Report in Time makes reference to possible CBS-CNN merger

[Newsjock]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1018066,00.html

Goodbye, Dan. Hello, Katie?
By SEAN GREGORY

Monday, Jan. 24, 2005

Four CBS news staff members lost their jobs last week in the wake of an independent-panel report that found serious flaws in the journalism that led to a 60 Minutes Wednesday story about President Bush's National Guard service. One person who keeps his job is Dan Rather--at least until his previously announced retirement as Evening News anchor takes place in March (he'll continue to report for 60 Minutes). The denouement of CBS's journalistic failure has cast a new light on the search for Rather's successor, making it more likely, in the view of some, that the network will seek an outsider for the job. The latest handicapping:

-- Anderson Cooper: The rising CNN star (who also works for 60 Minutes Wednesday) could be in the running, especially if the rumored CNN-CBS merger moves ahead.

[Clark2008]

1. Oh boy! More big corporate news!

:puke:

[ck4829]

2. And then the CNN-Fox Merger

The media will be one with the GOP

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. Don't tell me that CNN is buying CBS?

:puke:

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. How much did CNN badger CBS over the Bush memo thing?

Help rip them apart, lower their stock price, then buy them out?

Is this kosher with the FCC?

[Pam-Moby]

4. Oh wow, what next? n/t

[DireStrike]

5. Are we allowed to ignore all mainstream news yet?

No? Few more years? Ok, thanks. I'm going back to sleep.

[autorank]

6. 0 + 0 = 0 Wow, I can't wait. It will be even easier to ignor them.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. my my, and we are still fed the pap of a free press

into the buzzsaw indeed... for the whole US Corporate press

[KharmaTrain]

9. This Is An Old Rumor, Glowing Anew...

Remember, Capt. Courageous tried to buy out CBS in the 80's and CNN & CBS have had a close association for several years...sharing reporters (Armanpour on 60 Minutes) and giving CBS stars access on CNN...(primarily Larry King Dead). Since CBS was late in getting into the cable game, this was a belated attempt at catching up with NBC and ABC.

While I don't welcome more media consolidation, I don't see things getting worse for either by a merger. Viacom has looking for more cable acquisitions, and Time-Warner is still bleeding red from the AOL fiasco and CNNservatives recently poor performances. You know things aren't as rosy in Atlanta when I'm starting to see "call the 800 number P/I" commercials where I was seeing banks and car companies.

Actually I think CBS would overpower a CNN...it's still a larger operation and more established throughout the country (CNN could access local affiliates like NBC, ABC & Faux do)...rather than having to house their own staff and paying expensive studio and satellite rental fees they currently do. There are lots of other financial considerations here...many that favor CBS dominating CNN than the other way around. Maybe that's not a bad thing...I'd rather see John Roberts than Leslie Blitzer any day.