CNN Dives Head First into Television Payola

In the wake of the Richard Wolffe brouhaha, some may still insist that its rare for television networks to promote corporate spokespeople as disinterested, nonpartisan "political analysts." If you are one of those people, check this out -- it gives you a good sense that this happens all the time:

Longtime CNN political analyst Bill Schneider has joined Third Way, a think tank that bills itself as advancing "the next generation of moderate policy ideas." Schneider, who will continue his on-air political analysis at CNN, will be the organization's first Distinguished Senior Fellow & Resident Scholar.

You may recall that "Third Way" is one of the most notorious corporate front groups in Washington, most recently working to destroy health care reform:

Third Way was launched in early 2005 to produce policy papers and messaging tactics for congressional Democrats, with a focus on Blue Dog senators. It was then, as it is now, drenched in corporate money and tangled in ties to big business. These ties stretch from the board of trustees, thick with hedge-funders and investment bankers, to its lone senior fellow for health policy, David Kendall, a former Blue Cross Blue Shield consultant.

So here we have yet another example of what we might call Television Payola - a television network promoting a spokesperson for a corporate front group as a disinterested, nonpartisan "political analyst." The fact that this happened just a few days after the Wolffe controversy -- and with almost no interest/notice/concern/fanfare -- once again suggests that this kind of corruption is so pervasive that it's not even moderately newsworthy.

Evidently, in our overtly corrupt media/political culture, its simply way too much for network news executives to require any kind of independence whatsoever. In the age of Television Payola, regular "news" contributors never have to choose between television time and corporate shilling -- the shills get the best of both worlds while the audience loses.

Comments

[alicetilden]

This story is really boring me. Keith's his own man in everything that matters. If he let up on Billo for a few days, I didn't even notice. He seems to be right back after him again. How many articles do we need on this?

[JustMyWords]

Keith? Whatchoo talkin about, Willis?

[chariotdrvr14]

I wrote this yesterday in response to a Rawstory article about CNN refusing ads critical of the health insurance industry..­.seems appropriate here.

CNN, where’ve you been,
masterscam is the plan
an here you are
licking your master’s hand,
Your newsface is a dis-grace,
A coverup, buttercup
til all the viewers think they know enough
keepin it light,ain’t keeping it real
you know the deal that you sealed an’ swore not to reveal
Silly us, we want it peeled and doled out
So volumes of reels are rolled out
and all the hidden words say you sold out
CNN is giving nothing up
fantasy of news and balance
with hidden views and lacking talents
run now, CNN
your master calls
so do your prat falls, and somersaults
If you have to offer it up… then give it all

Or get out of the business.

David 'Shadow' Velasquez.­.. yes, I even take credit for bad poetry.

[DenisElliott]

Say it ain't so Bill!

This is sad beyond belief. Bill Schneider always had numbers to back up thoughful and balanced analyses, yet his reporting was continually "stepped on" by various "talent" the execs felt were more photogenic. I guess getting increasingly dumped on by CNN over the years took it's toll, and Schneider finally lost his soul and "took the money."

It's like replacing the stake through the heart of journalism with a telephone pole!

[lynnewrites]

Funny how in the interest of "full disclosure" CNN has taken to putting guests' affiliations and connections on the left of the screen but they just don't seem to do it for their so-called reporters. I like HockeyMom's idea of corporate patches extended to all media as well --If you have taken more than one free lunch from a corp., you must were their patch.
SAD that none of their agendas are ever what is true and right and healthy for all Americans.­....WAAAAA

[hastynote]

I still can't believe the hours CNN is giving to the "town hall protests" without ever acknowledging the corporate sponsorship. The most said is just asking the question about their legitimacy without giving a very simple answer,"YES!" CNN has refused advertisement business which would clarify the situation. What's up with that??

[DragonflyChase]

it's a slippery slope, they can't utter the word "birthers" cuz of Lou, so they may as well have tape over their mouths. Miming the news. Film at eleven, but we can't give you any details.

[ThePeacemakers]

And this is why we need the internet AND subscription service on the internet.

You've got to value the news enough to pay for it. So organizations can hire full time reporters that investigate and travel. You need news organizations not dependent on corporate ad dollars.

[justfacefacts]

Neutrality is not even a faint virtue in the newsroom anymore while ratings and entertainment are. The sickening parade of self appointed spokespeople twisting facts to serve their own agenda is more evidence of a profession that crashed and burned long ago. They are not the least bit humiliated by it either a [rofession full of dummies, bullies and arrogant smart alecks.

Walter Cronkites vision of doom. At least the local newscast is just people reading what happened with no commentary. Do us a favor, don't smirk, be snide, withhold the facts, or bring us the argument you think we need to hear as you see it. Don't even attempt to think for us. You are out of your league.

[LewisWalsh]

The US version of freedom of the press amounts to license of the press. No enterprise can avoid corruption if it is accountable only to itself. The courts and the legislatures have given the media great latitude that borders on immunity for anything and everything they do. The media can mislead and be as corrupt as it wishes without serious repercussion. There must be laws about conflicts of interest and the courts must allow standing for citizens to bring legal actions.

[laocoon]

when the press was referenced in the constitution it was actual printing presses. relatively inexpensive and each one independent. now the press is really media which is over airwaves licensed by the government and prone to being concentrated in a few hands. in circumstances where the press is primarily through a medium which requires regulation we need to redefine what its freedom should be. it is not free of government now by its very nature. we need some form of fairness in terms of licensing and giving time to various and divergent voices.

[live by the golden rule]

Schneider's so-called analysis has always seemed biased and uninformative to me. I pretty much tune him out [and CNN off] when they turn to him.

[henryberry]

My default position for paying attention at all to so-called "news" is not to be looking for information, but rather to see what's floating by at any moment or within any period of time. I believe just about everyone the journalists and news organizations go to has an agenda--not that they are the proverbial honest brokers. One of the primary ways news organizations have been able to reduce costs is to let people come to them rather than have to go out to people. Thus it is "spokespersons" at government agencies, corporations, even educational institutions and charities, etc., who take up the overwhelming proportion of the media space. They're getting paid to go to the media, and the media has an always open door for them. In Connecticut for example (where I live), I regard the most visible media as barely anything different from a chamber of commerce for government and business. Even the blogs are for the most part tepid and conformist. And along with this, most media is so nervous about getting sued--thus putting them into any even shakier financial situation--that they stick with the safe "official spokespersons" rather than seek out persons with personal experiences or damaging material on government or corporations.

[DragonflyChase]

REMOVE THE CORPORATIONS FROM THE MEDIA NOW!

[laocoon]

unlike papers the medium of our times is the airwaves. you can only have so many voices on the air at a time and/or the capital costs are prohibitive to all but the relatively wealthy. this medium favors concentration of the press into a few hands and the way licenses are granted it favors profit over public concerns. this is a form of the press where the government decides who can distribute the "news". that problem is inherent in the medium. that is why some form of a fairness doctrine is needed. it has become like a Python restaurant where you have a few choices --all of them variations of spam.

[lynettema]

This is why we need the Internet. You have to wade through a bunch of stuff, but you can usually get to the bottom of an issue.

[Northreader]

Yesterday I watched Bill Schneider on CNN's Situation Room helping them cover the health reform story with some simplistic polls. The percentages were flying all over the screen but we were never told the size of the poll samples. Usually when I manage to check it turns out to be a little over 1,000 people. I was also not sure if CNN had been able to check which "grassroots" protests were legitimate or whether anyone there had read the Huffington Post piece on the mainstream media being sucked in by professional lobbyists. I'm just a Canadian who gets CNN and HLN but I keep noticing deficiencies. I saw Republican Lynn Cheney on Larry King Live make empty and untrue claims about Canada's health care system. But Larry just listened before hurrying off to his Michael Jackson segment.

[Bloggerrogr]

Dear Dave;
So CNN is as dirty as the rest of the other so-called MSM? Tell me, when did you get your first clue.

/snark off

[AnotherMcIntosh]

"Television Payola"

Succinct.

And so true.


David, I hope that you repeat this phrase when you write more articles about this type of fraud.

It's worth repeating.

At any rate, I'm going to claim "fair use."