SLIPPAGE AT CNN - AT 8:55 A.M. ET:

NEW YORK (AP) — CNN is poised to finish March third in the prime-time weeknight ratings behind Fox News Channel and MSNBC, the first time this has ever happened for the channel that pioneered the cable news genre nearly three decades ago.

CNN says its overall business is healthy and it is not straying from its straight news path. But it is suffering more audience erosion than its rivals since the peak days of the presidential election, further proof that the opinionated prime-time shows on Fox and MSNBC have greater audience loyalty.

COMMENT:  I think these things can be over-intellectualized, but a "straight" news network has a disadvantage that many working for it may not wish to admit - that the credibility of "news" reporting has suffered greatly in recent years.  Many people, especially conservatives, don't accept the truth of what they're given.  At least opinion shows are opinion shows, and don't have pretenses.

At the same time, journalists at other networks would do well to study some of the things done at Fox.  Like a good local newspaper, Fox often picks out stories that have a direct appeal to its viewers, and can directly affect their lives or their values.  Like him or not, Bill O'Reilly is a master at understanding what people care about, and where their moral core is.  I'm not so sure CNN addresses these things with any precision.

March 28, 2009