Sex Always Sells When It Comes To TV News
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- CNN has done it again: It stuck its foot in its mouth in public.
Maybe the erstwhile Chicken Noodle Network and (Bill) Clinton News Network should now be known as the Crass News Network or Clumsy News Network.
Remember that regrettable CNN advertisement about its anchor, Paula Zahn? The widely read Drudge Report said at the time, in 2002: "The 20-second promo, which ran on the all-news channel this weekend, features an announcer asking: 'What other morning show has a host who is brilliant, super smart -- and sexy?'"
Oops. Two words too many.
You could say that the promotion reduced Zahn, a serious newscaster to the core, to the unwanted role of journalist capable of providing a little cheesecake along with the -- what do you call it? -- news.
That was an embarrassment to CNN, and by extension to its image-sensitive parent company, Time Warner Inc. Naturally, you wouldn't think that a CNN head could repeat history in such a way.
But CNN's top news executive in the United States, Jonathan Klein, can be accused of coming pretty darned close -- even though Klein reminded me that he wasn't running CNN's news operation when the "sexy" comment caused a fuss.
The occasion was a conference call with journalists after CNN announced that Soledad O'Brien and Miles O'Brien (no relation) were out as the anchors of "American Morning." John Roberts, who had come over to CNN from CBS , and Kiran Chetry, recently added from Fox News , would be replacing them.
This is what transpired on the call, according to the Wall Street Journal's Web site: "As for Ms. Chetry, who joined CNN in February from Fox News Channel, 'One look at her tells you why she deserves the spot,' Mr. Klein said. 'She's a terrific anchor who lights up the screen.'"
Ugh.
Camera-ready
When I profiled Klein in this column last Aug. 16, I wrote that he was "irrepressible" and that "to his credit, he possesses an inherent self-confidence to say whatever is on his mind and consider the consequences."
Klein has stressed that CNN, alone, devotes its morning programming to news -- not to celebrity gossip and promotions or beauty and health and cooking advice. If you want a diet of serious, no-frills coverage, CNN is your network.
This is a terrific comfort to news junkies, and CNN deserves plenty of credit to buck the "happy talk" trend in what passes for breakfast-hour "news" shows.
Now, Klein should know better than to give someone an impression that CNN cares, above everything else, about looking sexy. Even if this was the last thing on his mind, it came through, and it didn't have to.
Of course, all of the TV-news operations want to present a certain camera-friendly image. (Remember, CBS once altered a photo of anchor Katie Couric to make her look more photogenic.) It's a constant dilemma for TV-news executives to strike a balance between presenting journalists who have good looks and gravitas. Klein said he firmly believes that Chetry and Roberts are journalists before anything else.
At this point, both O'Briens will stay on at CNN. Soledad O'Brien will be focusing on reporting primarily domestic firestorms. Klein told me Thursday afternoon that he wants her to be viewed as a "domestic Christiane Amanpour," which is high praise. "I'm a big Soledad fan."
Miles O'Brien, who is one of the biggest aerospace experts on television, can now concentrate on his favorite areas of coverage.
No car chases
When I spoke with Klein, he chastised me for putting too much stock in the way his words looked in print, and noted that I hadn't heard the call. He said that comparing the "sexy" comment of five years ago with anything he said this week was "a completely specious argument."
"What I was referring to was the ineffable qualities of both anchors," he added. "There's no doubt about it. You watch them and you know why tey're an anchor team. Combining them will be even greater than the individual parts."
Since he came aboard a few years ago, Klein has proven himself to be one of the most astute and aggressive news executives around. He has scrambled to boost CNN's ratings while not diminishing its focus. You don't see coverage of car chases or burning buildings on CNN, where only a few years ago these nonstories were given high priorities. He has sharp instincts.
Klein should've stuck to praising CNN's news-gathering ability, not the network's good-looking newscasters. Roberts, Chetry and the viewers all deserve better.
Sam Zell
Billionaire Sam Zell has an opportunity to be a media star. I hope he doesn't blow it.
Zell, who agreed to acquire Tribune Co. last week, should make rebuilding morale at the Los Angeles Times his top priority.
Tribune's mismanagement has put the newspaper's employees through hell.
Zell has an obligation to Times staffers to reassure them that he is interested in their well-being. As a smart investor, he should also recognize that he needs the Times to perform at its best to help his investment succeed.
MEDIA WEB QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you watch TV news because of the way the anchors look on camera?
MONDAY REPORT CARD: Fittingly, the best piece of all about Zell appeared in the Chicago Tribune. Phil Rosenthal, David Greising and Michael Oneal interviewed Zell ("On the future, dealmaking and bad press," April 4) and did a terrific job of telling the world what Zell stands for and what we might expect.
THE READERS RESPOND to my column about San Francisco Giants baseball star Barry Bonds: "Jon, You said: 'Me? I won't be applauding when Bonds breaks Aaron's record. Sorry. The steroid question is just too great.' I say: I refuse to recognize his record. He cheated. It is truly that simple. Pete Rose cheated and look what happened to him. The press should not give Bonds a pass because what he has done is cheating." Jim Lewis
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By Jon Friedman