSNBC did one night last week.
bttt
And here I thought Geraldo lost his mind in Al Capone's vault...
Until CNN started editorilizing based on rumours and their limited information, they really were the best source of news coming out of the disaster zone. FOX coverage was hideous.
CNN was doing a pretty good job until they read the New York Times editorial on Thursday and started blasting Bush.
C'mon take it easy on Geraldo, he couldn't read the script through his tears.
So true. Beckel is a total hateful blow-hard. Hennican is one of the most whiny liberals going and has that smarmy I'm smarter than you attitude and Estrich, well, I was taught not say nasty words.
Did you know that Susan Estrich is the love spawn of Carol Channing and Satan?
Also CNN is in more homes than Fox, of course their ratings would go up.
No doubt CNN is the best at breaking news...until they get to the point where they start editorializing. For a while all the cable news networks were on the "It's Bush's fault" bandwagon and then it was hard to watch any of them. Fox finally toned it down over the weekend and changed tactics, focusing on hope instead of blame.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.