The student blog for Drake University first year seminar entitled Visual Politics

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

CNN's Cluster F*#$

When watching the coverage of the midterm elections in Meredith 106 I was struck by my inability to understand what CNN's political analysts where saying. I believe that there grouping of people at separate tables going back and fourth made it hard to pay attention to them. The scene was set where there were to many people trying to analyze the same thing. Even when CNN brings together bipartisan opinion it turns out to be a jumbled mess of people talking back and forth and not getting an actual giving me evidence to support what they are saying.

The CNN coverage on there website was much more streamlined then on there news broadcast. The website was found to be a very useful tool to watch when there talking go to be to much. They only really cared about the races that where key instead of carrying about those that I cared about. I was able on the website to cover all the races in Wisconsin which were key to me as I voted in them. I felt that in true fashion CNN didn't stress the importance of the senate race in Wisconsin and what it meant to replace a long serving senator. The news that was considered to be important was a results that where already forecasted and I felt that where of no interest to the outcome of the house and senate races.

The night overall was covered poorly by CNN's television analyst. I believe that the clean lines of the set and the colors where not enough to overcome the commentators trying to discuss what the election meant for the country. The election was a large win for the Republicans and I believe that the coverage of CNN and the way that they let analyst talk made the importance of the night less known. The tables divided with different people didn't allow for each analyst to give there opinion and that is what they where there for. I want to here what each side has to say especially because it was the opposite what the result was in 2008. The coverage was lacking and I believe that it would be better if they would treat each election the same. I liked using the website because I didn't have to here the analyst fight over the same thing, going from one table to the next. CNN allowed me to see the exit polls but from an entertainment stand point they failed miserably.

Carson Klug

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