Hotline: CNN and Gallup breaking up, and it's not pretty.

[DeepModem Mom]

March 21, 2006
Gallup / CNN Break-up Gets Icky....

The news of the CNN/Gallup poll breakup became public today when an internal memo made its way on TVNewser.

According to the post, CEO Gallup Jim Clifton wrote to employees: "We have chosen not to renew our contract with CNN. We have had a great relationship with CNN, but it is not the right alignment for our future. .... CNN has far fewer viewers than it did in the past, and we feel that our brand was getting lost and diluted," Clifton continued. "...We have only about 200,000 viewers during our CNN segments."

Ouch.

Well, in response to news, CNN SVP Laurie Goldberg e-mailed a statement to the Hotline. Clifton's statements "are not only unprofessional but in every respect untrue." Clifton told CNN pres. Jim Walton "that the reason that Gallup wanted to end their partnership was that the CNN brand was so dominant that Gallup wasn't getting the attention for the polls that they wanted."

More Goldberg: "We want to make it clear that the decision to not renew our polling arrangement had to do with Gallup's desire to produce their own broadcasts and not about CNN viewership figures. In fact, Gallup had negotiated with us for four months in an effort to extend the partnership. While we appreciate that Gallup does not wish to have any broadcasting partner for the future, I must note that CEO Jim Clifton's excuse to his employees for ending the relationship has no basis in fact. It shows ignorance of not only our viewership figures but of the reach and value of the CNN brand."

Goldberg goes on to note that that CNN's viewership was "grossly misstated" and that CNN's monthly '05 average was 66.7M,
far and away the No. 1 source for cable news."...

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/03/gallup_cnn_brea_1.html

[wakeme2008]

1. Watch Bush's numbers go down

with the new polling company..

IMHO Gallup was looking for a major role at CNN so they could help Repugs in general.

[DURHAM D]

2. What will Bill Schneider do without the Gallup (RNC)

talking points (polls) to help him spin right wing crap - he will be totally lost.

I noticed that in the run up to the 2004 presidential elections the bugged-eyed talking head for Gallup kept saying "we" when he meant to say "republicans" and had to correct himself over and over again.

[Nikki Stone 1]

3. Very interesting

I'll be watching it...

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Isn't Gallup the one that sucks?

[DeepModem Mom]

6. A lot of folks here think so. nt

[baby_mouse]

7. I think so. NT

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. So where are they going? Faux already has their own polling... If the real

issue is ratings, I thought MSNBC was lower than CNN in that department...

[baby_mouse]

8. So which of them's lying? NT

[Geek_Girl]

9. this is really odd

Gallup called me and polled me about Bush a few days ago and sent me a packet. I haven't opened it yet. I guess I'm a little paranoid.

[napi21]

10. Why do they feel they have to have a network co-partner?

I know I hear PEW, and many other polls that do not!

I'll be watching to see just what the future polls show, and how far out of line they are with the others!