I have new respect for CNN

[malaise]

in general and Anderson Cooper in particular.
The video clips with people telling relatives in the US that they are safe is a wonderful gesture.

Bravo CNN you continue to present the best coverage of disasters.

[muffin1]

1. I gained a lot more respect

for Anderson Cooper after Katrina.

[malaise]

2. Well that was the first time I even noticed him

He was excellent during Katrina and is doing a great job here.

[roguevalley]

29. he cares and truly does. he has a good heart, our anderson. his mama

raised him right.

[aquart]

3. Yep.

[hlthe2b]

8. He's a Vanderbilt--which makes his populist sincerity all the more

noteworthy...

(to whom much is given, much is expected....)

[malaise]

21. He has experienced a lot of pain in his life

including his brother's suicide.

Wealth is no guarantee of a pain-free life.
When you've suffered you tend to be more sympathetic of others.

[hlthe2b]

26. True... one need look no further than the legacy of the Kennedys

to prove the point...

[Tommy_Carcetti]

13. I've liked him ever since his days on the Channel One network.

Channel One is (or was, I don't know if it still exists) a news service simulcast to high school students that I remembered back when I was in high school. Anderson Cooper was a correspondent (I remember his broadcasts from Bosnia), as was Lisa Ling.

[lame54]

4. you may want to watch this...

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/ac360-keeping-them-honest-segment-haiti-wh (for video)

AC360 'Keeping Them Honest' Segment on Haiti Whitewashes a Lot of Haiti's History
By Heather Friday Jan 15, 2010 10:00am

I am happy that CNN and Anderson Cooper have decided to go down to Haiti to shine a spotlight on just how dire the circumstances there are with their coverage over the last few days. That said, this "Keeping Them Honest" segment left a lot to be desired. They failed to note some of the reasons for the extreme poverty there that Susie wrote about here at C&L--Let's Talk About Haiti's REAL Deal With The Devil: Exploitation By The Western World.. They failed to talk about how so much of the intervention in that country has been nothing but destructive as covered by Democracy Now. And no mention of the coup in 2004 that The Nation reported on--Coup in Haiti.

I'm no expert on Haiti but you don't have to be one to see how horrid the mainstream media has been with telling us what has caused this natural disaster to be even worse. While this segment hit at some of the real problems in that country, they really just whitewashed the underlying causes and the role The United States and other countries have had in making their misery as horrid as it is now...

[malaise]

6. Only Rachel Maddow has made the connection between the state of Haiti

and American foreign policy. The difference between us is that I never expected an honest political discussion from M$Greedia.

[hlthe2b]

10. There will be time for that in coming days...

I hope, though that once we move from the immediate catastrophe that that will be the focus... It will be unconscionable for that story not to be fully told.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. CNN has been incredible over the past few days, Cooper especially.

CNN has its failings as to general news and political punditry, but when it comes to major breaking news stories of global implication, they are still the gold standard. (Which when one of your competitors is Fox News doesn't say all that much, but still credit is due to them.)

[YOY]

7. It's about ratings for them.

I know you appreciate them doing this but it's all about ratings...and blood is money to them. None-the-less, that it is getting this much coverage is better than none at all.

Sorry for being so jaded but I trust them as far as I can throw them...which is more than I trust FIXED News.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

11. The alternative is to ignore it as a global catastrophe, which it is.

I'm glad at least one of the networks has realized what is an actual news story and what isn't, ratings be damned.

[YOY]

14. Yes, that is true and we should be glad for it.

But I fully expect them to eschew some future newsworthy story in the future in lieu of something like Tiger Woods and his cavalcade of blonde bombshell affairs.

[Turborama]

17. CNN International report on situations around the world all the time

Unlike Faux who broadcast exactly the same neo-con disinformation seen at home http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,184837,00.html">all over the world. Watching Anderson Cooper reporting in Haiti is not exceptional for CNNI viewers. It's a real shame that both CNN domestic and CNN International aren't broadcast in the US. Sure seems like someone wants to keep their viewers in the US in an information bubble.

Check out their programming to see what I mean: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNN_International#Current_Programs

Here's the video page on their site: http://edition.cnn.com/video/

Amanpour is broadcast every night, too: http://edition.cnn.com/CNNI/Programs/amanpour/

[YOY]

19. I've lived 6 years of my life abroad.

I am well aware that CNN International kicks CNN USA's ass.

[malaise]

24. True CNN International

is way better than CNN US

[sad sally]

25. And there's Michael Ware who's done an exceptional job in Iraq

[Parker CA]

9. They're doing an incredible job. AC really does well in these disaster reporting situations.

Right now they're showing footage and photos of the mass graves. AC describing the pile of bodies, the mass graves being filled and the utter chaos of the situation just outside the city.

[HipChick]

12. Are they airport journalists still at the airport?

I got peeved when one reporter said the hadn't seen any search and rescue teams out at all..and yet Anderson's reporting clearly showed the search and rescue teams out and about..

[Jennicut]

15. The person who has been great on CNN has been Ivan Watson. He speaks French and was translating what

some of the Haitians have been saying. He has been fantastic, IMO.

[CBR]

16. Yes he has. +1 nt

[Dappleganger]

20. He has been impressive

He's not shying away from being with the people, he's right in the thick of it.

[Parker CA]

22. He has been great. Covering some incredibly intense situations.

[malaise]

27. Some of the anchors are lousy though

There are no refugee camps in Haiti. These are Haitians in their own territory. Temporary housing not refugee camps. Take time CNN.

[malaise]

23. He has been terrific as well

Agreed

[flamingdem]

18. Whatever they can do to get support and donations is good

Later the word needs to get out about the US involvement and damage in Haiti, it's time.

[Ocracoker16]

28. I definitely have more respect for CNN now

I think that Anderson Cooper is doing an excellent job with the coverage.

[LatteLibertine]

30. Me too

I've always felt Anderson Cooper has a good heart and is a decent man.