CNN: A Critical Analysis

By Spencer Wayne, Meredith Savatsky, Brittany Kadin,

Lindsay Kramer and Lauren Melamed

How CNN Reports the News

Content-Based Analysis

Before a Crisis:Requirements for Successful

Reporting 

• Investigative reporting• Challenge official sources• Follow up on the content of previous reports• Questioning how officials respond to

research and reports

Was CNN Successful? NO

Pre-September 11 Coverage

- 80 mentions of Osama Bin Laden between 1998-2001- A lot of events including the bombings occurred, yet coverage was still insufficient- Not all the stories focused on him but simply bring his name up- 0 mentions of Al Qaeda on cable news until September 21 after the attacks itself On CNN.com 1 mention of Al Qaeda from 1998 

Hurricane Katrina "Unthinkable?"• “[People of New Orleans] have dodged a bullet so

many times since Hurricane Betsey in 1965, and once again, [they were] very lucky. But that worst case scenario is literally unimaginable and unthinkable” 

• John Zarrella, CNN Correspondent

Financial CrisisLooking For Ways Out of the Subprime

Mortgage CrisisMarch 30, 2007

• Acknowledgement of Crisis in Headline - is it a problem? Not really.o Some economists say the mortgage defaults

in the subprime sector could push the economy into a recession

o But Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Wednesday that while the problems in the subprime mortgage sector have caused "severe financial problems for many individuals and families," they may not affect the overall economy

During A Crisis:Requirements for Successful

Reporting• Explain the current situation in as much detail as possible

o Define key terms• Provide answers to the audience's main questions 

o What is this about?o Who is involved?

• Use video footage or images to increase overall understanding

• Incorporate officials' opinions to strengthen importance and validity of the story 

Successful? YES

Iraq Invasion• Informing the public from the very beginning of the invasion

o Nic Robertson reports live from Baghdad to CNN correspondent Aaron Brown as the war unfolds

o Live from Iraq as the White House announces the shock and awe plan

• Shock and Awe Coverage 

• Analyzing impact of missiles and their effectiveness in hitting the US target of Iraqi power rather than innocent citizens

September 11• Were one of the first news

stations at the scene to cover the story 

• First to clarify that this was not an accident and stated it was a terrorist attack  

• Made links to Al Qaeda on the day of and confirmed with FBI at 4pm that day

• Provided continuous coverage on the attacks and updates

• Interviewed various eye witnesses 

• Posted descriptive timeline day after

Gulf Coast Oil Spill 

• "Oil Slick Spreads from Sunken Rig" April 22, 2010 o “1-by 5 mile sheen of crude oil mix spread across the gulf of

mexico’s surface where the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sank”

o "Due to fire from attempts at capping the well"o "No indications this was a terrorist incident"o "BP operates the license on which the rig was drilling”

•  "Efforts to Stop Leak Under Way After Oil Rig Explosion" April 25, 2010o Defining key terms - Blowout Preventer

"A large valve at the top of a well, activating it will stop the flow of oil"

However…

CNN falls short in several aspects of their reporting

• Evoke more emotion rather than analyze facts• Primetime news programs

• Lack of professionalism• Too much focus on ratings, losing sense of

responsibilities as a news network• Too many human interest pieces overpowering actual

analytical reporting

TV: Emotionalism

• Leads to loss of objectivityo Campbell Brown cries while on air after hearing

about a child dying in the Haiti Earthquake forcing the show to go to a commercial break

TV: Lack of Professionalism• Commentators become too emotional• Lose sight of purpose of interviews:

o The Situation Room's Wolf Blitzer argues with Michael Moore on air (6:35).

o Moore: "CNN refuses to ask 'hard' questions. You don't do the job. You never ask 'Why are we here?”

o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpKoN40K7mA

"Iraq Never Over For Some"

• Human Interest Story• Uninformative and overly dramatic• CNN's Barbara Starr talks to an Army mom who lost her son in the Iraq war• "This week the us combat mission in Iraq officially ends, but the emotional cost of the

war for thousands of military families, like the Patton's, doesn’t” • Counsels other army wives and mothers about being resilient- how?• "Sisters in arms, the backbone of military families" 

"Chilean Miners Tour Hollywood"• "It was just last month that they were underground, 10

weeks, 2,200 ft underground, and now here they are having a great time in Southern California and attending our "Heroes Program" which airs on Thanksgiving night."

After:Requirements for Successful

Reporting

• Tell people what they need to know and do now that the crisis has passed

• Offer a place that addresses common concerns and questions

Was CNN Successful? Yes

The Aftermath of a Crisis: What happens now?

• September 11th, 2001o "Giuliani: New Yorkers Should Return to Normal Life"

October 8, 2001 "Do not let fear alter your plans" "People should return to a normal life"

Gulf Coast Oil Spill

• CNN's Gulf Coast Oil Spill Homepageo Sections devoted to...

Volunteer sites to donate/help  Depths of the disaster (statistics) iReports - individual stories from people in the gulf Maps - locating areas that were effected and

tracking the spread Daily developments  Timeline Glossary - breaking down the disaster jargon

Financial Crisis: How did we get Here?Guide to Beating the Financial Crisis

Ali Velshi answers questionsand explains how to get out of debt (start at 2 mins)Video ClipHe helps explain the questions people have and what they should do next• small business owner - should

he stick it out or take a gov. job?

• Student debt, mortgage, etc.

CNN.com Financial Crisis Summary

What Channels Does CNN Use to Deliver the News?

• Ten-minute, commercial-free, daily news program for middle and high school students produced by the journalists and educators at CNN 

• Free of charge• Daily Transcripts for each show, Daily Discussion questions, the

Media Literacy Question of the Day, in-depth Learning Activities, downloadable Maps 

• Afghanistan Offensive (4:28- 6:30)

o Defines Offensive

o Clearly explains current situation

o Easy to Understand

o Answers questions

CNN Embedded Reporters

• CNN places correspondents with various regiments of the U.S. Army Corps and Marines in Iraq to join the deployed troops, allowing instant communication during times of crisis and up close reports of Iraqi life

• Interview with Dr. Sanjay Gupta (with the Marines at Camp Iwo Jima) by CNN's Bill Hemmer

o "The situation seems very fluid, very dynamic right now. We've heard thuds, loud thuds closer than before for the first time just recently"

o "We do have our gas masks on and our helmets"

o "It's been a stop-go, a start-go process out there"

iReports

• "CNN invites you to open your journals and photo albums and share your pictures, video, and memories from 30 significant events of the last three decades

• Significant global events from the past 30 yearso ex: Hong Kong handover, the Chernobyl disaster, fall of the Berlin Wall,

release of Nelson Mandela, September 11 terror attacks, death of Michael Jackson

• Description written by professional + personal account from average citizen

CNN.com

• Information is present, but accessing it through CNN's website is where the main problem lies

• Search engine problems

• News Pulse: Tells top stories of the day, allowing easier navigation of news reports

• Interconnectedness

o Use of social sharing buttons on all articles and incorporation of twitter, facebook into television reports

Where are CNN's Tweets?

• Too many Twitter and Facebook pages, need to condense

Chilean Miners

Facebook

• Need to choose a focus• Either a place to link back to the website, or can be used as a means of breaking news

Recommendations

• Before Crises – Need to better prepare citizens• During & After Crises – Continue fact based reports and

helpful tips for viewers• Worry less about ratings, they do not necessarily reflect

reporting as negative• Continue utilization of new and original forms of news

delivery • Consolidate use of social media