The Volokh Conspiracy
[Orin Kerr, October 19, 2006 at 6:20pm] Trackbacks
CNN Top Stories:
I couldn't help but giggle at this list of the "top stories" at the top of CNN.com right now:
# CNNMoney: Dow closes on a high | Video Video
# CNN Exclusive: U.S. troops in snipers' line of fire Video
# 360° Blog: Why we aired sniper video; your reaction
# Priest admits fondling Foley | Video Video
# CNNMoney: Ex-NYSE chief ordered to repay millions
# McCartney vows vigorous divorce fight
# Stingray on boat stabs man in heart | Video Video
# Microsoft releases new Internet Explorer
# Funeral held for Anna Nicole Smith's son
# CNNU: Students learning to juggle school, politics
# Carmen Electra shows troupe how to lap dance Video
Congrats to CNN for managing to include Carmen Electra, Anna Nicole Smith, a celebrity divorce, fondling, violent videos, and animal attacks all on the same list. (Those CNNMoney stories sure seem kinda serious, though; are they really needed?)
trotsky (mail):
Violent videos -- wouldn't that qualify as war coverage? Sounds serious to me.
10.19.2006 6:33pm
RainerK:
There is an uproar over item #2 CNN exclusive at Blackfive CNN plays into hands of enemy

Found via Instapundit.
10.19.2006 6:45pm
Mike BUSL07 (mail) (www):
It's funny. You could find the same list at pravda.ru, and everyone would properly conclude that - well - pravda is tabloid BS. But CNN is "CNN," so I suppose it gets away with it.
10.19.2006 6:54pm
Steve:
Orin is, presumably inadvertently, channeling the Daily Kos.
10.19.2006 7:14pm
Caliban Darklock (www):
And Microsoft! Don't forget Microsoft!
10.19.2006 7:18pm
Pantapon Rose (mail):
Regardless of the politics of showing the killing of US forces, it says something pretty sad about our society that snuff videos are shown as mainstream news.
10.19.2006 7:25pm
Mike BUSL07 (mail) (www):
"Regardless of the politics of showing the killing of US forces, it says something pretty sad about our society that snuff videos are shown as mainstream news."

Equally pathetic is the explanation offered by Cooper on the 360 "blog." Dramatic war videos showing fatalities have been available widely for every conflict of my life -- but especially sp with the Balkan wars, Chechnya, African strife, and now, Iraq. The justifications presented by Cooper for showing that smut apply equally to all wars and all sides... So why does CNN show only videos from Iraq? And why only of our guys getting shot?

There is, I should mention, one distinction between, say, Balkan war videos, and insurgent sniper porn. It is only the latter that, if shown widely, plays into the hands of an enemy of the US.

Ugh... WTF
10.19.2006 7:32pm
Adam K:

So why does CNN show only videos from Iraq? And why only of our guys getting shot?


Isn't there something in the Geneva Conventions about broadcasting deaths of enemy combatants?
10.19.2006 7:58pm
rarango (mail):
Enough folks are already talking about the distasteful sniper video--I was also struck, as OK mentions, the general tenor of all 10 stories--no wonder the MSM is held is disrepute. Also further proof for me, that my decision to stop watching all news TV and rely on the internet was the correct decision.
10.19.2006 8:53pm
David M. Nieporent (www):
Isn't there something in the Geneva Conventions about broadcasting deaths of enemy combatants?
I don't know if that's a serious question, but no.

The GCs ban, essentially, exposing POWs -- that is people who have been captured -- to public ridicule. And they only apply to governments, not to private media.

Incidentally, Orin is off in his summary. This isn't even a story about Anna Nicole Smith; it's about ANS's son. That makes it even more frivolous.
10.19.2006 9:34pm
Tom Tildrum:
Frankly, the scariest news on that list is that stingrays appear to have discovered our weak spot and are developing new strategies for exploiting it. Don't answer the door without checking the peephole first.
10.19.2006 10:25pm
Kovarsky (mail):
did you hear that mccartney's wife is alleging that he refused to let her buy a bedpan to ease the burden of going to the bathroom with a prosthetic leg?
10.19.2006 10:38pm
Lev:
Was Carmen Electra nekkid, and is there video?
10.20.2006 12:09am
Lev:
Was there a story about this?

- Cosmic rays and Earth's climate
10.20.2006 12:11am
BubbleMan (mail):
Anybody else renew their IP address until they get a day free at the Economist? MC
10.20.2006 12:38am
BubbleMan (mail):
Ahem, MC
10.20.2006 12:39am
Brian Garst (www):
Fat chance, lev.
10.20.2006 1:24am
Kovarsky (mail):
seriously, what's wrong with CNN? they omitted madonna's adoption.
10.20.2006 1:36am
Realist Liberal:
Kovarsky~
CNN thought that it was a mistake. Madonna didn't adopt a baby, Angelina Jolie did and since that has happened so many times, no one cares anymore.
Instead they focused on how Microsoft has lost a huge portion of its market share for internet browsers. It must really hurt Microsoft to have ONLY 87% of the market (just ask Bill and Melinda).
10.20.2006 1:46am
Kovarsky (mail):
has anyone who has downloaded the new browser knowledgeable about whether it can double as a web operating system?
10.20.2006 3:35am
SP:
My favorite is Foley's priest, who basically said, "Aw come on, I was just funning around."
10.20.2006 7:32am
anonVCfan:
CNN's just inches away from being an online tabloid
10.20.2006 8:44am
Pete Freans (mail):
Carmen Electra shows troupe how to lap dance Video

Geriatric lap dancing was not how I envisioned my morning. On the other hand, I thought Ms. Electra did a fine job.
10.20.2006 8:51am
Lively:
Not CNN, but Drudge says he has a counter on each story on his website and he says the salacious stories are clicked on much more than the dry news.
10.20.2006 9:50am
Ron Mexico:
CNN is a business, and they're giving consumers what they want. I think this speaks significantly less about CNN and volumes about the type of "news" that a majority of our society is interested in.
10.20.2006 10:42am
bearmore:
Kovarsky - At least Sir Paul didn't make her come in through the bathroom window.
10.20.2006 11:56am
SP:
No, but I heard he liked to come in through her bathrom window.
10.20.2006 4:14pm
TLove (mail):
Ron Mexico - CNN's collapsing ratings would indicate that they haven't a clue what their missing audience wants.
10.20.2006 6:53pm
Owen Hutchins (mail):
You know, I normally think of the readers as fairly intelligent, but didn't it occur to any of you that CNN didn't create the ranking, the people that read them did?
10.20.2006 10:31pm
Vladimir:
Not to be the devil's advocate, but the list of top stories at FoxNews isn't that different from CNN's (some eight hours after this item was posted).

My favorite current headline on Fox: "Detroit Man Busted for Mannequin Fetish."
10.21.2006 3:20am

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