Politics
More PoliticsCNN's Haiti Triumph
by Harold Evans
Harold Evans, author of two histories of America, just published his memoir, My Paper Chase. Editor at large of The Week, he was editor of The Sunday Times from 1967-81 and The Times from 1981-82, founding editor of Condé Nast Traveler, and president of Random House Trade Group from 1990-97.
Reuters; AP Photo
With its Massachusetts election coverage and distinguished on-the-ground reporting in Haiti, the network has once again become the news leader. Sir Harold Evans on why straight reporting does, after all, beat spin.
The big win of the week isn’t just Scott Brown ousting Martha Coakley in Massachusetts, despite the appeal of two Democratic presidents. Score a double triumph for CNN. On the election and on Haiti, I’d say CNN has come into its own, once again justifying its slogan “The Worldwide Leader in News” and founder Ted Turner’s faith in his innovation.
I come from the antideluvian branch of journalism (print), but I'd still argue that even in the whizz-bang age of electronic journalism straight reporting beats spin every time. The cable news channels were so busy canceling each other out with talking heads putting either left or right slants on what might happen in the Massachusetts Senate race, they let CNN steal a march with precinct-by-precinct reporting of the actual results. That’s what we were waiting for.
Covering news live as it unfolds transformed television journalism, and Haiti has shown that CNN still leads, not simply by dispatching teams but by giving them airtime.
The networks, of course, were nowhere. They stayed with their prime-time specials. I guess NBC judged that it might set pulses racing more by parading the obese in The Biggest Loser (a useful slogan for the channel as a whole?).
• Cyril Wecht: Haiti’s Grisly Problem
• Who’s Giving the Most to Haiti?
• The Daily Beast’s full Haiti coverage The real drama night after night has been in joining with the CNN crews and the admirable search and medical teams in the nightmare rubble of Haiti and in the pestilential streets among the broken bodies. Whose heart could not miss a beat as we wait tensely with Anderson Cooper and his CNN cameraman in Haiti as the search dogs go into the ruins and the microphones are snaked through the cracks for any sound of human life? On Tuesday, we saw a 70-year-old woman pulled out alive after seven days buried—and when she was, Cooper didn’t hype it. We got another glimpse of the magnitude of the disaster when he told us that she was retrieved but not yet rescued, for there was no field hospital close for the surgery and rehydration to save her life.
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Harold Evans, author of two histories of America, just published his memoir, My Paper Chase. Editor at large of The Week, he was editor of The Sunday Times from 1967-81 and The Times from 1981-82, founding editor of Condé Nast Traveler, and president of Random House Trade Group from 1990-97.
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Harold Evans, author of two histories of America, just published his memoir, My Paper Chase. Editor at large of The Week, he was editor of The Sunday Times from 1967-81 and The Times from 1981-82, founding editor of Condé Nast Traveler, and president of Random House Trade Group from 1990-97.
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Harold Evans, author of two histories of America, just published his memoir, My Paper Chase. Editor at large of The Week, he was editor of The Sunday Times from 1967-81 and The Times from 1981-82, founding editor of Condé Nast Traveler, and president of Random House Trade Group from 1990-97.
Davida
I agree wholeheartedly. I am British living overseas and a news addict. In addtion, my brother is on one of the Search and Rescue teams in Haiti so I have been watching the news at every given opportunity ~ specifically Sky News, the BBC and CNN. CNN's reporting has been far superior.
Skyway
I agree with the comments about CNN especially Anderson Cooper. They reported what was and is happening but still managed to put it in human terms without resorting to spin. We have just about stopped watching MSNBC (except morning Joe) and Fox. We are tired of the extremes and just want the news. We can judge for ourselves what it means.
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jhub32
A) What does that have to do with anything? B) Before using a phrase like double entendre, you should really make sure you understand what it means. Your comment makes no sense on its own and, more particularly, no sense in relation to the comment you have replied to.
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doug-c
jhub32, good point. Anderson Cooper being gay has nothing to do with anything unless you are an ignorant homophobe. And no, your double entendre doesn't work unless your sense of humor is on par with a 7 year old.
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newswoman
I remember when Anderson Cooper was in New Orleans after Katrina hit and he was white with fury that no help was coming for the many people trapped on their roofs and on the highways. He reported what we all felt at the time and he did it again this past week in Haiti. Bravo to Cnn and Anderson Cooper.
Ceilidh
I love cable news and yes, CNN have done a great job, but I feel really uncomfortable having it referred to as a triumph. In such a horrific situation I don't think there should be winners and losers, especially when said winners get to go home on a plane somewhere safe afterwards. I'm grateful that there are people out there reporting on this and getting the message out to the world but please don't call it a triumph.
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Ihave2kids
Too bad you can make a judgement before you read an article. Why post a comment if you can't take the time to read the article. Time for a paradyme shift.
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Ihave2kids
hkjonus: You resort to name calling, now that's what I call mature. "Journalistic Porn?" Perhaps in your eyes only. Ah, you must have a passion for Fox...that's the underlying issue.
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Ihave2kids
hkjonus...you are one sorry individual...BTW, if you have children, I feel sorry for them...obviously you have never experienced total devastation in your life, nor have you helped in any kind of disaster...are you so bored that you feel compelled to write nasty comments on everyones comments. Your childlike behavior speaks for itself.
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This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
Johnnyappleseed
The CNN crew likes the expose' type reporting, you can only watch so many dead, near dead, and broken bodies, before you have to change channels to retain your emotions.
Some times we don't need to be exposed 24/7 to get it.
revcat
I think everyone watches to the extent that they are interested or as you implied can take it, it's not easy to watch and that's why we have choices. I don't see anything wrong with someone switching channels and if they want to watch America's Biggest Loser, well this is America and I don't cast judgement on them. But for me watching Anderson Cooper in the field has been riveting and I think he has been doing an excellent job, first class journalism in my opinion.
Ihave2kids
I thought this was a great article. For the last several months I have stopped watching both MSNBC and Fox. The actions we are seeing from many journalists in Haiti have nothing to do with spin or sensationalism...it has EVERYTHING to do with the human element., pure human element. Although these journalists were sent to Haiti to cover a story, they are humans first, then journalists. If they possess other talents, and those talents are needed, then perhaps they were in the right place at the right time. The compassion and need to save lives is what counts....The story comes second.
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This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
RickPerrysHair
wow, that's embarrassing. perhaps one shouldn't impugn the intellect of another when one has failed to master basic grammar.
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This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
ThinkAgain
I could be wrong but I don't think Coopers teeheehee gigggle giggle reference to the teabagger slur when covering the first Tea Party qualifies as unbiased journalism.
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hajiii
One thing Mr. Evans fails to note is that this seems to be a much-delayed but welcome return to form for CNN. For far too long, CNN has been happy to let the spin-media create the "news" that they follow up "reporting" on. Kudos for leading and not just following.
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larry278
There are times when the criticsm & covereage of the rivalry among 24/7 cable news media is well written & concise. This blog is an example of concise, well written, concise, accurate criticism. Thanks.
beckriq
I agree. Andrerson Cooper and Sanjay Gupta have outdone themselves and other networks with their professionalism, Journalism at its best. I do not watch anything else. They tell you the story as it is, almost as if you were there. Absolutely fantastic work. CNN is back.
AliceJ
It's time to institute a policy of one comment per person on a given story. I'm tired of these immature name-calling insults. They add nothing to thoughtful discussion.
eurydice9276
One way to deal with trolls is to click on "flag it"
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matthewbenzor
Spoke'n like a "TRUE PRO" Harold you are so on target with this peice ....! Watching Anderson Cooper with sorrow in his eye's and heaviness on his heart,But still reporting the story he was the first one to go where the bodys were being buried and reported that.......! CNN is truly a winner with lots of talent waiting to be released on the world and its news .......! God be with them
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