CNN's Lost Opportunity

 

My friend William Katz notices the following:


WHAT CONFLICT OF INTEREST? – From Mediaite:  "Anthony Weiner — yes, that Anthony Weiner — talked to Reliable Sources host Brian Stelter Sunday morning about Hillary Clinton’s road trip to Iowa in the now infamous Scooby van, which he said bespoke of the unexpected in comparison GOP’s candidate’s staged events, and said the media was focusing on arcane or frivolous details that mattered only to the insider types, not to voters.  If you’re thinking, 'Wait, Anthony Weiner’s a media critic now?' you’re not alone. You may also be thinking: isn’t Huma Abedin, Weiner’s long-suffering wife, also Hillary Clinton’s long-suffering aide, and wasn’t she actually in said Scooby van during the trip?"  Yeah, she was there.   I guess CNN put Weiner on because he's neutral.  Joke.

Certainly.

There is a huge cable news void and CNN could fill it, but they are constitutionally incapable of even considering it.

So consider this, CNN. Plenty if independents and conservatives really don't like Fox all that much. For what its worth, the morning show ain't my cup of tea and I don need to watch O'Reilly, and Hannity I find annoying. He's basically Rush Limbaugh in front of a TV camera. Which is fine, but I don't need it.

Ok CNN, tell ya what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna give you a little advice and it ain't gonna cost you nothing. You can't possibly do worse.

First off, put Jake Tapper on at 8. He can't compete with O'Reilly, but then again, no one can. You're not trying to compete with O'Reilly. Just have a good guy at 8. The only good guy you have is Tapper.

Second, Take the 9:00 slot and break it up into half hour segments. Unorthodox I know, but lets be honest. You can't do any worse. Grab Hugh Hewitt. Have him do a half hour interview show. One on one. Hugh Hewitt has done TV and he knows radio. Take that other half hour and give it to Mark Steyn. He spends the first segment doing his usual doom schtick and the last talking entertainment. Have him do reviews of American Idol, The Voice, etc.

Third hire a caretaker for the 10:00 PM slot. Why not Erin Burnett? Yes, I'm just looking for the eye candy. In the meantime, develop someone. Have him/her sub for Hewitt, and Steyn and develop them. Eventually they come up with their own show, some kind of quirky take on things. Like the old Olbermann. By old I mean, 2003.

Look, I don't know nothing about TV, CNN. But I do see your ratings. You might as well give it a shot and try something new.

Oh, and fire Chris Cuomo.