I like some of their original documentaries. They're usually well produced and highly informative. Unfortunately the other aspects of their operation are highly lacking. Their news operation has fallen prey to the same mentality that dominates other channels; a focus on flashy graphics and peripheral coverage of news. They seem to cover celebrity items with some depth, but the same can't be said for substantive items that actually require some research and thought to produce.

More broadly, the problem with modern news coverage is this focus on "balance and objectivity" that I would argue has corrupted news coverage. Look at Fox News, a news outfit whose editors are blatant right wingers, yet their motto is "fair and balanced". The slogan of course implies that there is a "liberal" bent to the mass media, and Fox is seeking to "balance" it by taking a right wing stand.

"Balance and objectivity" creates an idea where both sides are balanced, but in certain ways it actually mirrors the two-party system, the notion that if you are going to have a Democrat speak you need to have a Republican speak as well. This creates the phantom of objectivity; it tries to establish the notion that the universe of discourse is limited to two positions. Issues become black and white; events are no longer seen as complex with a multitude of factors going into play.

This is the real problem with news coverage today. CNN is one of the main exponents of this problem, but it applies to all the major news outlets. Indeed, I find it highly ironic (and Orwellian) that a focus on "balance" would yield news coverage that is biased and discounts alternative opinions. Journalists need to follow the truth wherever it may lead, but the ideological constraints forced upon them by this notion of "balance and objectivity" hinders the scope of news coverage. So instead of tackling the tough subjects, they focus on milquetoast items like celebrity happenings. Political coverage takes on the flavor of a horse race: who's up versus who's down rather than debating ideas substantively.

The nation needs a diverse, active and HONEST press that pulls no punches and speaks truth to power when needed. Instead what we have is a media establishment that is all style but no substance, that tries to hide unpleasant truths under the veneer of insincere smiles and irrelevance.

(My regrets to all of the Canadians who can't seem to link to Hulu.com, because this is one of Jon Stewart's great assassinations. If his own site posts this clip, I'll swap it out.)

"They are goat fuckers, Jon"

Hilarious, yet serious. Jon shoots ducks in a barrel...

Up Date: As promised, a non-Hulu.com based link to this entertaining segment:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cCNN Leaves It Therewww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show
Full EpisodesPolitical HumorRon Paul Interview

Not too liberal, not too conservative ... just about right. However, there are times when the news reporting/commentary swings totally one way or the other.

I definitely prefer this over MSNBC.

Not bad, generally competent news reporting. They have some real pains in the ass (Nancy Grace for example) but you can always ignore them.

Not bad, although they have a couple of real jackasses. Jack McCaffrey tarnishes the credibility of the network.

hardly watch.

Blah.

some new sometimes is ok.

DEPRESSING

nope

Too bias, feel the same way about Fox News. Report it then shut ur damn facehole!

Not exactly my favorite channel, but they report the news about as well as any TV channel, so they get three stars for utility.

I believe this news has a democrat/liberal bias. Not only am i a conservative but i believe the new's place needs to be neutrality. hence why i rated fox low as well

I enjoy watching world news for some strange reason.

CNN is a healthy mix of both conservative and moderate view points.

Only a tad bit better than the Fox News Channel, but still pretty bad.

  CNN not much use if you are not American.

For real and honest WORLD news see BBC World

  OK, so CNN is multiple infinite orders of magintude better than the FOX News Network, OK, agreed - but is THAT where we've set the bar now? Hip-hip-hooray! We're more accurate than the Republican red-white and bullshit version of Pravda!?* 

(*OK, I apologize. That's just unfair, I admit that haven't read enough Pravda to slur them by comparing them to FOX and Bill O'Lielly. In all honesty, I'm pretty sure that they're not anywhere NEAR that bad.)

The media are just as "liberal" as their GOP-owned corporate conglomerate ownership will ALLOW them to be. That's not very liberal, by the way!

The CIA's "Operation Mockingbird" [that wasn't it's real name] took over the nation's news and information sources way back in the 30s, 40s and 50s.

Besides, "liberal" means generous and free - don't listen to Lush Rimjob's warped and dishonest re-definition of the word, look it up here - if truthful news were to be the actual commodity in question, then you'd WANT it to be given in liberal, generous and full measure. However, the cable-satellite TV "news" networks were ALL 100% wrong, whether they painted over their errors with a liberal paintbrush of lies or with a conservative paint roller of freshly fabricated lies.

Keith Olbermann, Molly Ivins, Janene Garafalo and Phil Donahue were 100% right, everybody else was dead wrong.

Dig it! Sean Hannity knew FAR LESS  than Sean Penn about what awaited us in Iraq. George Clooney was more honest about the possibilities than George W. Bush, Rosie O'Donnell was a better predictor than Charlie Rose and the Dixie Chicks were proven (by revelations of reality) to know way more about Iraq than Dick Cheney. No wonder the repugnicant right-wing has come un-freakin'-glued!

  ..

We use the parental control feature on the cable box to prevent the Commode News Network from infiltrating our home. Has that Loud Obbs person been committed yet? All the theme music and swirling background colors and split screens, etc., etc. are very dis-orienting. And the constant claim of being "the most trusted name in news". If that were so, they wouldn't have to keep imploring their viewers to believe it.

SOMEONE has to provide fair and balanced news...it certainly ain't Fox News.

Great news. Lou Dobbs is the best. They know how to report. They are the best!

They are now bad and getting worse. Maybe it's Time Warner, but CNN doesn't have its professionalism and edge anymore. It used to be a dignified network, now it's comprised of a bunch of anchors that are very forgettable and bland. I have no idea where they've gone, they're certainly not at Fox! Anderson Cooper is not going to be the answer, sorry. Maybe CNN should focus on quality news, and not quick-fix gimmicks!

Not fresh at all in their opinions or reporting. Very one sided just like Fox. They have lost their edge from losing Bernie from their news department. Have not been the same since he left. No credibility.

Getting weaker and weaker. . .doesn't ask the tough questions. . .big part of the 'news as entertainment' problem. . .hey, give the customer what he or she wants, I guess.

showing its age and bias

Alternating with MSNBC, this channel is on most of the day as we go about normal life. Generally is background noise, but whenever critical news hits, they are on it like a flash.

Sexist and racist news network with too many female anchor people and no coverage of missing men and minority women, only white rich blond girls.

For a brief period of time, they almost seemed to be trying again. It's almost like watching the Dungeon News Network. Everything looks dark and uninviting. What I saw of their election night coverage in November was horrible, and their correspondents may as well have been wearing Kerry for President t-shirts. Once the king of the hill, they have slowly slide into the valley.

Still the best overall news network on cable. Most polished anchors and by far the best international coverage of issues/events. Probably self promotes itself too much.

LOLZ ITS TEH COMMUNIST NEWS NETWORK!!1

Still the best news channel on TV but to many talk shows.

Actually my favorite news is the international channel,since it isn't listed here,CNN gets my vote.MSNBC isn't too bad.I hate fox,but it looks like we have to put up with it for 4 more years of crap.

It's pretty clear to see that they're left wing and have Terrie McCauliffe write their headlines. But as if that's not bad enough, their just plain ol' boring! I enjoy watching the news (FNC, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, etc.) but the CNN anchors make me want to fall into a coma and never wake up!

I love CNN. It's great

I'm usually not a big fan of CNN - it's a bit too tabloid for my tastes. But I have to say that last night's coverage of the election was outstanding. The analysis was honest, sharp, and bi-partisan. Fittingly it was Carville that was the first to call Kerry's hopes slipping away, saying he's going to need to pull an inside straight. Even the guy with the bow tie on Crossfire seemed to be actually thinking before he opened his mouth, and had some good soundbytes somebody should be jailed in Florida if it takes until Thursday to count their votes and how a backbreaking blow to the Democratic Party may help them long term by forcing them to reassess their positions. But the star was Jeff Greenfield. Knowledgable, quick, he consistently raised the right questions (future of the party, significance of the popular vote, etc.). Carlos Watson was solid, Larry King was himself - asking questions, clarifying tricky points, and Wolf, the weakest of the bunch, wasn't too intrusive. It was compelling television. Oh yeah, one more point regarding Ohio. I kind of agree with PBeavr that they would have been justified in projecting it based on the numbers. Larry King said as much. But after the Florida fiasco of 2000, you can't fault them for being cautious. As far their labeling Ohio as too close to call as being partisan, I don't follow. How could that possibly have helped Kerry's failed campaigns when all the polls were closed?

More like the Crazy News Network, in the hip pocket of the Democratic Party.

Don't need to annouce themself as FAIR AND BALANCE like some news channel. CNN is the real fai one.

Many here are posting that CNN is truly a fair and balanced network, but most of America seems to disagree because Fox News has beaten CNN time and time again in the ratings. Why? Because CNN is simply just an outlet for left wing propaganda that gives terrorists even more of a reason to harass our country. But if you want to support CNN, go ahead, you and Osama Bin Laden can have a nice chat about all of their excellent programs.

Some OK shows, but in others they show a left-wing and sometimes anti-American bias.

Most bias news channel. Capital Gang - 2 liberals, 1 mostly liberal, i conservative (ALWAYS PICKED ON)

Not even worth the time. It's obvious they want the viewer to share their opinion. Not objective news.

Junk socialist news

*TRULY* balanced news. Crossfire rocks. Dobbs is the most (the only!) honest conservative on TV.

Inside Politics is OK, but the liberal bias throughout the network drives me nuts. Crossfire is the worst show on television. Nothing comes close. Carville and Begala dominate the show with their obnoxious grandstanding, with Tucker Carlson as a lackluster representative of the GOP and poor Bob Novak getting up there in age. Larry King asks questions any 3rd grader could ask.

I used to be a CNN junkie! 24/7 especially after 9/11. Within the last few months they have become more like Fox than Fox! I guess when the Saudi's own $1B in Time Warner/AOL stock (which owns CNN) Then plays millions of dollars in advertising for Kingdom Holdings which, you guessed it, is Saudi owned, they won't be telling you that the Bush and Saudi Cartels are working together to fill their pockets and control the world!

way too liberal in its slant, doesn't even try to balance the news

just wanted to give it a bad rating

Just look at the Nielsen ratings and you can tell where this garbage of a channel is goind. Down the toilet. Fox rules.

Firstly, to the people who think that anything to the left of Bill O'Reilly is liberal, I have news for you: it's called the center. And CNN pains itself to stay right down the middle. The thing that I can't stand about it is that it's no longer a 24-hour news channel. When I turn on the news at 3:00 am I do not want to see frigging reruns. Plus I'm still trying to figure out how an hour of Larry King in primetime (not to mention the countless reruns of his show) can be considered 'news.'

I was in a hotel recently and the only news station was CNN, I had almost forgotten how biased they are.