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CNN's Jon Klein Plays Defense [Lou Dobbs] at TCA (Television Critics Association)
Media Bistro ^ | Wednesday, Jul 29

Posted on 07/29/2009 7:26:52 PM PDT by Red Steel

This week at the Television Critics Association press tour, CNN President Jon Klein had to defend his network after two weeks in the public eye following Lou Dobbs' coverage of the "birthers" movement.

During a three-hour panel Klein continued touting CNN's claim to the biggest "reach" of any network, thanks to its strong web presence. While in traditional television viewer metrics the network has continued to trail behind Fox News, Klein seems unconcerned:

"You've got one network on the right and one on the left, and we're the only one that is based on reporting news," Klein said. "That's really working for us. Our journalistic quality is higher than it's ever been."

After the panel, Klein engaged in a short Q&A with Variety TV critic Brian Lowry. Lowry pressed Klein on the statements Dobbs has made on his radio show regarding President Barack Obama's birth certificate that seem to contradict the position he's taken on his CNN program:

We have no control over what he says on his radio show. It's not a CNN radio program so he does what he does on the radio separate from what he does on our air. So we ask you and anyone writing about this, to look at what he says on CNN. It's the only thing we control.

...

I would rather all of our leading journalists rely on their best judgments and instincts and our guidance about them. We believe in the editorial compass of all of our people. It's going to be different according to the individual. But that just makes us a more interesting and vibrant place. Lou is listening to a certain segment of the population all day long on his radio show so naturally that's going to inform some of the decisions that he makes. But, again, to be clear: He is not exploring the question of whether Barack Obama is an American citizen. That is settled. It is a dead issue as far as CNN is concerned.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: afterbirther; article2section1; barackobama; bho44; birthcertificate; birthers; certifigate; cnn; colb; dobbs; imom; jonklein; manofmystery; mysteryman; naturalborn; obama; obamanoncitizenissue; obroma

1 posted on 07/29/2009 7:26:53 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: Red Steel

If he thinks CNN reports the news then even he doesn’t watch his own network.


2 posted on 07/29/2009 7:35:00 PM PDT by Patrick1 (I'm not calling in sick; I'm calling in gone!)
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To: Red Steel

“You’ve got one network on the right and one on the left, and we’re the only one that is based on reporting news,” Klein said. “That’s really working for us. Our journalistic quality is higher than it’s ever been.”

Oh please, spare me the “above the fray” bullsh**. CNN put the left in left-wing news reporting. They’re pioneers in left-wing bias.


3 posted on 07/29/2009 7:38:58 PM PDT by headstamp 2 (Take a fish boating.)
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To: Red Steel

This guy’s on serious drugs right?


4 posted on 07/29/2009 7:40:24 PM PDT by bossmechanic (If all else fails, hit it with a hammer)
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To: headstamp 2

That’s really working for us.

Nothing like striving for mediocrity

5 posted on 07/29/2009 7:50:02 PM PDT by kempster
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To: Red Steel

I wonder if Lou Dobbs contract has a clause that if they try to shut Lou up that they have to pay him a few years salary to sit home and then Lou can go to Fox.

This CNN exec clown leftist loses Lou then it will hit their already sinking ratings hard. If Lou left CNN and went to Fox - Lou would kick The Leprechaun’s BOR(e) arse in the ratings.

RINO O’Reilly would be back doing Inside Edition.


6 posted on 07/29/2009 7:52:08 PM PDT by Frantzie (Lou Dobbs - American Hero!)
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To: Red Steel
This week at the Television Critics Association press tour, CNN President Jon Klein had to defend his network after two weeks in the public eye following Lou Dobbs' coverage of the "birthers" movement.

*******

Dear Mr. Klein:

I guess I'm a birther.

I guess you can see that I am not "dead" as you described the birther movement and the Obama birth certificate controversy story a few days ago.

I would like to borrow a statement from the great American humorist Mark Twain: "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated", or something like that.

Dear Mr. Klein: If you believe that the "birther" story is "dead" now, you are in for the ride of your life when you witness an amazing and thunderous resurrection of birthers during the upcoming 2010 elections, as Democrat Senator and Representative candidates fight for their lives as they try to explain over and over why Obama remains so stubborn when it comes to the release of his 1961 long form Hawaii birth certificate and his Occidental, Columbia, and Harvard college records.

7 posted on 07/29/2009 8:11:02 PM PDT by john mirse
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To: Red Steel
O'Reilly: I just heard O'Reilly say on his night show that Dobbs' ratings are very low.

So maybe we birthers can help Dobbs a little by checking out his tv show a few times a week.

Maybe we can help boost Dobbs' ratings a little in the coming months.

8 posted on 07/29/2009 8:49:00 PM PDT by john mirse
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To: john mirse

On Friday, 24th July , Dobbs’ show had 502 thousand viewers and Hardball had 555 thousand viewers. But Kitty Pilgrim usually does Fridays...

However, when Lou is there, his ratings for Thursday the 23rd July:

7PM – P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
Fox Report w/Shep Smith–2,064,000 viewers (479,000) 820,000)
Lou Dobbs Tonight—761,000 viewers (179,000) (342,000)
Hardball w Chris Matthews— 712,000 viewers (198,000) (320,000)
Dow 9000 The Summer Rally —202,000 viewers (90,000) (111,000)
Issues– 437,000 viewers (200,000) (236,000)

You’ll notice Dobbs does beat MSNBC Softball Chrissy. If BOR is reporting the Friday ratings then BOR may be misleading his viewers.

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/07/24/cable-news-ratings-for-thursday-july-23-2009/23531#more-23531


9 posted on 07/29/2009 9:27:18 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: Red Steel
CNN is dead as far as being considered news.

Its a leftist propaganda organ of the Comintern run by homosexuals and perverts.

10 posted on 07/29/2009 9:30:49 PM PDT by Rome2000 (Hussein Baraka Mook Kebba)
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