The Situation Room on CNN’s “fact checking” of Saturday Night Live’s skit from October 3, which made fun of President Obama as a “do-nothing,” has generated criticism, according to the TVNewser blog on Wednesday. Meanwhile, CNN’s sister network, CNN International, has been airing a “global edition” of Comedy Central’s Daily Show since 2002, a program which has apparently received less scrutiny.
TVNewser’s Kevin Allocca highlighted the criticism the “fact check” report filed by CNN correspondent Kareen Wynter in an article titled “CNN’s SNL ‘Fact Check’ Generates Backlash.” Allocca cited the Wall Street Journal’s James Taranto (who labeled the “fact check” a “bizarre exercise.”), the Baltimore Sun’s David Zurawik (“Fact checking a comedy sketch -- I will say no more.”), and Fox News Channel’s Greg Gutfeld, who snarked, “Seriously, reviewing an ‘SNL’ skit for accuracy is like reviewing McDonald’s for their wine list.” The TVNewser blogger also noted the Web meme that has taken off on Twitter that was inspired by Wynter’s segment.
While CNN may have taken SNL to task for it’s apparently unfair “portrayal of how Obama’s done,” as Politifact’s Bill Adair put it during the “fact check” report, their colleagues at CNN International have collaborated with Comedy Central to air “The Daily Show: Global Edition.” According to CNN.com, the program is “a half-hour international weekend edition of the satirical news commentary program...The CNN International version is a compilation of the best comedy sketches that aired during the previous week on ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,’...Geared toward a young, savvy late night audience, the program features Stewart’s smart wit, satire and observations on U.S. and world current affairs.”
That glowing description of this “Global Edition” of might lead one to believe that they would never “fact check” the comedic exaggerations made by Jon Stewart and the contributors to the program. Variety.com reported back in January 2009 that the “Daily Show: Global Edition” has been airing on CNN International since 2002, so it’s not like they haven’t had the time to find something to “fact check.”
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
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How about an SNL skit,
October 7, 2009 - 19:21 ET by rockyracoonHow about an SNL skit, about a CNN report that analyzes and fact checks a skit that is on SNL.
Facts are like kryptonite to the liberal.
So
October 7, 2009 - 19:36 ET by Joe CamelSo this is what CNN sees as news worthy, fact checking some comedy writers. Interesting. I don't watch SNL now, as I quit when Aykroyd and Bulushi left, which was a long while back. I don't watch any show that has anyone from Hollywood on it, as I grew/grow tired of listening to them pontificate.
CNN's Wolfe shoulda fact
October 7, 2009 - 19:55 ET by BKeyserCNN's Wolfe shoulda fact checked Jeopardy and not SNL. And its almost surreal that they would collude with CC to air a comedy collage on a "news" network.
When will we be treated to
October 7, 2009 - 20:09 ET by RR GOPWhen will we be treated to a Jon Stewart or Colbert scandal?
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 86% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.
AC will be first
October 7, 2009 - 22:59 ET by mom_roxSince even Greg Gutfeld's Red Eye is beating Anderson Cooper, it's more likely that AC will come out with some sensational apology to help his meager ratings.
~~save your tea, dump congress~~
This would be totally acceptable if...
October 7, 2009 - 20:30 ET by MightyMouth...CNN would have "fact checked" GWB even once! CNN is the lowest form of pond scum fake news there ever was! And that means you Ted friggin Turner and your concubine from hell!
(but I digress)
"The bureaucracy is growing to meet the needs of the growing bureaucracy"
Didn't they get a
October 7, 2009 - 21:24 ET by RedNeckinaBlueStateDidn't they get a divorce? I mean Hanoi Jane.
Hanoi Jane
October 7, 2009 - 22:39 ET by CarlosSBTW, Hanoi Jane..., we'll NEVER forget!
IMO
October 7, 2009 - 21:12 ET by mbuelCNN is trying to become PRAVDA for Obama. There's no other explanation for their almost obsessive blind news reporting over the past year.
http://clearthehaze.blogspot.com
This will really get them watching!!!
October 7, 2009 - 21:59 ET by pbthinkerSo, you're losing audience like crazy, people are accusing you of being in the tank for the administration, your hired help can't seem to get Fox News off their minds. So, what do you do to get your ratings up? You fact check a comedy show. Wow, they must have hired one hell of a consultant to come up with that plan.
I could understand them doing this if they were busy fact checking SNL when Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, was saying, "and I can see Russia from my house." among other things that weren't true.
If CNN keeps this up, they'll have to look up to see down in their ratings.
Election 2008-God's way of showing us that elections count.
SNL
October 8, 2009 - 00:31 ET by brain trustProbably a long about way of the administration shooting a shot across SNL's bow. They better watch how they criticize "the one" from now on.
Before we have a government that can supply us with everything we will have a government that can provide us with nothing.
What CNN Should Be Embarrassed About
October 8, 2009 - 10:35 ET by ecnirPLook, CNN should be ashamed that they've so thoroughly abandoned their journalistic integrity to fact check a comedy skit. But shouldn't they be far more embarrassed by getting in wrong?
SNL says things haven't improved in Afghanistan. CNN reports it's a promise kept because we sent over two brigades. SNL-1 CNN-0
SNL said we're not done in Iraq. CNN reports they didn't promise to be done yet. SNL-2 CNN-0
SNL said health care reform isn't done. CNN reports that it's only because the bill is tied up in Congress (which, by the way, I still hear is controlled completely by Democrats). SNL-3 CNN-0
And of course all of the other points were not countered at all.
CNN says "This is not a fair portrayal of- of how Obama’s done." If that's so, then I would have liked to have seen some evidence of how it was unfair. What they really meant to say was that it was unkind of SNL to point it out. Well, that's what we expect from CNN.
This has to be the weakest fact checks I've ever seen, and for all those reasons, CNN should be embarrassed by it.