MSNBC ('America's Channel') to be the "fiercely independent" choice
04-11-02, 05:55 PM
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MSNBC ('America's Channel') to be the "fiercely independent" choice
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/ap/20020411/101857433500.html
MSNBC's President Takes Some Shots
Thursday April 11 6:18 PM ET
Third-place cable news network MSNBC wants to establish itself as the"fiercely independent" choice, and its president is driving the point home with some shots against his competition.
MSNBC, which has faded to a distant third in the ratings against Fox News Channel and CNN, is searching for a new identity. It has recently hired Phil Donahue as host of a prime-time talk show.
President Erik Sorenson said in a memo sent to his staff on Thursday that he's labeling the network "America's Newschannel" and that it will be characterized by lively, non-partisan discussion.
Sorenson said MSNBC will be marked by "real fairness," a thinly-veiled reference to ratings leader Fox News Channel's slogan as the "fair and balanced" news network.
"Some news channels seem partisan, favoring one side over another (regardless of slogans or protestations to the contrary)," Sorenson wrote.
"Some cut deals with foreign governments or foreign broadcasters so as to provide coverage on an international basis to foreign viewers," he wrote. "Others stack the deck with partisans from one side and offset them with patsies from the other.
"But our channel is not partisan and has no agenda, other than to serve the American people, serve our viewers, give them in-depth coverage and thorough analysis," he said.
Sorenson did not immediately return a telephone call to talk about his memo.
CNN called it "laughable" that its independence should be questioned. The network has more than 200 relationships with networks internationally, and has more viewers overseas than in the United States, CNN spokeswoman Christa Robinson said.
"I'm wondering if this is the same editorial independence they're talking about when they didn't cut from Olympics coverage to report the death of Daniel Pearl," she said. MSNBC was covering Olympics curling earlier this year while its rivals were reporting the death of The Wall Street Journal reporter.
Fox News Channel representatives did not return telephone calls seeking comment.
Sorenson also said he was close to naming a new editor in chief at MSNBC. He has reportedly been talking to former New York Post editor Jerry Nachman about an editorial role.
Imagine that- a news channel wants to be thought of as unbiased.
So is this a type of admittance that they weren't before?
EDIT Title should have said "wants to be the 'fiercely independent'choice"
MSNBC's President Takes Some Shots
Thursday April 11 6:18 PM ET
Third-place cable news network MSNBC wants to establish itself as the"fiercely independent" choice, and its president is driving the point home with some shots against his competition.
MSNBC, which has faded to a distant third in the ratings against Fox News Channel and CNN, is searching for a new identity. It has recently hired Phil Donahue as host of a prime-time talk show.
President Erik Sorenson said in a memo sent to his staff on Thursday that he's labeling the network "America's Newschannel" and that it will be characterized by lively, non-partisan discussion.
Sorenson said MSNBC will be marked by "real fairness," a thinly-veiled reference to ratings leader Fox News Channel's slogan as the "fair and balanced" news network.
"Some news channels seem partisan, favoring one side over another (regardless of slogans or protestations to the contrary)," Sorenson wrote.
"Some cut deals with foreign governments or foreign broadcasters so as to provide coverage on an international basis to foreign viewers," he wrote. "Others stack the deck with partisans from one side and offset them with patsies from the other.
"But our channel is not partisan and has no agenda, other than to serve the American people, serve our viewers, give them in-depth coverage and thorough analysis," he said.
Sorenson did not immediately return a telephone call to talk about his memo.
CNN called it "laughable" that its independence should be questioned. The network has more than 200 relationships with networks internationally, and has more viewers overseas than in the United States, CNN spokeswoman Christa Robinson said.
"I'm wondering if this is the same editorial independence they're talking about when they didn't cut from Olympics coverage to report the death of Daniel Pearl," she said. MSNBC was covering Olympics curling earlier this year while its rivals were reporting the death of The Wall Street Journal reporter.
Fox News Channel representatives did not return telephone calls seeking comment.
Sorenson also said he was close to naming a new editor in chief at MSNBC. He has reportedly been talking to former New York Post editor Jerry Nachman about an editorial role.
Imagine that- a news channel wants to be thought of as unbiased.
So is this a type of admittance that they weren't before?
EDIT Title should have said "wants to be the 'fiercely independent'choice"
Last edited by Pac-Rat; 04-11-02 at 06:00 PM.
04-12-02, 10:07 AM
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I like MSNBC and I would watch it more often if it had more NEWS programs. I hate turning it on and seeing some "special" like National Geographic, or Headliners & Legends. They do too much of that.
I do like the actual news programs such as Ashleigh Banfield, Hardball with Chris Matthews, and Brian Williams.
I hate Fox's bent but I find I flip over to that channel more often because MSNBC has some stupid non-news show on.
Even CNN will often have these special shows on about Entertainment, Sports or Money, so often I have to flip around to find actual news at any given time. I guess that's what the Headline News channel is for.
I do like the actual news programs such as Ashleigh Banfield, Hardball with Chris Matthews, and Brian Williams.
I hate Fox's bent but I find I flip over to that channel more often because MSNBC has some stupid non-news show on.
Even CNN will often have these special shows on about Entertainment, Sports or Money, so often I have to flip around to find actual news at any given time. I guess that's what the Headline News channel is for.
04-12-02, 08:09 PM
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Originally posted by Jadzia
I like MSNBC and I would watch it more often if it had more NEWS programs. I hate turning it on and seeing some "special" like National Geographic, or Headliners & Legends. They do too much of that.
I like MSNBC and I would watch it more often if it had more NEWS programs. I hate turning it on and seeing some "special" like National Geographic, or Headliners & Legends. They do too much of that.
I'm a Fox fan, but would like to have an alternative to them from time to time.
04-14-02, 12:55 PM
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That's a stupid move on MSNBC's part. It's well-known that among the 3 networks, CNN is the 'unbiased' one and Fox is the right-wing network. So MSNBC should counter Fox by becoming left-wing, then we'll have some symmetry.
04-14-02, 03:00 PM
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Originally posted by huzefa
That's a stupid move on MSNBC's part. It's well-known that among the 3 networks, CNN is the 'unbiased' one and Fox is the right-wing network. So MSNBC should counter Fox by becoming left-wing, then we'll have some symmetry.
That's a stupid move on MSNBC's part. It's well-known that among the 3 networks, CNN is the 'unbiased' one and Fox is the right-wing network. So MSNBC should counter Fox by becoming left-wing, then we'll have some symmetry.
CNN's idea of unbiased is having 3 liberals and 1 conservative at a roundtable discussion.
CSPAN is the only true unbiased network on TV.
