Comments on: CNN catches the stupid

By: Ralph

Ralph — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:43:30 +0000

CNN starting losing credibility with me in 2003, when I had an alphanumeric pager and decided to add “CNN breaking news” to my service. The 2nd Iraq War had just started in March, and I was a little concerned when my pager went off in April, starting with the news item:

ONE MONTH AGO, A MISSILE ALMOST HIT

That doesn’t match any journalistic definition of breaking news I’m aware of.

Just because a news organization didn’t figure out something for a month doesn’t make it breaking news a month later.

Now that Headline news has degraded from 30 minute news summaries to “the nancy grace and robin mead” network, I just tell my Tivo I don’t even get that channel any more. I sincerely hope Tivo provides this kind of information on user-initiated de-listings (in bulk) to their upstream cable systems, but somehow I doubt they do.

If anyone can point me to an a la cart service where I can keep C-SPAN 1 and 2, I’d be happy

By: Science and Journalism, Intersecting | Cosmic Variance | Discover Magazine

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:24:59 +0000

[...] newspapers are dying. CNN shut down its science division. The amount of real science journalism is shrinking dramatically, and any scientist who thinks [...]

By: Chris Winter

Chris Winter — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 04:32:55 +0000

I took a look at Glenn Beck’s book a couple of months ago. I noted this on pages 20-21:

“How many times have you heard that CO2 is responsible for huge natural disasters that killed millions of people? The truth is, it’s actually the other way around: As CO2 has increased, deaths from extreme weather have decreased.”

First, has anyone heard that about CO2? I never have.

Second, as CO2 has increased, monitoring of hurricanes and tornadoes has gotten better, as have building construction codes and disaster preparedness. Gee, could that be the reason for fewer deaths from extreme weather? Nothing to do with CO2 at all.

By: Steven L. Sanders

Steven L. Sanders — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:34:15 +0000

You are going to give up Science on CNN? Gee, why doesn’t that surprise me? You have been rerunning all the junk instead of keeping up with the news for a few years now, so you are as far behind as Ted Turner himself. I live in Raton, NM, so I know more about Ted Turner than you might think. But if you remove the science from your news, you might as well remove CNN as well, you have little to offer anyone anyway these days, and FSTV is getting more and more viewers everyday, and yes, I am one of them. At least I get the truth there, instead of someones bleached-out version of it. Well, go luck on the new plumbing business or whatever you guys will be into next, just remember you were told by a lot of us where this was going, so don’t be too surprised when you get there, ok? Say, “hi” to Glenn Beck when you arrive too, ok? Steve.

By: Debra

Debra — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:57:23 +0000

I came here from a google page for Glenn Beck to see when he would start his new show, and I couldn’t believe the nasty things being said about him in this blog and comments. The first time I listened to him, I was kind of wary. But the more I listened, the more I could see where he was coming from. I think the politically correct segments of our society have hurt us in the US, and I think he is a breath of fresh air. He certainly is courageous.

There are so many things we just don’t discuss because they might offend someone, when the discussion just might be beneficial. I hate people being shouted down, and this blog and comments about Glenn Beck have amounted to a virtual and remote shout down. You only want to hear your point of view – everyone else must be too stupid to live. Get over yourselves!

By: Franko

Franko — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:17:03 +0000

Miles O’Brien actually beleved Hansen and the ManBearPig ?
Seems like it. — Charisma and the scientific smarts of Al Gore
Miles O’Brien, please start a Blog, convince US; cooling is warming

By: nycskeptic

nycskeptic — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:04:22 +0000

Wait…what? I only made it through about half of the comments extolling the greatness of Mr. O’Brien before having to finally say – are you kidding me? Yes, he seemed relatively informed about some science stories like the shuttle and rover missions. Wait, as the science correspondent (since being bumped from the main desk) isn’t that the only thing he has to do?? After the ufo special last week, how anyone can claim he is good for science education (or skepticism) is beyond me. While he didn’t come straight out and say he saw an alien ship he made it clear several times that he saw something that “can’t be explained”. Ugh! With all of the wonderful scientists and skeptics and skeptical groups like Phil and the JREF and the NYC Skeptics (based two blocks from O’Brien’s Manhattan apartment) at his disposal, why couldn’t he present a single skeptical alternative to the multitude of true believers he trotted before millions of viewers every morning? He only mildly redeemed himself with one piece on SETI – but an entire segment on Roswell!?!? How’s that for breaking news! I think the X-Files gave that whole nonsense a more balanced presentation. I thought I was having a flashback of some bad Unsolved Mysteries episode from the 80’s Robert Stack – now that was science journalism!

Was he trying to save his job with a week-long tabloid fluff piece? He should have gone out with a little class at least. By the end of it, I was left wondering if Hoagland’s voicemail was full, so they couldn’t broadcast some of his ravings.
To the end of cnn’s science reporting, that’s too bad but not unexpected. As for Mr. O’brien, good riddance.