The Newsroom

Beirut Explosion

News Coverage (August 2020)

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NE
Newsroom
Regarding CNNi’s despicable coverage after they were probably forced into simulcast with the US. This is unacceptable, and this is certainly not what their global audience want to watch.

Can you imagine being I the Middle East desperately wanting news and seeing Trump’s HBO interview? Disgusting!

I propose a petition to CNN about situations like this of which I’m more than happy to set up.

What a load of nonsense. They have no obligation to cover anything and no one is forced to watch it. It's a commercial entity, they do what they decide they should.

Why you think someone in the Middle East would rely on an American channel to get information on a story like that is beyond me. There are plenty of other channels to choose from there who will cover it much better.

I wouldn't watch CNN for a breaking story in the Middle East in the same way that I wouldn't watch Al Jazeera for a breaking story in the US.


Different courses for different horses Inspector Sands.

The coverage this morning with CNNI in the control room is exceptional as was mentioned a few posts ago. Of course they are a commercial entity and have the right to cover whatever they want, but there are two feeds of CNNI, possibly more. I’ve access to the US and EU feeds and they do go their separate ways at times. This story is massive, internationally and the EU feed should have stuck with the Beirut story not with Trump! And yes I watched that too - a massive story for the US!
Last edited by Newsroom on 5 August 2020 10:50am
ginnyfan and Meridian AM gave kudos
BF
BFGArmy
Regarding CNNi’s despicable coverage after they were probably forced into simulcast with the US. This is unacceptable, and this is certainly not what their global audience want to watch.

Can you imagine being I the Middle East desperately wanting news and seeing Trump’s HBO interview? Disgusting!

I propose a petition to CNN about situations like this of which I’m more than happy to set up.

What a load of nonsense. They have no obligation to cover anything and no one is forced to watch it. It's a commercial entity, they do what they decide they should.

Why you think someone in the Middle East would rely on an American channel to get information on a story like that is beyond me. There are plenty of other channels to choose from there who will cover it much better.

I wouldn't watch CNN for a breaking story in the Middle East in the same way that I wouldn't watch Al Jazeera for a breaking story in the US.


CNNI though is in theory an International channel - different to Domestic. Expecting International to roll pn a major international story doesn’t seem too ridiculous a request.

And this isn’t a one-off - I’d understand if it were a one-off but this sort of thing happens every week seemingly on CNNI. It’s not a BBC News/World News situation where the output is similarish - Domestic pretty much pretends the world outside America is nonexistent.
I remember when Italy went on lockdown and one of the scheduled CNNI shows was bumped to simulcast a Trump press conference where I’d challenge anyone to remember what was said (and a good half hour of the simulcast was build up to said press briefing).

And certainly even only 5 years backs CNNI was a channel in its own rights whereas these days it’s almost treated as a burden to air International shows.

I do find if something isn’t happening in the US mainly but to a lesser extent the UK or East Asia (Hong Kong/China/the Koreas), it often feels like CNN don’t particularly cover it.
Of course CNN can air what they want to air but similarly we’re free to criticise.

As others have said too when CNNI are allowed to run with a story they normally are great - the presenters, correspondents etc are top class - the problems are higher up and with what they have to cover
MA
Meridian AM
Saying that people shouldn't expect CNN International to cover Beirut well because it is an American company, so should always prioritise US news, is ridiculous.
So should people not expect BBC World to cover Beirut in depth because they are based in the United Kingdom? They were all over it!

CNN International are very well equipped to cover such stories... Maybe even more than BBC.
CNN has a Middle East hub in Abu Dhabi, which broadcasts a 2 hour programme every day. They moved Becky, one of their top presenters, there, which draws attention to their investment in the region. They have several talented journalists and the offices in Beirut that were damaged.
:-(
A former member
Agree with the general disappointment towards CNN - I’ve always thought of them as an international news channel rather than an American one.
NE
Newsroom
Saying that people shouldn't expect CNN International to cover Beirut well because it is an American company, so should always prioritise US news, is ridiculous.
So should people not expect BBC World to cover Beirut in depth because they are based in the United Kingdom? They were all over it!

CNN International are very well equipped to cover such stories... Maybe even more than BBC.
CNN has a Middle East hub in Abu Dhabi, which broadcasts a 2 hour programme every day. They moved Becky, one of their top presenters, there, which draws attention to their investment in the region. They have several talented journalists and the offices in Beirut that were damaged.


Fantastic points! Agree with everything you’ve written. In fact you could go further and mention the investment they’ve made with the new EU base at Old Street, London. That certainly wasn’t built to provide an American perspective on things.
Meridian AM and BFGArmy gave kudos
BF
BFGArmy
Agree with the general disappointment towards CNN - I’ve always thought of them as an international news channel rather than an American one.


These days it is pretty much though just a US channel with the odd International program thrown in or when the US channel needs some downtime overnight.
I don’t think anybody isn’t expecting CNNI to have a slight US perspective but too often especially if they simulcast Domestic you’d think only America has any news happening.
AN
another_beauty
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-middle-east-53662490/beirut-explosion-moment-blast-hit-bbc-bureau

Quote:
Beirut explosion: Moment blast hit BBC bureau
BBC Arabic reporter Maryem Taoumi was interviewing Faisal Al-Aseel, project manager at the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy when the explosion took place.
NL
Ne1L C
Watched Ajjazeera's coverge of the explosion. Have to say it was very calm and measured. I agree with everyone about the explosion itself, absolutely terrifying.
IS
Inspector Sands
Saying that people shouldn't expect CNN International to cover Beirut well because it is an American company, so should always prioritise US news, is ridiculous.
So should people not expect BBC World to cover Beirut in depth because they are based in the United Kingdom? They were all over it!

To be clear that wasn't what I was saying.

Yes of course it was the big story last night, although not as big as it at first seemed, but to be outraged that a certain channel stopped covering it to the extent of suggesting a petition is over the top.

No one is forced to watch it, unless maybe you're in an airport waiting room. If you disagree with their editorial decisions then don't watch it, there's plenty of other channels out there
GI
ginnyfan
Again today, Sky News is the place to be if you want to see what's happening, the aftermath and analysis of this terrible tragedy. Alex Crawford's excellent report really set the tone and gave all the important details and visuals of the story. Good to see that the channel can still be the leader in breaking news it used to be.
MA
Meridian AM
Again today, Sky News is the place to be if you want to see what's happening, the aftermath and analysis of this terrible tragedy. Alex Crawford's excellent report really set the tone and gave all the important details and visuals of the story. Good to see that the channel can still be the leader in breaking news it used to be.


Yes they have done well with the reporting of this story.
I liked sky news presentation it had more energy. It is too BBC now.
LL
London Lite Founding member
Considering the deep connection between France and Lebanon, it's no surprise that the French channels have gone big on the story.

French is the second language after Arabic in Lebanon and is still used on some signage in the country, so French crews were able to vox locals in French.

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