Clearly fed up with what he views as the 'blatant partisan coverage' on Fox News and MSNBC, Byers notes that voters turning to CNN for relief as the race was being called for Scott Walker were greeted with a rerun of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
Byers' complaints with the other networks can be summed up in one word: blatant. Congratulations to all who own stock in the word:
MSNBC was blatantly rooting for Tom Barrett to defeat Gov. Scott Walker, even sending union champion Ed Schultz to cover an event with no apologies for the dog he has in the fight.
'Meanwhile, Fox News was blatantly rooting for Gov. Walker, and the moment it became clear that Walker might win, host Sean Hannity called it 'a repudiation of big unions,' which did 'everything they could do to demonize Scott Walker.'
'Given this blatant partisan coverage, it was absolutely impossible to watch either network and weed out any clear understanding of the actual significance of the event, much less what effect it would actually have on the 2012 presidential election.
He identifies this as a golden opportunity for CNN to show off its down-the-middle brand, but notes that as NBC News was calling the recall election for Scott Walker at about ten minutes to ten, CNN was airing a repeat of Piers Morgan Tonight's coverage of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee:
Byers adds:
Eight minutes later, CNN's Wolf Blitzer interrupted the network's rerun of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee to break the news.
CNN has no obligation to cover the Wisconsin recall, and one could argue that CNN doesn't need to break that political news, or spend the 10 o'clock hour speculating on the potential political ramifications of the various outcomes. But I highly doubt that CNN would make that argument.
Remember: This is the network that won the primaries, and gets its best primetime ratings when there's a political race.
Inside Cable News points out that Byers has a loose definition of 'won the primaries,' but his overall point stands: an election like this presents a unique opportunity for CNN to shine, one which they apparently missed by 8 minutes last night. They did provide several hours of continuous live coverage after that.
There are really several valid critiques rolled into one here, but first, in fairness to CNN, their apparent decision to cover the Wisconsin recall starting at 10 only suffers in hindsight. NBC's call of that race came much earlier than anyone expected (one Walker supporter told NBC News she thought it was a joke), and the very hyper-partisanship that Byers identifies about this race cuts against CNN believing that there would be broad interest in a blow-by-blow gabfest leading up to the results. Even so, though, an hour of that would probably have been better than rerunning the Diamond Jubilee.
As a member of the opinion media, I have no problem with blatant partisan coverage, i.e. a clearly-labeled point of view, but I do think that MSNBC and Fox News do a poor job of explaining, to their respective audiences, what the other side thinks, and why they think it. You can have a point of view, yet still provide context in good faith.
CNN, however, can't seem to win with critics, who mock them for killing time during looong hours of election coverage, then dings them for trying to keep their coverage to a reasonable length. Despite our carping, what CNN viewer wasn't longing for a Holographic Cheese Wheel, or a Virtual Political Dairy Farm last night? With Fox News and MSNBC already giving their audiences what they want to hear, CNN's challenge is to find an audience that cares, but not enough to have their minds made up already.
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So f-ing what!'.No one watches cnn.
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Hey! what's the problem. They claim and are trying to be neutral to the point of silliness. That's been their model, so no news here, other than the Royal crap.
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Since those were opinion shows on FOX and MSNBC, they were doing what they do.
When Bret Baier gave the news updates on Wisconsin, he wasn't cheering anyone. I don't know what happened on MSNBC, because I am not insane.
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There's more to news than politics.
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Personally, I prefer Her Royal Highness to the Koch Brothers' Manservant any day.
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Bret Baier's a good guy, class act.
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I don't know what happened on MSNBC, because I am not insane.
So that would then be, un-informed. -
But, one of the worst debate moderators I've ever seen. And, not because of his obvious ideological and political views. That doesn't bother me in anyone. He's just stiff, unnatural and timid.
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More than likely you just like younger women like Her Royal Highness!
Now volunteer to go help the staff serve lunch.
Might earn you a extra Jello or pudding.
Who knows? -
A Coue followers, I see.
'Day by day, in every way, I am getting better and better.'Repeat.Repeat.
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Fox News is number 1 in ratings because Fox News is number 1 in reporting the truth.
Can't wait to see the libs insane reply.
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'with a smoking hot wife!
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Anyone who thinks CNN does not have a liberal bias is a moron. I turned it on last night in time to see one of their reporters surrounded by a ranting, raving crowd of Barrett supporters waving dollar bills and drowning out the reporter, who looked on the borderline of pissed off and scared. He could barely be heard over the shrill rants of people who obviously had gathered behind that reporter for his live segment and as soon as it started they went off.
What did John King say? As his poor reporter was set upon by a mob of deranged idiots? 'That's Democracy in action'. What a crock. If Walker had lost, and that same reporter was surrounded by a group of angry Tea Partiers at his party, John King would have vilified them the same way CNN did back when the Tea Party started.
CNN is blatantly liberal and only an imbecile denies that. Oh, wait. Right. Liberal and imbecile is redundant.
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He makes it sound like Hannity with his 'repudiation of big labor unions' was some sort of hyper partisan comment when right on Politico in their top 10 stories on the right frame is at number 9
Wis. results a blow to Big Labor. Seems Hannity was just stating the facts. -
So witty again'FAIL!
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Is Michelle her Royal High-ness'if Barry is His Royal High-ness'or should we call her Queen Choomer of Liblandia?
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MSNBC was hilarious to watch last night. I thought they may do a group suicide.
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The problem with (both) articles is CNN can hardly represent the middle, since almost all of their on air talent is as far left as those on MSDNC. List a well known CNN personality and there'll be countless articles about them trashing conservatives and giving softball interviews to liberals, but very very few instances of the reverse. CNN not only needs to change their editorial direction, but also needs to bring on objective talent, and dump people like Roland Martin and Soledad Obrien. They had Bill Maher fill in for Piers Morgan! How objective is that?
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'I do think that MSNBC and Fox News do a poor job of explaining, to their respective audiences, what the other side thinks, and why they think it. You can have a point of view, yet still provide context in good faith.'
That may be the best point you've ever made TC! awesome.
It is pretty hard to argue, and forthrightly at that, if you can't even figure out what the 'other side' is on about. And yet, most agenda pundits treat the other side's arguments so dismissively that a real conversation, even one inflected by partisanship, can't take place.
You have to take your opponents seriously if you want to act like an adult.
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Actually, ABC, CBS and NBC, singularly, have much higher ratings than FOX 'News'. They must be very truthful.
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Pot, meet kettle. The Politico is one of the many house organs for the Democrat party. Complaining about bias from MSDNC and Fox is a joke. Let CNN cover what it wants to, after all MSDNC is prison TV from Friday evening to early Monday morning.
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I couldn't say. I was pretty much toasted on Pimms' Cups watching the Jubilee whilst singing 'Land of Hope and Glory'. A bit of a headache this morning, but all worth it and gone with a nice Spitfire and banger.
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