# Idiots at CNN . . . as usual **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 10, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336 "2010-09-10T21:20:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/1 "2010-09-10T21:20:15Z")
CNN just aired what could have been a really interesting segment. It was about that gas explosion in San Bruno, California. Brooke Baldwin was interviewing a professional photographer who had taken some really riveting photos of the fire. Or that’s what we were told. So she’s interviewing the photographer, and they’re describing these great photos. But what do we see? Most of the time we see either her face or a map of California. The photos? We briefly saw a firefighter’s face and a burnt stop sign. Yes, a burnt stop sign. And they’re going on and on, describing all the other magnificent photos, while we’re watching her face or a map. This isn’t the first time this has happened. Usually it’s at their “magic wall,” where the wall is in perspective and all grayed out and illegible, while the rest of the set and the talking head are crystal-clear. Or they’re showing something where the important part is in the lower part of the screen . . . totally covered up by their graphics. Are these people just stupid, or do they not understand that their job is to give us information. And by “information,” I don’t mean Brooke Baldwin’s face, or a map of California. Anyway, her descriptions of the photos were very informative. Too bad we couldn’t see them. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/2 "2010-09-10T21:32:38Z")
They should have actually bought the rights to the photos before doing a story on them. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/3 "2010-09-10T21:37:09Z")
You know the old joke about complaining to the doctor about how it hurts whenever I do this? And the doc says, “then don’t do that”! It works for tv programs too. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/4 "2010-09-10T22:01:17Z")
Yesterday, on the MSNBC, otherwise lately known as the KBN (Koran Burning Network), they kept going on and on about how the media coverage was fanning the flames, and how FoxNews was milking this one. So I flipped over to Fox to see what the fuss was about. Turns out, Fox was the only cable news show not going on and on and on about (and I laugh every time I see this) “International Burn the Koran Day”. I usually keep MSNBC on in the background when I’m working at home, but I couldn’t take any more. Stop it with the Koran Burning crap!!! ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/5 "2010-09-10T22:08:35Z")
But…but…it’s important, damnit! I mean, will they be burning them or not? First it’s on, then it’s off, then it’s back on. We need to get more reporters down there to continually question the good Pastor, and find out what the latest scoop is on this burning subject. Inquiring minds want to…hell, NEED to…know! I think we need a 24/7 all Koran Burning channel! Will Obama’s call for prayer and reflection work? Will the appeal from Hollywood notables have an effect? What about Clinton’s heart felt appeal? And what about the Mosque at the 9/11 site?? It seems inextricably wound up in this crucial question…maybe a separate network for that as well, come to think of it… -XT ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/6 "2010-09-10T22:08:57Z")
Yes. I didn’t mean to single out CNN, as if the other networks were any better. They’re all idiots. But it takes a special kind of idiot to have your anchor sitting there describing photos, without showing them. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/7 "2010-09-10T22:24:27Z")
If they are the photos I think they are, you can find them [here](http://radioalice.radio.com/2010/09/10/photos-san-bruno-explosion-fire/#photo-1). ---
**Author:** ![Genericuser234](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5daacb/32.png) [@Genericuser234](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genericuser234)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/8 "2010-09-10T22:24:42Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > CNN just aired what could have been a really interesting segment. It was about that gas explosion in San Bruno, California. Brooke Baldwin was interviewing a professional photographer who had taken some really riveting photos of the fire. Or that’s what we were told. So she’s interviewing the photographer, and they’re describing these great photos. But what do we see? Most of the time we see either her face or a map of California. The photos? We briefly saw a firefighter’s face and a burnt stop sign. Yes, a burnt stop sign. And they’re going on and on, describing all the other magnificent photos, while we’re watching her face or a map. > > This isn’t the first time this has happened. Usually it’s at their “magic wall,” where the wall is in perspective and all grayed out and illegible, while the rest of the set and the talking head are crystal-clear. Or they’re showing something where the important part is in the lower part of the screen . . . totally covered up by their graphics. > > Are these people just stupid, or do they not understand that their job is to give us information. And by “information,” I don’t mean Brooke Baldwin’s face, or a map of California. Anyway, her descriptions of the photos were very informative. Too bad we couldn’t see them. Its not like you haven’t seen a damn forest fire photo before. They could have posted any stock photo and you would be oblivious to the fact. would you have been satsified then? ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/9 "2010-09-10T23:17:11Z")
> [@marochko](#): > > > [@panache45](#): > > > > CNN just aired what could have been a really interesting segment. It was about that gas explosion in San Bruno, California. Brooke Baldwin was interviewing a professional photographer who had taken some really riveting photos of the fire. Or that’s what we were told. So she’s interviewing the photographer, and they’re describing these great photos. But what do we see? Most of the time we see either her face or a map of California. The photos? We briefly saw a firefighter’s face and a burnt stop sign. Yes, a burnt stop sign. And they’re going on and on, describing all the other magnificent photos, while we’re watching her face or a map. > > > > This isn’t the first time this has happened. Usually it’s at their “magic wall,” where the wall is in perspective and all grayed out and illegible, while the rest of the set and the talking head are crystal-clear. Or they’re showing something where the important part is in the lower part of the screen . . . totally covered up by their graphics. > > > > Are these people just stupid, or do they not understand that their job is to give us information. And by “information,” I don’t mean Brooke Baldwin’s face, or a map of California. Anyway, her descriptions of the photos were very informative. Too bad we couldn’t see them. > > Its not like you haven’t seen a damn forest fire photo before. They could have posted any stock photo and you would be oblivious to the fact. would you have been satsified then? It’s not a forest fire. It’s a fire in a well-populated suburb. Only a few miles from San Francisco Airport, in fact. That’s why it’s such a big story. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/10 "2010-09-10T23:19:30Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Yes. I didn’t mean to single out CNN, as if the other networks were any better. They’re all idiots. But it takes a special kind of idiot to have your anchor sitting there describing photos, without showing them. This is why I don’t watch TV news. I can’t stand any of them. I get my news from the Internet and (yes) newspapers. That way, I can decide myself what stories to read and how much time to spend on them. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/11 "2010-09-10T23:27:15Z")
> [@marochko](#): > > Its not like you haven’t seen a damn forest fire photo before. They could have posted any stock photo and you would be oblivious to the fact. would you have been satsified then? This is more dead cars and chimmneys, like the photos after the terrible fires in Victoria a two(?) years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/12 "2010-09-10T23:53:14Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > First it’s on, then it’s off, then it’s back on. The discussion about moving the mosque is all about honor and offer, all night long. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/13 "2010-09-11T12:51:17Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > They should have actually bought the rights to the photos before doing a story on them. This sounds to me like it’s probably the reason that the CNN show was like it was. They could show one or two photos for free, via Fair Use, but would have had to have struck some sort of broadcasting deal with the photographer to show any more. There may not have been time to do so, or they simply didn’t think it that worthwhile. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiots-at-cnn-as-usual/553336/14 "2010-09-11T13:37:55Z")
Speaking of the gas fire, I was flipping by when Megan Kelly from Fox news was talking to someone and she was going on and on about the total lack of federal regulation of the gas industry and how there are only 70 inspectors in the whole country and how only 7% of the lines are inspected in a year leaving the industry to police themselves. And she seemed to think this was a bad thing. So I guess I’m in bizarro world.