On Friday 20 June 2003 17:42, James A. Donald wrote:
Watching MSNBC, one would have thought that the US was in for a Stalingrad style battle for Baghdad, at a time when Fox accurately reported that resistance had collapsed.
Gulf War I made CNN a major player. The other news stations were hoping to ride Gulf War II, but it ended before they could turn a profit. No wonder they're pissed.
I was around and subscribing to CNN during Oil War I. CNN did not profit from advertising, but from reputation. Not because their news team was especially great, but because CBS, NBC, and ABC were running "Wheel of Fortune" and "Entertainment Tonight" precisely when many Americans wanted to see what was happening. Those who did not already have cable sought it out.
Oil War II was not much different in coverage, despite the silly "embedded reporters." The difference was that most households now have access to cable or satellite, and having CNN and Fox and MSNBC is no longer a big deal.
--Tim May
"To those who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty, my message is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists." --John Ashcroft, U.S. Attorney General
