CNN is Egregiously Corrosive

By Sam Frescoe

http://samfrescoeproject.blogspot.com/

#SamFrescoe #CNNsucks

Here we go again! On 21 Feb 2018, a spectacle of madness (“Stand Up: The Students of Stoneman Douglas Demand Action”) was sold and consumed under the moniker of reason and truth telling.^[i] As with other spectacles of madness, this one was arranged by a trusted agent and fueled by tragedy. This particular spectacle was no different: the trusted agent was CNN; the tragedy was the massacre of 14 Feb 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fl.

While I am troubled about what unfolded during the town hall, I am angered by the blatant disrespect demonstrated by CNN and its supporting actors towards the dead and the aggrieved.

CNN is Egregiously Corrosive

Bottom Line Up Front: CNN severely abused their position within the public trust. While hidden in plain sight, CNN presented itself as a power application mechanism for the deliberate adjustment of American political discourse.

During this spectacle, CNN, a protected and empowered member of the Press, failed to execute its primary duty: to advance truth, science, morality, and the arts.[ii] Immediately from the start, CNN made it clear that their intention was not to seek virtue; it was about causing an emotionally-charged response. It was not to promote “amazing and eloquent” youth; it was to demonize a narrative. It was not to promote a civic platform; it was to cause risk to seated political actors.

CNN is Reprehensible

In my view, in order to mask CNN in virtue one must be completely tone deaf to human suffering and its affects. The motives of human action are emotions: rivalry, envy, jealousy, revenge, pride, and demand for recognition;[iii] and during a time of acute anger and pain, CNN elected to exploit these emotions for their own gain.

Prior to the spectacle, CNN was finishing third among its competitive peers, and was experiencing a “year-over-year ratings decline.”[iv] During the spectacle, it drew 2.91 million total viewers (this does not include data from FL affiliates).[v] – “CNN’s gun violence town hall was a ratings goldmine for the network, clocking 3M viewers, to top the timeslot. An average of 1.1M of those 3M CNN viewers fell in the 25-54 news demo, trouncing FNC’s 533K  viewers in the age bracket, and MSNBC”s 490K.”[vi]

CNN is Vile

I am angered by CNN’s choice to exploit the memory of the dead and the anguish of the living.

Consider that CNN designed the event to showcase the victims of a horrific act of pure evil: a “group of students with various opinions talk about what they feel needs to change.” – “In this arena are thousands of people whose lives were changed forever, one week ago today, when a gunman opened fire inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and killed 17 students and teachers. Four victims remain hospitalized.”

CNN is Wicked

I am angered by CNN’s choice to cause further hostility and unrest.

• -       Consider that CNN’s host clearly stated the purpose of the event: “We're here tonight to facilitate your desire to speak directly to your leaders, students, and family members, and faculty will get to ask questions to Florida's two US senators, Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Bill Nelson, as well as their Congressman, Democrat Ted Deutch.” “And later tonight these students and their families will get to ask questions of the road County Sheriff, Scott Israel, and a national spokesperson for the NRA.”
• -       Consider that CNN deliberately disparaged specific politicians: “We should note that President Trump declined an invitation to be here tonight, either in person or from the White House, as did the governor of Florida, Rick Scott who declined to be here in person or from Tallahassee.”

CNN is Culpable

I am angered by CNN’s choice to deliberately set conditions necessary to cause an increase in tensions.

• -       Consider that CNN selected an inflammatory title: “Stand Up: The Students of Stoneman Douglas Demand Action”.
• -       Consider that CNN promoted the meeting as a “special” event. Let that sink in. CNN branded the event as extraordinary and exceptional; exclusive and elite.
• -       Consider that CNN introduced these children as the standard of righteousness and reason. Consider that the parents agreed to the arrangement.
• -       Consider that CNN rigged the underlying conditions of the event: questions, interactions, seating, venue, audience, camera coverage, security, tone, and order of events, all of it.

 “If it bleeds; it leads.” – Seeing Through the Ugliness

CNN is a for-profit global media operator. – CNN exists to manufacture consumable content for the purpose of generating revenue. – CNN is a business and, as with any business, their primary objective is to make money.

NEVER FORGET that media companies are just that: companies. Therefore, their first duty is to make money in order to stay in business. Otherwise, their duty is to maximize revenues. In order to accomplish either, the company must provoke traffic across its modes of media (print, video, television, internet, etc.). In turn, this traffic prompts revenues via advertising and/or market value.

Furthermore, modern news media is a conglomeration of competing businesses, an industry, which garners patrons to consume their products. The industry is competition-based and consumption-driven. Additionally, the competition/consumption relationship across the industry drives a demand for new content. Therefore, companies are highly incentivized to be first and provide often. As a result, media companies are willing to engage is a form of soft violence, hostility, and unrest across a spectrum of the marketplace in order to achieve a more favorable arrangement of resources.

So What?

For the United States to exist as a functioning republic of self-governing individuals, the public must be enlightened to the facts of a matter as they are understood. The Press plays a critical role in this area of functioning. This is why the Press is specifically protected and empowered by the First Amendment of the Constitution. This is also why failures of the Press are seen as egregious.

Because CNN elected to make use of a human tragedy in order to push a political narrative ahead of advancing truth, science, morality, and the arts, CNN is guilty of severely abusing the public trust.

Going Forward

Given the evil forced upon on the 14^th, Valentine’s Day, now is a time for reflection, not emotion.

The matters of liberty, protection, property, self-responsibility, the role of government, and the failings of human nature have a direct bearing and influence on the American way of life. Therefore, this is the time for us, as a People, to demonstrate our capability to establish good governance from reflection and choice, not impose sufferable government according to emotion, accident, or the use of power or force.

The matters of humanity also have a direct bearing and influence on the American way of life. – It is an unavoidable truth that every picture, of every fallen loved one, reflects a human story; and every story reflects a human conscience; and every conscience reflects a human essence; and, every essence reflects a human existence.

Now is a time of mourning for those deeply broken. All affected, regardless of the depth, should approach this time with respect, with honor, with calmness, and with empathy. We should seek to understand that, on 14 Feb 2018, Americans did what they did, suffered as they suffered, and died as they died. And in doing so, preserve the dignity of those loved and lost.

Your View

Your thoughts and perspectives are important. I invite you to tell me what you believe with the comment section.

© 2018 – SamFrescoeProject.Blogspot.com – All Rights Reserved

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[i] CNN-Politics. “Transcript: Stoneman students’ questions to lawmackers and the NRA at the CNN town hall”. 22 Feb 2018. https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/22/politics/cnn-town-hall-full-video-transcript/index.html (accessed 180224)

[ii] Paraphrased from the First Continental Congress in 1774; Discussion of the role of the Press

[iii] John Patrick Diggins, “John Adams”, Times Books, 2003, ISBN: 0-8050-6937-3

[iv] A.J. Katz. “January 2018 Ratings: CNN Has Third Best January In Network History, But Finishes No. 3 in Prime Time”. TV Newser. 30 jan 2018. http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/january-2018-ratings-cnn-has-third-best-january-in-network-history-but-finishes-no-3-in-prime-time/356291 (accessed 180224)

[v] Joe Otterson. “CNN Gun Control Town Hall Draws 2.9 Million Viewers”. Variety. 22 Feb 2018. http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/cnn-gun-control-town-hall-ratings-1202707792/ (accessed 180224)

[vi] Lisa de Moraes. “CNN Gun Violence Town Hall Trounces Competition In Early Ratings”. Deadline Hollywood. http://deadline.com/2018/02/cnn-gun-violence-town-hall-beats-fox-news-msnbc-tv-ratings-1202299778/ (accessed 180224)