Fed up with CNN

[fadedrose]

Am in the middle of writing a letter to CNN. It is getting painful to watch in the evenings. It's going something like this so far, but would like suggestions from people smarter than me (that means most of you) to have them consider my complaints:

To: CNN (have to look up their mail address, am actually going to mail a real letter!!)

I am so frustrated and full of anger for your "new" repetitive programming.

What happened to Ted Turner's 24-hour news network that was a shining success after everyone thought it wouldn't work.

Get rid of your CEO and send him to one of the obscure cable channels where he belongs and bring back NEWS.

Forget about specials and repetitive programming about the Kennedy's, Bush's, Forensics, Bourdain's eating, the 60's, and whatever other hairbrained programs you are scheming to dumb down America. Hour after hour of crap and I can't change the channel quick enough. Did I mention repetitive?

I am going to start writing to the sponsors to complain and hope others will do so. Every night I hate CNN more and more. Your repetitive weekend programs are grounds for everyone in charge of planning repeat shows to be fired.

Every night I hate CNN more and more. Did I mention "repetitive"? I'm getting into the repetitive habit from watching YOUR repeating shows on YOUR repetitive network.

There's nothing fresher and better than a news program, and your hosts are great. I mourn their loss of time and the need to hurry through worthwhile news stories so that you can show horrible features, repeated. If you must repeat something, repeat the worthwhile news programs that you air all day that most working people never get a chance to see..." And maybe people won't be dumbed down so much that they don't know who to vote for because you don't show the news you should be showing."

Somebody help me polish this up a bit and I'll get it in the mail tonight.

Thanks....

[GeorgeGist]

1. shorter version

To: CNN (have to look up their mail address, am actually going to mail a real letter!!)

I am frustrated and angry with your "new" repetitive programming.

How about bringing back Ted Turner's 24-hour news network that was a shining success after everyone thought it wouldn't work? That market is wide open.

I am going to write to the sponsors to complain and hope others will do so. Every night I hate CNN more and more. Your repetitive weekend programs are grounds for everyone in charge of planning repeat shows to be fired.

[fadedrose]

2. Thanks.."market wide open" is great....

And you know what, it wouldn't cost more to repeat Carol and Ashley's morning programs, and the Cuomo isn't bad either. Any of their news programs is better than what they've been feeding me for months now.

Where is Bill Weir? He was on to replace Piers Morgan's for a while and now he's gone.

Thank you. Will play around with the thing all day and get it in. If anyone agrees with the topic, how about sending them a line too?

Thanks so much for paying attention to my post. You don't know how much I appreciate it because I feel silly for being so mad about the new junk they call CNN.

[AlinPA]

3. CNN is a joke. They placed Hong Kong in South America on one of their "news' programs.

We can't take them serious after that.

[NightWatcher]

4. someone still watches CNN? Tell me, did they find the plane yet?

[Populist_Prole]

9. Oh hell yes!

A few, what I would call "neo-wingnut" conservatives are attracted to that station like a moth to a flame. They BLARE that shit.

When around them they always have it on and I'm struck by the utter banality of it all. It's an assault on the senses and I just can't stand to even be in the same room or within earshot when it's on. They have a melt-down when I tell them I'm critical of it, or any MSM news. Despite being unread, low-info ignoramuses, you can tell they feel very strongly that watching it makes them as informed as anybody ever ever needs to be.

[hunter]

5. Or you could just quit cable/satellite/broadcast news entirely.

If you have fast internet, places like BBC news have plenty of video, and you can skip the stuff that doesn't interest you.

http://www.bbc.com/news

Personally I don't care for video news. It all seems shallow to me.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

6. I watch CNN early in the morning

They seem to offer hard news in a short span without the political talk early on. MSNBC only gets interesting for me later in the day and evening. I never watch CNN at night.

[Armstead]

7. Don't worry -- If they folow their pattern, they'll be changing course again in a few months

They have a habit of trying to find a niche and goose their ratings, but failing miserably at it.

I've always thought CNN should emulate organizations like the BBC and Al jazerrah, and give us serious news well-done (which can be compelling when done right). But instead they try to substitute jazz and gimmicks nd chattiness.

Anyway, they'll be changing on their own. Maybe they'll decide the next big thing is long form programing about cute kittens or something.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

8. Fed up? lol, what took you so long?!

[G-ZED]

10. You are SPOT ON!!!

faderose....I couldn't agree with you more about this. I wish I could do more but for now, basically, I just blast CNN on their youtube video posts. A few days ago, I posted the following on one of their youtube "the Sixties" youtube videos:

"Shouldn't this be on the History Channel or some other channel? Seriously, CNN 24-hour news that matters, right?? I used to love CNN, but no longer. And don't get me wrong. Maybe I'd love this show, but it's a documentary on a news channel??? Please. I don't trust CNN these days to deliver us the most important news because they simply don't do that anymore. Sad."

Also, and I am not at all one of those "conspiracy" people at all, but I think CNN does try to "dumb down" America. They try to pacify people with their "documentaries" and other "non" news 'reporting' because that is their agenda these days.

Best wishes on your mission. If there is anything more that you think can be done, please post. Instead of sending letters, maybe if we can get tens of thousands of people to sign a petition...??? Just a thought.


Cheers and thanks for this thread.

G ZED

[rollin74]

11. Jeff Zucker is an idiot

he is trying to turn CNN into another Discovery Channel or A&E

[KeepItReal]

12. The network you are looking for is CNN International

I watched it a lot in Europe a few weeks ago.

Hourly news updates, no non-stop Bourdain (who I actually like), regional shows like Africa Business, etc.

CNN International compares well with the 24 hour BBC News channel.

The only way I've seen to get it stateside is to purchase extended cable packages.

[roamer65]

19. You can also get it on Roku.

Also you can get NHK World, the national broadcast company of Japan. Good reporting and less fluff.

[JI7]

13. Bourdain's show is one of the best and informative on CNN right now

it's not just about food but includes a lot of info on history and culture including current events having to do with the area.

i agree about the reruns about the 60s and other crap though.

but it's not like their usual reporting is any good.

[davidpdx]

17. Agree on Bourdain's show

The rest of CNN's program is crappy. I have CNN International here in Korea which is slightly better because we get a different mix of programs and the news is based on Hong Kong. That being said, I rarely tune in to CNN. For Bourdian's show I don't even watch it live, but sometime later during the week without commercials.

[Rhiannon12866]

15. The only thing I'd change is to remove the apostrophe from "Kennedy's" and "Bush's"

You mean plural and that's possessive. Very well stated and I completely agree with you. I wrote them a nasty letter a few years ago and I don't do that often. They cut from John Kerry speaking live in the Senate to a recorded piece from a right winger, "for balance," they said. I've been avoiding them since. Welcome to a growing club!

[HeiressofBickworth]

18. In the beginning, I was a devoted fan of CNN

but then Ted Turner sold it and it began its descent into blandness. Like any other business, they seek to increase profits rather than provide any kind of valuable service to citizens. They buy packages (60's, travelogues, etc) rather than spend money on foreign locations and reporters providing the first-hand reporting they did in the beginning. Yes, it's like the History Channel -- no real information is provided. I used to like that channel as well, but, like CNN, I quit watching years ago.

[Hekate]

20. Fareed Zakaria on Sunday morning is the only show I watch on CNN any more.

Fareed is so intelligent and polite he fit right in at PBS, but I'm just happy for him that he has a regular job because I enjoy watching his Global Public Square.

[vasco]

21. glad not being the only one

I love Anderson ,Lemon, Rachel etc etc. But lately cnn, msnbc etc repeat and repeat the same thing overcand over.there are millions of important issues in the world today , why here in these programs is always the same thing.The plane from 2014, again again again , a bit to inform there could be something ,that is ok, but hours and hours, and the same with bridge, and Donald Trump gets more hours than all the problems this country has in education ,budget economy it is unbelievable.
Thanks god I speak other languages and can read other newspapers and be informed about whats going on in the world and also here in the United States, in other newspapers around the world.
The journalists are great, I love them but this is a problem of the channels it is turning disgusting.I am putting a rule in my house watch an hour if there are news if not ,lets watch a movie
read a book but not this anymore. The plane turns to be morbid, the guys that escaped from jail get more time on tv than real, important things and in this way americans are always desinformed and know little about what is going on in the world.
Three criminals escaped from jail, ok ,were captured, that,s it but the way they repeat and repeAt turns the criminals in celebrities, this is bad for the young people.

It is a real pity because I suppose as I can see ,I am not the only person upset with the situation.
I really would help you but I need to make this tidy is late I saw this and was happy feeling ,I was not the only one, is disgusting.
If someone helps you writing the letter I will sign it ,because we have got to the point were it is useless to watch these programs ,and embarrasing,when friends living in other countries ask hey did you see the latest in medicine, the changes in education here and there, well no, sorry to say we do not get to know these things.
Thanks is refreshing not to be alone in this one