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CNN's Klein: Radio Talk Show Hosts' Rhetoric "All Too Predictable"

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Media
Posted on Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 08:46:37 AM EST
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CNN President Jon Klein is a foolish man and has been for some time. But he is certainly painting himself into a corner regarding Lou Dobbs. Via Steve Benen and MediaBistro, Klein reportedly wrote a message to his producers that said the following:

CNN/U.S. president Jon Klein asked his show producers to avoid booking talk radio hosts. "Complex issues require world class reporting," Klein is quoted as saying, adding that talk radio hosts too often add to the noise, and that what they say is "all too predictable."

Of course Klein must know he is raising the Dobbs issue here. Is he trying to get Dobbs to resign? Or is he really not aware of the import of his words?

Speaking for me only

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    CNN's Klein: Radio Talk Show Hosts' Rhetoric "All Too Predictable" | 4 comments (4 topical)

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    I find (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by mymy on Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 09:53:29 AM EST
    most of the talking heads on TV predictable.They seem to be only interested in getting their "talking points" across.This goes for both sides of any argument

    Maybe I'm Missing Something (none / 0) (#1)
    by The Maven on Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 09:10:04 AM EST
    because I don't watch any of the cable "news" programs anyway, but how common is it for talk radio hosts to get booked onto anyone else's show?  Isn't the idea to have as a guest someone who (theoretically, at least) has some direct involvement or analytical insight with respect to the issues of the day?  If one program merely has the hosts from another program as its guests, the whole thing basically devolves into one grand Beltway media circle jerk.

    And no, I'm not so naïve as to think that cable news programming has existed up to this point in some media utopia, but how could Klein -- or anyone else in a similar position -- believe that another show's hosts could ever be anything other than "predictable"?  Or perhaps they think that just as with the horse-race reporting aspect of election campaigns, the public would be perfectly satisfied in receiving coverage about the coverage, rather than about the "complex issues" themselves.  It's all too 'meta' for me this early in the morning.

    Very common (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by jbindc on Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 09:13:02 AM EST
    Radio show hosts are always on CNN, FOX, and MSNBC in "discussions" where they yell over each other.

    Maybe Mr. Klein would better serve his conusmers by going back to real news programming and getting rid of the talking heads altogether.

    Parent

    Actually (none / 0) (#4)
    by jbindc on Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 10:26:20 AM EST
    Dobbs and Bill Bennett and Roland Martin are exempt from this policy, from what I've been reading.

    CNN's Klein: Radio Talk Show Hosts' Rhetoric "All Too Predictable" | 4 comments (4 topical)

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