Miles to Go: CNN Fires Technology Unit, Keeps Ridiculous Technology

You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who's been screwed as thoroughly and with as much sheer audacity by CNN over the past few years as Miles O'Brien.

Yesterday it was announced that after 16 years with the network, Miles is being given the chance to "pursue other opportunities" along with six producers in a move that effectively dissolves CNN's Science and Technology unit.

For Miles, it marks a somewhat anemic end to an impressive tenure at CNN -- sort of like putting down a former champion horse that you yourself are responsible for running into the ground. Miles was once the proud owner of a very nice, largely secure gig as the co-anchor of a daytime show based out of Atlanta alongside Kyra Phillips. But that was before mercurial CNN President Jon Klein decided to inexplicably pull the affable Bill Hemmer off the anchor desk on American Morning and "experiment" with the team of O'Brien (Miles) and O'Brien (Soledad).

The experiment, apparently, wasn't a success. Less than two years later, Klein had another one of his arbitrary "Eureka!" moments, spun the Wheel-of-Anchors and replaced both Miles and Soledad with the current team of John Roberts and Kiran Chetry.

Miles returned not to the anchor desk in Atlanta, but to reporting duties and the occasional fill-in host slot. (He anchored The Situation Room as recently as last Wednesday, during the Mumbai terrorist attacks.)

In other words, Jon Klein offered Miles O'Brien a major promotion -- the chance to helm a flagship show in New York -- if he'd leave behind his stable situation in Atlanta; he uprooted Miles and disrupted the lives of his family only to then turn around 22 months later and say that it just wasn't working out.

That's not "strictly business" -- the nature of the beast.

That's sociopathic.

It's an unwillingness to accept or a complete disregard for the fact that you're capriciously toying with people's lives.

What makes these lay-offs particularly conspicuous, though -- maybe even reprehensible -- is that they come less than two weeks after an article in the New York Observer detailing CNN's lavish spending during its election coverage: the celeb-studded parties, the new show launches, the pricey A-list pundits and, of course, that stupid pretend "hologram." In the piece, Jon Klein boasted to writer Felix Gillette:

"We can afford more people on our air and off our air. So, goddamn it, we're going to have more people."

Except that, obviously, they can't -- and they're not.

Which makes him entirely full of crap.

Although it's almost superhumanly ironic that Klein is willing to pay for the silly technology but not for the technology unit, it shouldn't really surprise anyone at this point. He's proven time and time again where his priorities lie -- and they're nowhere near the maintenance of true journalistic excellence. It would be amusing if it weren't so sad that Klein's pride in the ability to create a phony, "holographic" image of a human being now serves as a kind of metaphor for his entire way of thinking. He's become the George Lucas of the TV news universe: tinkering like a mad scientist to create a soulless, graphically enhanced feast for the eyes -- minus the actual people required to breathe life into it -- just because he can.

I'm not worried about Miles O'Brien; he's smart and talented and he'll likely find new work quickly -- even in this economy. After all he's been through over the past few years, he may even see this as a godsend.

What concerns me is the future of the rest of the excellent and now unemployed tech staff -- people like Peter Dykstra, who's been with CNN pretty much since the dawn of time. Or Alex Walker, who typically does most of the work while receiving none of the glory.

These are the ones who will really suffer.

Well, they, and you -- the audience.

But hey, at least you'll still have the pretty holograms.

Comments

[Swampfish]

Let's see our country is about to introduce new green technology in the coming yrs & CNN has decided to let go of it's most impressive science & tech on air personality.Well what's new.up is down & down is up folks.

[Moncar]

CNN is the disappointment that keeps giving. Yes, they can still photograph a breaking tragedy but those are events as opposed to news.
As they're cutting the technology unit how about dumping some other bad habits beginning with music cues, especially the rum-tum-tumming of all those drums. Music cues don't belong in a newscast; a parade yes, the news no. Then, turn down the readers' glittering personalities. The smiling and giggling, often out of synch with the situation are better suited to used car nsalesmen. And, while CNN is at it, how about some criteria beyond prominent cheek bones for selecting the lady reporters. Candy Crowly, whose cheekbones, God bless her, were last seen during the Reagan Administration, is testimony to knowledge and talent.
And, then there's the teasing. Bunny (No Wolf he) Blitzer is the Gypsy Rose Lee of newscasters. Often the teasing begins at the top of "The Situation Room," while the story is finally dragged out at it's end.
The critique goes on and on, just like the dreariness and mediocrity.

[DanOregon]

Miles O'Brien is a great reporter, he managed to make highly technical material understandable for a mass audience. I don't know who at CNN can pick up the science and technology slack - it's not like the network has an expert in the field on staff.

[Frenbar]

CNN values one thing above all else, conventional wisdom. For a long time, conventional wisdom has been the holy grain of US MSM reporting.

Unfortunately, conventional wisdom is almost all bullshit, and people (as slow as they are) are starting to figure that out.

[Sandy972]

The only reason to really watch CNN anymore is Jack Cafferty and Christine Amanpour. Larry King throws in a good one now and then, especially if Joy Behar takes over for him and Wolf is ok but so wooden. This is why I switched to MSNBC, at least their guys are funny and different.

[WilliePilgrim]

As annoying as O'Brien can be from time to time (the gee whiz wide eyed fascination factor y'know) he is just about the only recognizable and somehwat intelligible news presenter in sci/tech. Somewhere down the line, CNN and the other outlets' retarded notion that the viewing consumer wants more glitter and less gold will become a tired and unprofitable strategy. Some other production company will find themselves with a highly recognized and competent presenter.
What's most relevant is that this is just further evidence that what passes as news or journalism really has a primary function of making a buck..the "informing the public in return for the access" and other benefits which we lavish on our major news sources in a presumed beneficial relationship, isn't all that beneficial if having a genuinely informed population is the supposed end result.

[Scarabus]

Haven't I heard this story somewhere before? The people in the executive suite make really foolish mistakes in both strategy and tactics, and then the ones who lose their jobs are those actually doing the work?

[balance]

Compared to Dobbs or Nancy Grace, or some other personalities at CNN, Miles O'Brien and Aaron Brown seem to be earnest & level-headed, thinking analysts, who don't appear to be pushing some sort of agenda down the throats of viewers.

[voxmeow]

And Rich Sanchez stays?

What a world, what a world...

[selene26]

Great post. Many who work in television news are, in fact, sociopaths who destroy creativity and journalistic excellence. I've worked in TV and newspapers, and while there are plenty of sociopaths in print as well (and to be honest, to be a good reporter, you've got to have some edge, although plenty of us manage that while still remaining human beings), TV sociopaths are of a different breed. Often those behind the camera are worse than those in front of it. CNN, with its idiotic hologram and its over-flashy graphics, has lost virtually all its credibility.

[shaytoonee]

u know im sure he is a great guy, but i watched him during the attacks and he was boring. so is wolf at times but not as much.

[brooksmf224]

I am SO glad to see that Miles O'Brien will finally be gone from CNN! He has the wierdest cadence to his voice. When he and Soledad were hosting the morning show, she picked it up and together they both just sounded awful!
Last week, when he filled in for the Situation Room, I thought I would die listening to his voice! UGH!
Glad to see him go.
I wish they would bring back Aaron Brown! Love me some Jack Cafferty!
Really used to love that morning spot with Soledad and Jack!
Anyway-just my humble opinion

[tbirdalum]

CNN became a thing of the past for me when they broke up the team of Bill Hemmer, Soledad, & Jack Cafferty. That was my team. So now I watch MSNBC and look back sometimes to watch Jack Cafferty when he's on with Wolf Blitzer.

[uranus65]

I'm glad to see this article. I thought myself to be pretty pathetic for having the time or interest to e-mail CNN about this, which I did. I have always thought that Miles O'Brien had an amiable personality and was a good reporter. I think that he wasn't a good mix with Soledad. I feel she is somewhat self-important and didn't like Miles. His chemistry with Kyra Phillips was great. He showed his love of space stuff and she liked to show her lack of interest in a comical way. It would be nice to see his take on her love of all things military. Unfortunately, I will probably just keep watching CNN because I know where it is in my 300 channels of mostly home shopping.

[lewes17266]

Thank you for this. Sociopathic and reprehensible is what CNN is. CNN continues to give Pat Robertson and CBN the welcome mat and a microphone and the attention that sleazy fraud so craves. It dumbfounds me.

CNN is reprehensible. I have known this for a long time based on my own personal experiences with the so-called news network.

Thank you so much.