Outside Cable News

>Maybe its just me.. But, I think Rebecca Gomez’ comment concerning the Pope Mobile and a “missile” was just a tad bit out of line. So, what do you think?

Via Engadget HD
by Darren Murph
DISH Network adds CNN HD to national HD lineup

Hey you — yeah, you. The one complaining about DISH Network using its remaining bandwidth to roll out HD locals instead of serving up new national channels. Looks like someone up above was taking notice, as DISH Network has indeed gone live with CNN HD. Flip on the tele and see what you’ve been missing.

Lost Remote has a video interview with CNN’s Political Director Sam Feist.

I spoke with CNN Political Director Sam Feist about how CNN reporters juggle their TV and web assignments in a typical day…

Via Sun-Sentinel
By Tom Jicha
CBS, Couric in a tricky spot
>EXCERPT

Anderson Cooper seems to be a popular candidate. He’s young, he has a CBS presence via 60 Minutes, he brings a touch of celebrity with his news chops, and it doesn’t seem to matter anymore in TV news that he used to front Celebrity Mole and is a frequent fill-in host on the entertainment-oriented Live With Regis & Kelly.

The most ridiculous name thrown into the mix is Chris Matthews. The bombastic host of Hardball has become a cartoon character and has spent his life on the fringes of Democratic Party politics. The belief, justified or not, that CBS leans harder to the left than ABC and NBC is widely considered to be a part of the problem the network has in bringing viewers to its newscast.

This brings us to a name I haven’t seen mentioned elsewhere, someone with a youthful persona and a name revered at CBS — Chris Wallace.

Mike’s kid might be working for Fox News now but he isn’t considered as partisan as many of his colleagues. It’s not even clear that he is as conservative as John McCain, whose right-wing bonafides are being challenged by many Republicans.

Wallace’s FNC credentials could actually help CBS to erase the stigma of being in the tank for liberal politicians and issues.

There’s a question of whether Fox would let Wallace go — but you can bet that Roger Ailes, who runs the network, would love nothing better than to be able to brag that CBS had to turn to Fox News to fill a chair once occupied by Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite.

>Read the rest at Sun-Sentinel.

Via Politico
By Ben Smith
MSNBC won’t air ‘controversial’ gun ad

The cable network MSNBC has refused to air an advertisement from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the group created by New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg,on the grounds that the ad is too “controversial.”

The ad, below, features each of the three leading presidential candidates pledging to make it harder to buy guns at gun shows, and images of three mayors urging viewers to call Congress and ask that a bill closing the “gun-show loophole” be passed.

The ad is airing on CNN and Fox, and on affiliates around the country, a Bloomberg aide said.

But in an email obtained by Politico, an MSNBC account executive told the group the network wouldn’t air the ad.

“just heard back from legal about your script…unfortunately, we can not accept as it is a controversial issue ad,” said the email from the account executive.

New York’s criminal-justice coordinator, John Feinblatt, called MSNBC’s decision “amazing.’
(more…)

Via Times Online
CNN apologises to China over ‘thugs and goons’ comment by Jack Cafferty
By Alexi Mostrous

>Earlier:
American Chinese demand apology from CNN
CNN’s Jack Cafferty with an apology/clarification,
China demands CNN apology for “goons” comment

CNN was forced to apologise today after a news commentator called the Chinese as a “bunch of goons and thugs”.

Jack Cafferty made the comments on April 9 on CNN’s political programme, The Situation Room, in which he also described Chinese products as “junk”.

In a statement, CNN said: “It was not Mr. Cafferty’s nor CNN’s intent to cause offence to the Chinese people, and we would apologise to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way.

Cafferty was offering his “strongly held” opinion of the Chinese Government, not China’s people, the company said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry had yesterday demanded an apology, saying that Cafferty’s comments reflected his “ignorance and hostility toward China”.
(more…)