[DRUDGE] EXCLUSIVE: CNN GRETA [ Van Susteren] JUMPS TO FOX NEWS; CABLE WAR INTENSIFIES

The Drudge Report ^ | Jan. 2, 2002 | Matt Drudge

[Silly]

No story yet (headline only with siren); will post it when Drudge does.

[Weimdog]

It sounds like we'll all be changing the channel when Greta appears. I hope the Fox News folks are lurking.

[brewcrew]

Somehow, this all sounds like the pathetical politicians who run for office......when will we ever learn, when we we ever learn.

Once consumers take off their rose-colored glasses and see news shows for what they are - not an attempt to get at the truth for its own sake, but a popularity contest, just like politics - then all their format changes, personnel changes, etc. will make sense. If the truth happens to get stumbled upon, it is merely part of the overall plan to sell advertising time for the highest possible dollar.

This is America, where cash is king. Whoever sells the most widgets gets to make the rules.

[Kozak]

Does that mean Clintons A## cheeks will be on Fox now too, or has Greta had her lips surgically removed from that location?

[truthseeker101]

LOL. Good one.

[DLfromthedesert]

Alan's a cutie in a goofy sorta way; he's my favorite liberal.

[WIright]

The multitude of comments about Greta's conservatism coming out with this move to FOX may be very true. Her heritage is CONSERVATIVE. Her father was a judge in Wisconsin, and a very good and close friend of a former Wisconsin US Senator. In fact JOE McCARTHY is Greta's brother's GOD FATHER...so let's see if this will be the forum where her true colors can shine. I am willing to give her a chance.

[Ozarkie]

"Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!"

Strange...that's all I could muster to post too. Words have just seemed to escape me. You posted it first so let me just agree whole-heartedly!

[DCRingo]

WE WANT LARRY KING NEXT!!!!

[truthseeker101]

That is a fair critique of Rita. When I read your post, I thought you were implying that she was liberal and I got a little nervous that my perception of left/right was blurring.

[I am out of control]

So what you are saying is that you are "losing faith" in someone who doesn't share the same religious beliefs as you? I don't get it. You would simply stop watching someone because they are of a different religion that yours and don't agree with a tenent of your faith. That's just plain stupid if you don't mind me saying so.

You don't know much about Scientology, do you?

[Capt_Hank]

In my many emails to FNC about Geraldo "The Fake", I told them to just monitor this site. They would get the true feeling of their viewers.

[MistrX]

Has Roger Ailes been brainwashed? Has he flipped his lid? Does Hillary! have an FBI file on him?

[tom paine 2]

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX WED JAN 02 2002 12:04:09 ET XXXXX

CABLE WAR INTENSIFIES: CNN GRETA TURNS DOWN CNN CASH, JUMPS TO FOX NEWS

CNN's second-highest rated host Greta van Susteren is jumping to rival FOX NEWS for nearly $1 million a year, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

CNN had countered the FOX offer with more money -- close to $1.4 million a year -- but she rejected, say top sources.

CNN fumbled during negotiations, say insiders, all but handing FOX the PR coup. Top AOLTIMEWARNER suits failed to sign Greta to a long term deal early on, opening up the option to jump. The move is seen as a personal blow to new CNN head Walter Isaacson.

The multiyear deal is expected to be signed within the hour.

FOX NEWS President Roger Ailes has given Greta the 10 pm slot, and has assured heavy ad promotion.

CNN executives are furious with Greta's dramatic turn. "She really showed her true colors, she has no loyalty to the network that made her," said a top executive in New York.

CNN first hired van Susteren as a legal analyst 10 years ago.

Greta's move comes as FOX NEWS has matched -- and in some dayparts has even surpassed -- CNN in the ratings.

"The timing of this is a giant psychology blow to people here," added the CNN source.

Impacting...

[aculeus]

Is Susteren a Scientologist?

Apparently.

[desertcry]

1st, there was heraldo, now comes greta. Combs is bad enough, now Fox is importing another bad and ugly liberal. Has Fox not learned from hiring heraldo? Fox must not be happy being prosperous. If they keep hiring these bad, and ugly liberals they could go the way of cnn, DOWN BIG TIME. Hey Fox, by courting the liberals, you are going to lose your base, the Conservatives.

[hawkeyeBetsy]

If one is a Scientologist, are they inclined to be liberal?

I don't know if it would be safe to infer that. Yes, Hollywood types are the most visible scientologists and are, generally, liberal as all get out, but I wouldn't paint the whole crew as such.

[Harrison Bergeron]

"Alan's a cutie in a goofy sorta way; he's my favorite liberal."

My wife thinks he's scary. I like him. He exposes knee-jerk and fair weather conservatives when he calls them on sloppy rhetoric. He never ever lets anybody get away with calling him unpatriotic and reduces to liquid anybody who tries. It was especially endearing when, throughout September and October, he had very little disagreement with Hannity or conservative guests on 9/11 issues - and often nailed knee-jerk liberals to the wall when they tried to use 9/11 for political gain. Alan Colmes reminds me of my youth, when I believed the democrats were the good guys. Of course, I say all of this knowing that he defends the Clintons. Yuck.

[JohnPaulJones]

I quess it goes to show that all the networks are just one. They just change offices.......

[PBRSTREETGANG]

FOX clearly demonstrates here that they do not have a clue as to why they have done well. With recent hires, Rivera and Van Susteren, they are radically altering the character that made the network a refreshing alternative.

(I, for one, already visit them less now that Geraldo has joined them. That FOX thinks they have now scored some sort of a blow against CNN is disheartening. Who are they going to go after next in their quest for ratings? Stuttering John from the Howard Stern show?)

[BonnieJ]

Would you really want a network that had only conservatives on it? That wouldn't be very realistic, not for information and certainly not for attracting a broad audience! Especially when their mantra is "fair and balanced"!