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[Brinbe]

Saw this posted in PoliGAF and thought more people needed to give it a read.

Johnathan Mahler did a fantastic job detailing the relationship between Jeff Zucker and Donald Trump and exploring how they both helped each other find success. Some choice excerpts

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/magazine/cnn-had-a-problem-donald-trump-solved-it.html

At a postelection panel sponsored by Harvard University, Zucker's alma mater, a political reporter for The Washington Post, Karen Tumulty, drew cheers when she pressed him about his willingness to provide a platform to ”nut-job surrogates" like Katrina Pierson, the Trump campaign spokeswoman who asserted on CNN that President Obama invaded Afghanistan. Zucker surely knew that his hiring of Lewandowski would create controversy and in turn give his anchors something to talk about. That is exactly what happened: The hiring became a cable-news story about cable news.

As Zucker sees it, his pro-Trump panelists are not just spokespeople for a worldview; they are ”characters in a drama," members of CNN's extended ensemble cast. ”Everybody says, ‘Oh, I can't believe you have Jeffery Lord or Kayleigh McEnany,' but you know what?" Zucker told me with some satisfaction. ”They know who Jeffrey Lord and Kayleigh McEnany are."

Zucker lives about 10 blocks from Trump Tower, and three of his four children still attend the same Upper West Side private school as Trump's youngest son, Barron. ”I like Donald," Zucker told me, before quickly correcting himself. ”I guess I shouldn't call him that. I like President Trump. He's affable. He's funny." He paused, searching for another adjective.

”He's good company?" I suggested.

”He's good company," Zucker agreed. (The White House declined to comment on the record for this article.)

For a network that had self-consciously emulated the drama-ratcheting techniques of sports programming, the election could not have concluded in more fitting fashion than with the underdog Trump defying the oddsmakers, turning what was expected to be a blowout into a nail-biter. Zucker, running CNN's coverage from the Washington control room on election night, kept the network's cameras trained on the anchor John King as he worked the Magic Wall — the large touch-screen map that has been the centerpiece of CNN's election-night coverage since 2008 — pointing, tapping and sweeping his way through the biggest upset in American political history.

Not until midnight, when Trump's victory appeared certain, did Zucker finally redirect the cameras to CNN's panelists for reactions and analysis. Lord declared Trump's probable election a ”miracle." Jones congratulated Lord on his candidate's likely victory but then quickly added: ”People have talked about a miracle. I'm hearing about a nightmare." A spontaneous, moving monologue followed, with Jones, visibly shaken, calling the results a ”whitelash" and wondering how parents would explain the election to their children in the morning. It was a huge night for CNN. They not only beat the other cable-news channels; they also beat the Big Four networks.

Back home in New York a few days later, Zucker called Trump from his son's Saturday-afternoon Little League game to congratulate him.

”I thought I needed CNN to win," the president-elect said.

”Imagine how much you would have won by if you had been on CNN," Zucker replied.

In February, Zucker commissioned a survey of the public's perception of CNN, to see whether the president's war against the network was having any effect on its reputation. Zucker reviewed the report on a recent morning with the network's senior staff members and audience-research team. The results were not surprising. Few people had been swayed by Trump's criticisms. If they considered CNN a trustworthy source of news beforehand, they most likely still did; if they considered it unreliable or biased, that probably hadn't changed either.

What had changed was that people on both sides had stronger feelings about CNN. ”I was taken aback by realizing through this that we are no longer a utility," one member of the network's research team answered when Zucker asked for her take-away. ”We actually have a personality now that people either hate or love, whereas we used to be a little more milquetoast in their minds."

It was another way of saying that CNN is no longer neutral programming. There's an obvious correlation between this transformation and CNN's recent success. It's not what's least objectionable that people want, it's what's most objectionable. Controversy and conflict attract attention, especially when Donald Trump is at the center of it all. Not that Zucker needed a survey to tell him that.

”Anderson, I've just heard from Donald Trump himself," he said. ”He thinks that this convention has been a tremendous convention. He has a message for you, Anderson: He is not pleased. He thinks that we're not accurately representing this convention." Lord moved on to Trump's one indisputable claim: ”He specifically said to say that your ratings, our ratings at CNN here, are up because of his presence in this convention. And I think I've more or less delivered the message."

After he finished the segment, Lord left CNN's makeshift studio and bumped into Zucker, sitting in the convention hallway in a golf cart. ”I said, ‘I guess you didn't see this, but Trump called me on air,' " Lord recalled. ”He jumps off the cart, and I tell him the whole story." Having been on the other end of these outraged phone calls from Trump himself, Zucker had only one question. ”The very first thing he said is, ‘You didn't use an expletive on the air, did you?' I said no. Then he grabs me by the lapels and says, ‘That is great television!' "

Just a reminder of what CNN represents these days and what you're supporting by watching it. Creating news, shifting reality and treating real life like some ESPN/WWE bullshit just to chase ratings.

Sorry, women, minorities, LGBTQ Americans... Anyway, give it a read and feel the outrage.

 

[Kickz]

CNN confirmed as trash

 

[theignoramus]

Anyone who watched them could perceive it. Lewandowski. Jeffrey Lord. Paris Dennard. Rick Santorum. These are not serious individuals worthy of mass public attention.

 

[Slayven]

Anyone who watched them could perceive it. Lewandowski. Jeffrey Lord. Paris Dennard. Rick Santorum. These are not serious individuals worthy of mass public attention.

And you missed some of the worse names, they have these assholes on and let them spoke some bullshit and then have someone with some sense on to try to prove a negative.

 

[PantherLotus]

I actually like CNN until the damn panel discussions with those awful opinionators. The panel discussions with actual experts -- they have a good set of Russian / foreign policy experts for example -- but the opinion people can fuck right off. Terrible TV and terrible for the public.

 

[AstroNut325]

My appreciation for this post from yesterday grows:

I think we need to stop calling reality TV opinion-based entertainment networks as "news" networks. CNN, FOX, MSNBC aren't airing news. They air a headline, and then a makeup-clad actor tells you what their producer wants them to say for 5 minutes, which is opinion, not news. It's televised Op-Ed from a producer. When they have "expert" panels, producers are telling each "expert" what to say to make entertaining reality TV. Their special effects and makeup budget dwarfs their journalism and reporting budget. They shouldn't be called news anymore.

The New York Times, NPR, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, etc., are news.



This is amazing thank you

 

[Schattenjäger]

My appreciation for this post from yesterday grows:

Yes appreciate that and agree

I wish someone would create a real news channel in America

 

[ZealousD]

Maybe Jon Stewart should return to Crossfire get on a panel.

 

[Justin Bailey]

Yes appreciate that and agree

I wish someone would create a real news channel in America

They did. It was called Al Jazeera America and no one watched it.

 

[guek]

Fuckers. Whelp, guess I'm starting off my day angry!

 

[Turbo Killer]

They did. It was called Al Jazeera America and no one watched it.

You mean Qatari government owned Al Jazeera?

My point is we don't trust RT because it's Russian propaganda, why should we trust Al Jazeera?

 

[RPGCrazied]

Sounds like CNN needs new management. I knew Zucker was a Trumper. Just look at him. Some ultra rich white guy.

And the fact they pay Lord and Kayleigh is just gross. I watch less and less with these two.

 

[Autoignition]

“Anderson, I’ve just heard from Donald Trump himself,” he said. “He thinks that this convention has been a tremendous convention. He has a message for you, Anderson: He is not pleased. He thinks that we’re not accurately representing this convention.” Lord moved on to Trump’s one indisputable claim: “He specifically said to say that your ratings, our ratings at CNN here, are up because of his presence in this convention. And I think I’ve more or less delivered the message.”

Yeesh. I can feel the heat of Anderson Cooper's rage through time and space, just knowing the kind of person/professional he is and how he'd react to being told something like this. I honestly wonder how long it'll be before he breaks contract and either jumps to a new network or goes indie.

 

[JABEE]

Sounds like CNN needs new management. I knew Zucker was a Trumper. Just look at him. Some ultra rich white guy.

And the fact they pay Lord and Kayleigh is just gross. I watch less and less with these two.

Sounds like the new management is increasing ratings, neutral reporting and country be damned.

 

[Arkeband]

I only want to see panels on comedy shows where it can devolve into yelling and name calling like Real Time. The moment this shit became the norm for news networks is the moment they became the problem.

 

[Slayven]

What kills me is Jake Tapper can be so reasonable at times, too the point you wonder why he puts up with the bullshit

 

[Xando]

Sounds like CNN needs new management. I knew Zucker was a Trumper. Just look at him. Some ultra rich white guy.

And the fact they pay Lord and Kayleigh is just gross. I watch less and less with these two.

Sounds more like US media and politics need a ethics overhaul

 

[dr3upmushroom]

Maybe Jon Stewart should return to Crossfire get on a panel.

It wouldn't matter, they'd just pit him against some idiot. We're past the point where these fools need to be schooled, they just need to be ignored all together. Honestly it's hard to argue with Trump when he calls out CNN.

What kills me is Jake Tapper can be so reasonable at times, too the point you wonder why he puts up with the bullshit

These people are very much putting an act, it's self preservation.

 

[Justin Bailey]

You mean Qatari government owned Al Jazeera?

My point is we don't trust RT because it's Russian propaganda, why should we trust Al Jazeera?

AJM/AJE had/has their faults in regards to reporting on Qatar, but it's not propaganda. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

 

[Autoignition]

What kills me is Jake Tapper can be so reasonable at times, too the point you wonder why he puts up with the bullshit

Tapper eats this shit up, man, he loves it.

Zucker has not shied away from the conflict, which has been reassuring, even inspiring, to his staff. ”I hate to sound like a fanboy, but he's the best boss I've ever had," Tapper, a former senior White House correspondent at ABC News, told me.

 

[victreeb3l]

Tapper eats this shit up, man, he loves it.

Obama did joke that he left journalism to join CNN before.

 

[megalowho]

You mean Qatari government owned Al Jazeera?

My point is we don't trust RT because it's Russian propaganda, why should we trust Al Jazeera?

Because the reporting was reliably excellent and non-sensational. The work spoke for itself, the audience just wasn't interested in news sans entertainment. Plus AJA was based out of NYC. It's not the same as Al Jazeera English.

 

[mnannola]

Is that it, or is there a link missing in the OP?

 

[Kthulhu]

CNN and the MSM have been trash for years. Burn it all down. Outside of the Post and the Times pretty much every major news source is shit now.

Maybe Jon Stewart should return to Crossfire get on a panel.

His words still ring true to this day.

 

[Glix]

Yeah Zuck. Its all fun and games. When he talks about the "global elite that controls the media" (((jews))) and then says "the media is the enemy of the American people" he's CERTAINLY not talking about you, you're one of the good ones, right?

Fuck everyone, man.

 

[RaidenZR]

Stop watching CNN. Doesn't matter how much you like Anderson Cooper because even if some individuals on the network have some decency, they're still there, day-in and day-out, supporting stupid panel topics and creating time vacuums for "both sides" bullshit that gets no one anywhere.

 

[Doug Heffernan]

CNN, MSNBC, Fox News... they are all hacks.

 

[RPGCrazied]

you're one of the good ones, right?

Fuck everyone, man.

Trump constantly calls CNN fake news.

 

[Autoignition]

Stop watching CNN. Doesn't matter how much you like Anderson Cooper because even if some individuals on the network have some decency, they're still there, day-in and day-out, supporting stupid panel topics and creating time vacuums for "both sides" bullshit that gets no one anywhere.

Don't tell me what to do in my own marriage. Anderson Cooper is my husbando.

Besides, it's not like I have a Nielsen box. My watching CNN literally does not matter.

 

[Foffy]

If it ain't Amy Goodman, it ain't any good, man.

I wish more people knew of Democracy Now.

 

[RPGCrazied]

CNN, MSNBC, Fox News... they are all hacks.

At least MSNBC doesn't have Trumpers on a nightly basis to ballwash Trump.

 

[Dishwalla]

Yep, stopped watching CNN for this reason some months back. Don't miss it. Only cable news I'll watch is MSNBC, but even that's rare. Don't even receive Fox News anymore so that makes it easy not to watch.

 

[Brinbe]

Is that it, or is there a link missing in the OP?

Sorry, haha. Totally forgot the link. Added it to the OP. https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/magazine/cnn-had-a-problem-donald-trump-solved-it.html

 

[GoldenEye 007]

Zucker is the same guy that oversaw the Leno/Conan fiasco at NBC I think.

He's a true piece of shit. Perfect company for someone like Trump.

 

[Doug Heffernan]

At least MSNBC doesn't have Trumpers on a nightly basis to ballwash Trump.

It's the same talking head bullshit drama, only in a different flavor. I want news, not arguments.

 

[jmood88]

It's fucking disgusting.

 

[sazzy]

CNN has some really good reporters and objective commentators but then they throw in utter trash like Jack Kingston and Jeffrey Lord ... which is just silly.

 

[mnannola]

Our CNN's ratings up because of their reality TV like panels, or are they up because of Trump?

I'm not convinced that their shitty panels are what everyone wants to see.

 

[ahoyhoy]

Yes appreciate that and agree

I wish someone would create a real news channel in America

There's no need for 24 hour news. If there's ever an event big enough to warrant 24 hour coverage, the standard networks will interrupt programming to cover it.

Otherwise, normal reporting should suffice.

 

[RaidenZR]

Don't tell me what to do in my own marriage. Anderson Cooper is my husbando.

Besides, it's not like I have a Nielsen box. My watching CNN literally does not matter.

Fuck ratings. It matters for your sanity.

 

[Burt]

It's the same talking head bullshit drama, only in a different flavor. I want news, not arguments.

Nah, MSNBC is pretty good, albeit mostly because they don't have to hem and haw around bullshit due to the nature of their audience, and their panelists are generally more qualified/relevant/information-based than the ranging-from-nebulously-undefined-to-outright-paid-shill panelists you see at other networks.

Lawerence O'Donnell tends to go in hard, well past the generally accepted point of journalistic objectivity, but if you follow the news during the day, his blunt quasi-righteousness can be pretty cathartic by the time his show rolls around.

 

[The Salt Life]

There's no need for 24 hour news. If there's ever an event big enough to warrant 24 hour coverage, the standard networks will interrupt programming to cover it.

Otherwise, normal reporting should suffice.

People enjoying discussing politics and varying different angles of said subject is no surprise. My grandparents (both of them). Always listened to talk radio, my parents alternate between CNN and Fox all the time when there is nothing new on. People enjoy it, there is no reason to get rid of it.

 

[smisk]

Just reinforces my belief that cable news is all bullshit. I go on CNN's website sometimes but I'm gonna try to even avoid that. I get most of my news from the Washington Post, subscribe to both that and The New Yorker. And lets be real, a lot of it comes from Twitter.

 

[Autoignition]

Fuck ratings. It matters for your sanity.

There are very few times that I walk away from AC360 feeling stressed or angry. I can tune out most of the Trump talking heads, because Anderson still does good reporting on his show, too. And he's been great at pinning these fuckers to the wall lately, too.

I would literally never watch CNN for any reason other than him, though, and I have a lot of friends who feel the same way. If he leaves, I'm sure Zucker will get a nice wake-up call once he realizes he can't really fill that prime time slot. Let him know what really brought in those eyeballs.

 

[Glix]

Nah, MSNBC is pretty good, albeit mostly because they don't have to hem and haw around bullshit due to the nature of their audience, and their panelists are generally more qualified/relevant/information-based than the ranging-from-nebulously-undefined-to-outright-paid-shill panelists you see at other networks.

Lawerence O'Donnell tends to go in hard, well past the generally accepted point of journalistic objectivity, but if you follow the news during the day, his blunt quasi-righteousness can be pretty cathartic by the time his show rolls around.

He plays every episode since the election as if Trump is watching. He constantly says things to needle and taunt him. It's wild. The two have a long history that goes back way before the election.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/donald-trump-threatens-to_n_1034827.html

 

[Stinkles]

If CNN can ethically balance that panel garbage with serious and honest investigative reporting as they have shown glimmers of then maybe I can live with it. But it makes my skin crawl and right now the balance is all over the place.

 

[Sandoval]

My appreciation for this post from yesterday grows:

I can confirm that this is not really the case in the circumstances to which I'm privy. I won't say that it never happens, but generally, that's not how things work. What they do is pick people from certain organizations whose point of view matches the narrative that they want to craft.

 

[CopperPuppy]

My appreciation for this post from yesterday grows:

Yes, that post is absolutely, 100% spot-on.

It's disappointing that it takes articles like these for people to realize CNN is garbage. I suppose that's the benefit of working in an industry dominated by Fox News. When the most visible example of your model is so outwardly and shamelessly putrid, it's a simple enough matter to make yourself look clean in contrast. Sadly, that is simply not reality, for the reasons outlined in the OP's article as well as the post you quote above.

 

[M.Bluth]

My hate relationship with Jeff Zucker goes back to all the terrible decisions he made to anything I liked on NBC. Now I guess I have a better reason to think of him as the grade-A cunt that he is.

 

[Apdiddy]

If CNN were serious about stopping Trump, what he will do to the US as a democracy and go after him hard about Russia, they would stop having people like Jeffrey Lord, Rick Santorum and Kellyanne Conway on their network. They wouldn't give any of them a platform and treat anything said by Trump and his administration with suspect. Yes, it would look like an echo chamber and wouldn't help CNN in 'ratings,' but who cares? Like someone said in another post, CNN has actors reading lines that a producer tells them to read and are presenting opinions.

The fact that Zucker is seemingly complacent with Trump shows he doesn't care about any of that.CNN loves to have Carl Bernstein on a lot, but the days of reporters like him on CNN rooting out corruption are over.

CNN is the exact opposite of FOX news, where they are outwardly willing to be the propaganda wing of the White House. CNN tries to 'resist' and only play into Trump's hand anyway.