HuffPost blogger says: "Boycott CNN" (great post)

[iconoclastNYC]

Enough's enough. CNN's a business, if not a well-run one, and they've crossed an ethical line with the hiring of Glenn Beck. The continued cheapening of American journalism, symbolized by the hiring of Anderson Cooper as the Pat Boone of broadcast news, was bad enough. They've been piling on the right-wing hacks for some time, but Beck is an offense to decent human discourse.
He's in David Duke-land. It's time for a boycott.

Think I'm over-reacting? Then consider these highlights from Beck's career:

* "It took me about a year to start hating the 9-11 victims' families."
* "And that's all we're hearing about, are the people in New Orleans. Those are the only ones that we're seeing on television (Katrina refugees) are the scumbags."
* (to a caller claiming to have tortured Iraqis) - "Good for you ... I'm glad people like you are on our side."
* "I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself ... I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out of him."
* (On the father of beheading victim Nick Berg) - "I think he is grieving, but I think he's a scumbag as well. I don't like this guy at all."

Let's see -- what's the likelihood of a liberal who talked like this (not that there are any) getting a gig at CNN? (answer below)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow

RJ Eskow:

I bitched when they hired Bill Bennett, the hypocrite/liar/gambling addict who enriches himself with money intended for schoolchildren. and wondered if "CNN" stood for "Chasing Non-Negroes" after the upteenth missing white woman was pursued. I've yowled about Mr. Bowtie a time or two - it was especially cute when he made fun of a little girl losing her intestines in a swimming pool accident, wasn't it?

I tried to give the inept Jonathan Klein a little friendly advice, as one business person to another. I even let them know they had a capable future executive in Lindsey Lohan.

The whining - excuse me, commentary - of people like me will never make a difference. A thousand bloggers typing at a thousand keyboards for a thousand years will never write the piece that will change this organization. So here's a request, from me to you:

Stop watching CNN. Please. I have.

I suspect most of CNN's viewership is liberal politically. Where else are they going to go - Fox? I don't think so. MSNBC - sure, for Olbermann, but the rest of the time it's "What, are you still here?" But those of us who keep watching as we bite our knuckles in frustration's are the network's bitches. There are other options, like Crooks and Liars for on-demand video.

You know they do a lousy job, yet you still watch. Day after day you hope they'll change, but they never do. It's called co-dependence. I've had it, too. But this is it. I'm done. I'm boycotting CNN.

Who's with me?

[jn2375]

1. me, me, me, me, me, ,me

stopped watching them some time ago, couldn't take it anymore

[ProfessorGAC]

25. Same Here

Faux is blocked, CNN is never watched, and MSNBC is only an occasional thing. I'll get my information from the internet and newspapers. I don't need blow-dried news.
The Professor

[NYCGirl]

2. I haven't watched them in a year and a half. NT

[ixion]

3. I stopped all broadcast 'news'

in fact, I stopped cable all together.

It's much quieter, between the lack of commercials and my yelling at stupid talking heads.

[vi5]

4. How about we boycott all cable news?

Seriously. If only so we can cease the endless amount of posts from people who feel compelled to watch that crap and then make dozens of posts about how "Oh my god (insert cable news poodle head name here) is whoring for Bushco!!!" as if any of this is a surprise to anyone.

[samhsarah]

5. Enough IS enough....

We should have been boycotting ALL of the M$M (except Keith, of course) for a long time now. Fuck them all. They deserve to lose their jobs. Every last one of them. Then they can stand on the unemployment line with those "scumbags" from Katrina.

K&R

[rwork]

6. I have stopped watching CNN

Glen Beck and Bill Bennett. You can see it coming.Fox News wantabes.

[Ninga]

7. While we are at it, let's thrown in MSNBC as well, audit who the sponsors

are and either write about the boycott and/or DO NOT BUY as many of the sponsored products as possible.

If we can't in this day and age, understand, that money TALKS...then we need to regroup.

I absolutely will not watch CNN and as of today, have added MSNBC.

Please join me in this effort.

[Ninga]

8. Yikes!! I forgot Keith! I will not miss his program, in fact maybe all

of us should pick a particular sponsor, pick a day, and purchase the product.

Money talks both ways!!!!!

[iwanmycntrybak]

9. I gave up on CNN and Fox long ago!

[samhsarah]

10. Ummm, IF you agree and want other people to join the boycott...

then you have to recommend the post!:+

[depakid]

11. Watching CNN is like being the recipient of spousal abuse

People make one excuse or another about it- but in the end, it's always the same. You come out the worse for it. Misinformed with higher blood pressure. For starters.

CNN (and the Washington Post) will just come right out and lie to you. They don't even make any pretense about it anymore. They're laughing behind your back- and making fools out of you.

[zanne]

12. I've noticed that there are cycles....

I don't know if anybody else has noticed this, but you can watch cable TV news for months and see favorable reporting of all things Republican and then, there's a scandal (like Katrina or the Plame leak) and it seems like they finally got their nerve and begin serious reporting. Then, as quickly as it came, they stop mentioning those things and they're back in the conservative media mode. Since the New Year, they've been spinning big for the administration. My theory is that when the news starts concentrating on the scandals, that administration gives the studio heads a "talking-to". Then, everything quiets down for awhile.

[Chimichurri]

13. i'm not one to jump on the boycott bandwagon but

this move certainly calls for it. This is beyond outrageous and should be admonished for the true moral decay they aim to achieve.

I've been hesitant about this belief but these people really are Nazis. These latest moves to insulate the "news" networks with these demagogues is a clear tactic against the minds of the populace. Make no mistake, this is a mission set forth by the Bush cabal. They are dismantling the Constitution and the Bill of Rights right before our eyes and as I'm sure they've predicted, the masses have begun to stir. The next move, send in the worst of the propaganda minions. The Bill Bennet's the Glen Becks, all unapologetically pound the Bush message into our ill-informed electorate til the masses stop squirming and succumb to the fallacy. This is warfare bestowed upon the American people in the name of the unitary presidency. Plain and simple.

If this tactic finds resistance, as in any war you must up the stakes. To them, there is NO SURRENDER. The question is, what will there next move be - not that hard to decipher, IMHO.

[Ninga]

14. I nominated this page because I sincerely believe we can make

a difference with this boycott.

Especially if we contact sponsors and in the case of Keith Oberman's program, support a sponsor.

[rman]

15. ...and support independent media

such as

Independent World Television News
www.iwtnews.com

Democracy Now
www.democracynow.org

[Catrina]

23. Do you need cable to get iwtnews? I have never seen that

I turned off CNN two weeks ago, my cable company called last night to ask about my coming back. I know that one person doing this is not going to make a difference. But thousand, millions would be even better, would definitely help to take back the media.

I agree with the poster downthread who said the relationship with television news outlets is like that of an abused spouse. I agree.

Boycotts work, it's time to draw a line. The hiring of this hatemonger should be the final straw for anyone who still held out hope that the media might not be as bad as they thought. It is.

I saw a list of their sponsors on another thread. I'll go get it and pass it to everyone I know and if this boycott grows, I will participate for as long as it takes, and maybe the money saved on cable could go to an independent news agency. We are funding this!! It makes NO sense.

Time to go write some letters, and to write to friends and ask them to join in. Great idea, and way past due, imo.

[rman]

35. IWTNEWS intents to be on cable eventually

For now they're busy collecting funds - from their future audience. Meaning that it will be "dependent" only on its audience, not on corporations or government.
The iwtnews website has a number of video interviews with key supporters such as Naomi Klein, Amy Goodman and Phil Donahue. Donahue has a rather interesting story about how his show at MSNBC came to an end. MSNBC felt that Donahue represented "a difficult point of view for MSNBC in a time of war".

"I think the idea of creating a television news source that is not beholden to corporate interests is Nirvana." - Donahue

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

16. Turn Them Off!!!!!!! nt

[sweetm2475]

17. K&R Boycott the bastards!

:kick:

[Village Idiot]

18. CNN has to compete in the hatefest Murdoch has created.

[kiteinthewind]

19. Already emailed CNN

First that Nancy Grace FREAK :puke: and now Glenn Beck. I let them know I was DONE with them, am emailing my activist lists to do the same, and letting their sponsors know that we're not watching! Now, I gotta find out how to get a list of their sponsors. Anyone have any ideas? :toast:

[w8liftinglady]

28. here's a partial list w/#'s and links from another post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=166591&mesg_id=167350

[OnionPatch]

20. I done with them too

This is the last straw. Television "news" has morphed into nothing but a mouthpiece for corporate/governmental, right-wing propaganda. There isn't a shred of integrity left on television news.

Remember those bumper stickers you used to see "Don't believe the liberal media!" ? Is there one out there that says "Don't believe the neo-con media!" ? I'll happily slap that one on my bumper right about now.

[peacetalksforall]

21. I have a problem with boycotts and it may be language.

On reading this thread I realized that I don't watch CNN anymore and I didn't really make a conscious decision to stop. Nor do I watch FOX. I do look at MSNBC to find out if the first word I'm going to hear will be Aruba or cruise ship or whatever the latest event of their focus is going to be. It's kinda like a game, but I don't pay myself some money when I'm right that they will be talking about subjects they chose to follow with breathless pursuit.

I know that whatever I hear on MSNBC politically, will be about 20 to 100% worse on CNN and FOX.

By example, I quickly turned from C-Span to MSNBC shortly after listening to the most important speech of my lifetime - the Al Gore speech. I wanted to see if a cable show was reporting it and how. And how! I didn't wait long to hear one of their brainwashed propaganda pushers say that Gore ATTACKED George Bush. This female propaganda pusher put on a resentful, slightly angry look and was very serious about Gore attacking George. How could he?

To me boycott has always meant demonstrating or drawing a line that workers could not cross. Honoring the boycott often hurt the employees who could least afford to lose their job, lose time, or lose a raise.

I never buy GE. Originally, because of what they did to NBC and the blatant activism of Jack Welch, but also becasue of their wrong war weapon manufacturing. I will go without a light bulb if the only brand sold at a small or large store is GE. But, they don't know that I'm not buying them, let alone why I'm not buying them. I don't call this a boycott. I just call it a serious preference with an attitude because I don't know what else to call it. But, I don't think I'm boycotting GE if they don't know it so I'm happy to blast them with words that might be read.

I resent that five huge corporations lie to us and that they have no problem finding employees who will do it. These employees do not hide the fact that they are partisan, but probably resent being called propganda pushers. If I were going to try to act in symbolic parallel to a boycott, I will do it by continuing to blast the loss of news in the United States and denounce the parents or scholarship providers who gave money to groom these propaganda pushers. What a waste of money to learn to be a journalist and end up being liars. If the five huge corporations could not hire these lying faces, paid guest experts, and their directors because they resented being called propaganda pusher-bimbos, our country would be better off.

[SpaceCatMeetsMars]

22. Stopped TV news 3 years ago and feel better informed

from the internet.

Yesterday, my husband turned on CNN briefly to see the rocket lifting off to go to Pluto and we laughed at Kyra Phillips asking, "Are there a lot of gadgets on that rocket?" Then they went to some poor woman who had fallen down a manhole. It takes just a few minutes to see that I have missed nothing but a lot of idiocy and propaganda.

[tinrobot]

24. How can you boycott when you don't watch?

They fell off my list long before the last election.

[Eurobabe]

26. Chicken Noodle News

Christiane Amanpour about summed it up - they called it that when she started in the 80s, and not much has changed.

[otohara]

27. Beck Will Say Something So Completely Offensive

very soon and CNN will have to fire him. I dont' watch CNN any longer - haven't for over a year.

[orwell]

29. I turned off...

...Corporate News Network for good after the election 2000 fiasco. They were such obvious shills for BushCorp that I could no longer look at them as a source for even a crude Reuters feed.

It never ceases to amaze me how many so-called liberals and progressives still watch this tripe with the availability of news from all over the world on the Net, much of it first hand accounts, close to raw feed. The only way to change them is to turn them off. Remove them from your channel list. The only thing you do by watching them, even to complain, is put money in their pocket.

[Glimmer of Hope]

30. I don't have cable and this might be a dumb question but r/o

What if people asked their cable companies to eliminate CNN from their service? Don't you subscribe to a package of cable channels if you have cable? If so, aren't they getting your money?

[johnfunk]

31. CNN isn't paying any attention to the Air America phenomenon...

... and they're ignoring the strong showing of Keith Olbermann on MSNBC -- where he draws a smarter and richer audience than anyone else in cable news prime time.

Glenn Beck is a bigot with a microphone. His piehole is a ticking time bomb, and it's a slam-dunk certainty he'll pull a "Michael Savage" within a month of his show's premiere and be quietly ushered off AOL Time Warner's Studio F.

[mcscajun]

33. This sounds like a good message to send to the folks who run

CNN:

"Glenn Beck is a bigot with a microphone. His piehole is a ticking time bomb, and it's a slam-dunk certainty he'll pull a "Michael Savage" within a month of his show's premiere and be quietly ushered off AOL Time Warner's Studio F."

Let 'em hear it!

[mcscajun]

32. Definitely me! I rarely watch TV news at all, but since Anderson Cooper

was reporting on Katrina, when I did tune into cable news, it was to CNN.

That's over.

Glenn Beck is the straw that broke this camel's back. I'm putting parental controls on it, same as FauxSnooze.

I won't even have to be aware they exist.

[RamboLiberal]

34. Now the fools at CNN have hired J.C. Watts

I just posted it on LBN from mediabistro. I hope their ratings go in the toilet. I can never figure why idiot programmers try to cut into the same slice of pie another net is grabbing. This has to prove that they are being driven by their corporate bosses who are kowtowing to the RNC!

[f-bush]

36. I'm going to kick this also!

[farmboxer]

37. Corporate News Network very baised.

I get sick when I see it on. I can see a sign, "No Democrates allowed" CNN appears to be for Republicans only, with a few crumbs for Democrats just to appear neutral, but they are far from that!

[enigmatic]

38. thank god for CBC and BBC

Living up here in Canada I get both, and while neither are perfect, they are light years more balanced and thoughful in their presentation of the news. After watching the 3 networks, FNC, and CNN for most of my life, it was a pleasant shock to the system to watch CBC and BBC for my news.

[Rainscents]

39. I have boycotted them long time ago!

I think it was around spring of 2004 when Kerry was running for president.

[tenshi816]

40. Does the boycott include CNN International?

Because that's what we get in the UK.

I've only watched American CNN a handful of times over the last 20 years when I visit the States, but I do like CNN International. Its reportage bears little resemblance to the American version, and I'd hate to give it up.