Since
Jeff Zucker took over as President of CNN Worldwide in January 2013, much has been made of the network’s downsizing of its international investigative reporting units. In light of this criticism, Zucker has received scrutiny by veritable reporters who are worried about the network’s true aim. Does Zucker envision CNN as a beacon for international news reportage or is he merely in a bidding war with other networks to win cable news ratings? “Everyone said we were getting out of news — we doubled-down on news,” he told The Wrap in February. Zucker also discussed the need for a blend of objective news with original series at the network, a phenomenon many freelance international journalists have routinely mocked – so much so that they feel the integrity of the business has been compromised.
“I think we’ve reconfirmed that CNN stands for news, and our commitment to covering news on a global scale is clear,” underscored Zucker. “And there’s been a tremendous amount of news — especially international news — and we’ve committed to covering that … Covering news coupled with the original series strategy has given us a very firm footing. I think what people didn’t understand about the plane [missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370] is that was the strategy. We’ve born that out whether it was Ukraine, or Ferguson, or the Paris terror attacks; whatever the story was, we have the resources to go all in on that story. We’re covering every story in the world — we’re just not necessarily putting every one of them on television. Our digital strength continues to be tremendous. That is what I think people haven’t fully appreciated, and that is a fundamental strategic shift. I do think the strategy of honing in on whatever the two or three major stories of that time are has really worked and obviously something we’re going to continue to do,” Zucker added.
It remains to be seen, however, whether CNN will remain the flagship as an international news network, so I write this column with both trepidation but also with a glimmer of hope Zucker will be committed to the network’s modus operandi, which had long been unvarnished international news reportage.
Alas,
I have my doubts.
Dear
Mr. Zucker:
I ask you with the utmost respect to discern the difference between the ethics of journalism and the vagaries of entertainment. Yes we live in an age of info-tainment where both the entertainment and news worlds collide, blurring and almost interchangeable. But, Mr. Zucker, please don’t be Frank Hackett.
Who is Frank Hackett?
Robert Duvall played him in the film Network almost 40 years ago. His portrayal depicted a cutthroat executive for a news network that thought of one thing: ratings. That kind of dangerous thinking enabled the young and sexy, though remarkably immature and sensationalistic Diana to exploit others – including a suicidal old anchor – in replace of hard news. There are sadly real-life “Dianas” in the news field, – and seemingly multiplying day-by-day. I fear CNN will go down this path. At this rate, it seems as though you are revamping your lineup like you would for the NBC Fall sitcom lineup. (After all, you had been in charge of programming at the “Today” show).
Journalism need not be about ratings; it is about integrity and a personal hunger to get to the truth. Believe you me; many of your reporters get that very point. “Sheer reportage” is how Sidney Lumet bluntly described his farcical and haunting film. These days, Network is merely the world we live
in, for all its stretched-out madness.
Mr. Zucker: I implore you to make a choice: either you pick a career in entertainment, or pick hard news. We have journalists all over the world, risking their lives, taking pay cuts, and seeing their news packages and pay severely cut, since they merely want to show just a glimpse of their stories. Executives are not journalists. Journalists are the ones who routinely risk their lives. They hope to make a decent wage in what they love and need to do, but please know that is not their incentive. They love their work because of the attraction – and need – to have the inner fortitude to bring closer the various facets of our wide universe. There is always something new behind the door, they believe, and we should be grateful.
Mr. Zucker: don’t do it for the buck, do it for the desire. Lara Logan, Richard Engel, Christiane Amanpour have proven time and time again that they may love their job for its thrills – even chills – but they do not do it to entertain. Think of Marie Colvin, Anthony Shadid, Tim Hetherington, David Bloom, Anna Politkovskaya and others who have died – or have been killed – while doing their brave work. Their shining examples have exposed the dangerous vagaries of corruption and the excesses of tyrannical regimes throughout the world.
These journalists share an intrepid search to get to the truth; their motivations are not generated by ratings.
Mr. Zucker: You literally have the world in your hands; it’s a great privilege. Don’t spend your money cutting an investigative reporting unit, so that a fancy hologram image can stand in its place. Please help pay for your reporter’s costs in Sierra Leone, Chechnya or elsewhere. Integrity cannot be bought.
Mr. Zucker: do not squander your prestige of presiding over CNN and turning it into a palatable “Today” show where we feel all cuddly, warm and wait for the weather report. There are young 22- to 82-year-old journalists craving these jobs; they will help you because they will keep searching for the truth, and continue to be bound by a commitment to limitless curiosity. They would even do what they do without pay. If money and ratings are your incentive, then just be an executive producer of “The Survivor” or “The Voice. ” Please don’t use international news as camouflage.
There are ideologues that pose as journalists. Please discern the difference. The poser will not travel outside his boundaries, or learn a new language, nor explore the deep recesses of the human condition. Homelessness, poverty, famine and war are realities in our world and remain pervasive, and must be spotlighted so that we may have a better world.
In The Wrap interview, Zucker had been asked about what is CNN’s true identity within a 21st century new media prism: “News,” he bluntly responded.
“I believe we have reestablished the brand identity that this is the place for news. When the Paris terror attacks happen, when war breaks out in Ukraine, when unrest happens in Ferguson, people know that CNN is the place to come. News is our brand, and I think we’re doing more news in the morning, we’re doing more news all day, we’re doing news,” he added.
I hope Mr. Zucker remembers The News brand, and not the one intrepid international reporters fear may take its place.