I'd argue that Turner's dream to found a network that focuses only on news is unrealized. He did found CNN and for a while it operated as he originally envisioned. He made his bones on Gulf War I. But CNN has morphed into what I call "infotainment", which is less about information and more about entertaining folks. Jeffrey Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide, beginning January 1, 2013, was uniquely positioned to influence American politics. I hold Zucker primarily responsible for the rise of Donald Trump in the 2016 election because it was "good ratings".
CNN has been a nightmare in news coverage, second only to Fox News.
Most of the morph to infotainment came after Ted sold the networks.
CNN, TBS, TNT, TCM, Cartoon Network have all had a huge impact here in Atlanta. I'm thankful he had the vision (and the baseball team!) to start something national from somewhere other than NY. I love lots of things about NYC, but the news lens gets distorted coming from there-- the rest of the country is not NYC...
If Turner had been serious about an all-news network, he wouldn't have sold it. He either keeps it or dismantles it.
But I agree about the timeline and I also agree that creating another locus of media influence other than NYC was important.
You may remember this: The New Yorker had a cover showing the perspective of a New Yorker from Manhattan looking out towards the West. There have been riffs on that perspective from other cities. And the implication has always been that NYC is a cultural capital of the United States, for good or ill.
I haven’t watched CNN much. I have noticed that all the morning shows—NBC, CBS, I think ABC?, not sure about Fox—all have significant segments pushing products for you to buy.
I stopped watching CNN with any regularity years ago. The networks are following the worst instincts of the internet with the groupings you laid out. It's all about ratings, abdicating their best purpose of holding leaders to account and disseminating information, not infotainment. This has been a huge contributor to the degradation of American democracy.
I think the only time I turn to CNN is for election night coverage. Anybody prefer another network for election night coverage, and if so, what do you like about it?
I recall sitting at a BBQ joint with you in Mississippi, I think. You had burnt ends on your plate and telling me how your cardiologist told you to cut out fatty meats.
STOCKTON— Behind a strong outing from its pitching staff and defense the California baseball team won its final nonconference game of the season defeating Pacific on the road 2-1 at Klein Family Field.
US Sports Camps and the Cal Women’s Water Polo Coach, Coralie Simmons, are excited to team up this summer 2026 to offer a two day training opportunity in June. This camp is open to middle school and high school level players ages 10-18.
BERKELEY- Fresh off its national championship performance this past weekend, the California rugby team returned to Berkeley to collect a wealth of academic honors at the annual Cal Academic Honors Luncheon on Monday afternoon. The event was hosted by the Athletic Study Center at the Field Club at California Memorial Stadium to celebrate the top academic performers from across all Intercollegiate Athletic teams.
For all the talk of a potential stop in the playoffs for the San Jose Sharks this season, the team found itself back where it was last May 5, watching a bunch of little balls bounce around and hoping that those balls might bounce San Jose’s way. The Sharks returned to the draft lottery once again today, albeit, with worse odds than last year. When all was said and done, San Jose somehow pulled off a miracle, and Cinco de Mayo was once again a lucky day for the Sharks. For the second year in a row, the Sharks will pick second overall in the NHL entry draft.
Near the end of Tuesday’s telecast of the San Diego Padres’ 10-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants, broadcaster Duane Kuiper tried to look on the bright side of Matt Chapman’s 0-for-4 night.
Shohei Ohtani pitched his deepest into a game in three seasons, but got very little offensive support in the Dodgers’ 2-1 loss to the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Daikin Park.
CNN founder Ted Turner, a pioneer of cable TV news, dies at 87
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/06/us/ted-turner-death
I'd argue that Turner's dream to found a network that focuses only on news is unrealized. He did found CNN and for a while it operated as he originally envisioned. He made his bones on Gulf War I. But CNN has morphed into what I call "infotainment", which is less about information and more about entertaining folks. Jeffrey Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide, beginning January 1, 2013, was uniquely positioned to influence American politics. I hold Zucker primarily responsible for the rise of Donald Trump in the 2016 election because it was "good ratings".
CNN has been a nightmare in news coverage, second only to Fox News.
Most of the morph to infotainment came after Ted sold the networks.
CNN, TBS, TNT, TCM, Cartoon Network have all had a huge impact here in Atlanta. I'm thankful he had the vision (and the baseball team!) to start something national from somewhere other than NY. I love lots of things about NYC, but the news lens gets distorted coming from there-- the rest of the country is not NYC...
If Turner had been serious about an all-news network, he wouldn't have sold it. He either keeps it or dismantles it.
But I agree about the timeline and I also agree that creating another locus of media influence other than NYC was important.
You may remember this: The New Yorker had a cover showing the perspective of a New Yorker from Manhattan looking out towards the West. There have been riffs on that perspective from other cities. And the implication has always been that NYC is a cultural capital of the United States, for good or ill.
I haven’t watched CNN much. I have noticed that all the morning shows—NBC, CBS, I think ABC?, not sure about Fox—all have significant segments pushing products for you to buy.
Seems like all of them do this:
Influence
Entertainment
Info/news
Shopping
I stopped watching CNN with any regularity years ago. The networks are following the worst instincts of the internet with the groupings you laid out. It's all about ratings, abdicating their best purpose of holding leaders to account and disseminating information, not infotainment. This has been a huge contributor to the degradation of American democracy.
I think the only time I turn to CNN is for election night coverage. Anybody prefer another network for election night coverage, and if so, what do you like about it?
i think they are fine and you cant do much better.
that being said i have stopped watching TV for news. it is has become just another "TV show designed to entertain"
I only read the news- too many talking heads on other "news" programs.
Based on the ads, the only people who watch TV news are retired and probably have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
DBD AV Club
watched The Empire Strikes Back last night. it was fantastic. 19/19
"laugh it up fuzzball"
A surprise prequel episode for The Bear was released called "Gary". The Bear S5 starts next month and will be the last episode.
7 Sins .. which is most likely to be your downfall?
There is a red wine called 7 Zins.
Just sayin'.
I see that in the aisle at Safeway. Never tried it.
I think I'd rank them like this, starting with the most likely to get me:
1) Gluttony - I can definitely eat and drink too much.
2) Pride - this used to be my #1 threat but I'm giving fewer shits as I age.
3) Lust - hey, I'm only one man.
4) Sloth - after I write this, I'm prolly gonna have to take the rest of the day off.
5) Wrath - I wish bad things upon John Fisher, for sure.
6) Envy - I'm not terribly envious, things are swell.
7) Greed - nah, lemme buy you a beer.
wrath
i get angry. sadly the people closest to me feel the effects of it the worst.
working on it ..
if there was one for eating and drinking too much (gluttony i guess) that would be a closer 2nd place.
I recall sitting at a BBQ joint with you in Mississippi, I think. You had burnt ends on your plate and telling me how your cardiologist told you to cut out fatty meats.
Vacation fatty meats don't count, just like vacation calories aren't like real calories, and vacation money isn't real money.
AND, Cal won that game. Golden Bear wins in SEC territory are a magic elixir that repairs the heart better than any cardiologist could do.
Word(le) Games
Wordle 1,782 2/6*
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NICE
JFC.
Wordle 1,782 5/6
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Wordle 1,782 4/6
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WordleBot
Skill 87/99
Luck 55/99
Octordle
Daily Octordle #1563
5️⃣🟥
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Score: 81
Chased words too early again
Quordle
🙂 Daily Quordle 1563
5️⃣6️⃣
3️⃣4️⃣
m-w.com/games/quordle/
Best I’ve done.
i got one of those yesterday. it is nice when it all falls into place
i thought i was on track for 6 today also after a good early start
🙂 Daily Quordle 1563
4️⃣7️⃣
6️⃣3️⃣
m-w.com/games/quordle/
🙂 Daily Quordle 1563
8️⃣9️⃣
6️⃣7️⃣
m-w.com/games/quordle/
I made the mistake of guessing too early with words that had lots of possibilities. Almost screwed myself.
Wordle 1,782 6/6*
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WordleBot
Skill 87/99
Luck 31/99
Wordle 1,782 4/6
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WordleBot
Skill 94/99
Luck 56/99
Phew .. 27 on Luck is the lowest i have seen in a while!
Wordle 1,782 6/6*
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WordleBot
Skill 94/99
Luck 27/99
Cal
[BASE] Pitching Lifts Cal Over Pacific 2-1
https://calbears.com/news/2026/5/5/baseball-pitching-lifts-cal-over-pacific-2-1.aspx
STOCKTON— Behind a strong outing from its pitching staff and defense the California baseball team won its final nonconference game of the season defeating Pacific on the road 2-1 at Klein Family Field.
[WPOLO] Cal Girls Water Polo Summer Camp
https://www.ussportscamps.com/waterpolo/cal/california-berkeley-water-polo-camp
US Sports Camps and the Cal Women’s Water Polo Coach, Coralie Simmons, are excited to team up this summer 2026 to offer a two day training opportunity in June. This camp is open to middle school and high school level players ages 10-18.
[RUGBY] Rugby Athletes Earn Academic Honors
https://calbears.com/news/2026/5/5/rugby-athletes-earn-academic-honors.aspx
BERKELEY- Fresh off its national championship performance this past weekend, the California rugby team returned to Berkeley to collect a wealth of academic honors at the annual Cal Academic Honors Luncheon on Monday afternoon. The event was hosted by the Athletic Study Center at the Field Club at California Memorial Stadium to celebrate the top academic performers from across all Intercollegiate Athletic teams.
PRO
Sharks overachieve and get the #2 draft pick in the 2026 entry draft. I think they jumped about 5 slots.
San Jose Sharks land 2nd overall pick in 2026 draft lottery
https://www.fearthefin.com/san-jose-sharks-land-2nd-overall-pick-in-2026-draft-lottery/
For all the talk of a potential stop in the playoffs for the San Jose Sharks this season, the team found itself back where it was last May 5, watching a bunch of little balls bounce around and hoping that those balls might bounce San Jose’s way. The Sharks returned to the draft lottery once again today, albeit, with worse odds than last year. When all was said and done, San Jose somehow pulled off a miracle, and Cinco de Mayo was once again a lucky day for the Sharks. For the second year in a row, the Sharks will pick second overall in the NHL entry draft.
I guess not really overachieve, but get really really lucky
Youngsters hit but so do Padres in 10-5 loss
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/san-francisco-giants-scores-standings/106184/youngsters-hit-but-so-do-padres-in-10-5-loss
Near the end of Tuesday’s telecast of the San Diego Padres’ 10-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants, broadcaster Duane Kuiper tried to look on the bright side of Matt Chapman’s 0-for-4 night.
Sorry, but this roster sucks.
Shohei Ohtani’s longest Dodgers pitching start wasted in loss to Astros (2-1)
https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-scores-standings/115049/shohei-ohtani-pitching-innings-offense-slump
Shohei Ohtani pitched his deepest into a game in three seasons, but got very little offensive support in the Dodgers’ 2-1 loss to the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Daikin Park.
OKC rolls in the 2nd half. wins game 1.
although unlikely, i would not be shocked to see OKC go on a 16-0 playoff run.
it is of course hard to play at that level that many days in a row.
I hope they don't, so the 2017 Warriors' record of 16-1 remains tops.
And that 1 loss was a gentlemen's sweep. I think the Ws easily could've gone 16-0 that year.