05.31.23
Demo-lition Project – CNN
- Okay, we'll cover it since it was historic.
It is not that we mean to harp on CNN losing viewers anymore, as it is hardly a surprise, but darn it if the network does not continue to keep making historic landmarks or, possibly more accurately, sub-terranean-marks.
The audience departures continue following Donald Trump's town hall, and this weekend was especially dismal. The average viewership since the appearance has been well below 400,000, and Jake Tapper's show "The Lead" saw a poor ratings number not seen since 2014. Since the town hall, total day viewership is off -22%. In the demo, it is off -21%, with primetime even worse as it is off -32% in total viewers and -28% in the demo, drawing under 100,000 at night.
But a new low was found. On the weekend of May 20-21, the network, in the advertising demo, averaged only 58,000 viewers. That is the lowest-ranked weekend on CNN since...well…ever.
Recommended
Cable News Ratings Sat May 27
— RoadMN 📈 (@RoadMN) May 31, 2023
Average Viewers
4 pm to Midnight Demo | Total
1⃣@FoxNews 72,000 713,250
2⃣@CNN 71,375 379,625
3⃣@MSNBC 49,125 475,125
Primetime
1⃣Fox News 64,667 716,667
2⃣CNN 65,667 317,000
3⃣MSNBC 61,667 589,000 pic.twitter.com/OziTlDHJhQ
DNC PR Firm – THE BULWARK
- I suppose the man is just too good for us?!
It has gotten to the point where the genius band at The Bulwark has devolved to a point of insignificance, but every so often, one of their crewmates will rise up with a dash of indolence worthy of mention. Enter Mr. Tim Miller.
Miller unintentionally is the embodiment of his site with the video series "Not My Party," where he allegedly wants nothing at all to do with Republicans – and promptly spends all of his time on the site and at MSNBC talking about the GOP.
In his latest entry, he discusses the candidacy of Senator Tim Scott and gives us a rather curious assessment; it seems that not having sex scandals, living his life based on his faith, and not having had intercourse until he was 30 is somehow a disqualifying character trait.
"The possibility of being the first black Republican nominee, that’s a plus. Being an unmarried, childless bachelor, who was a 30-year-old virgin, a minus."@Timodc evaluates the newest candidates in the latest episode of Not My Party: https://t.co/rHTvNmaEt5
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) May 31, 2023
News Avoidance Syndrome – VARIOUS OUTLETS
- Last week, non-violence was an issue. This week, actual violence is overlooked.
The Target stores controversy over trans clothing lines for children continues to pose problems for the press. Last week, outlets were eagerly detailing how there had been violent skirmishes at the stores between protestors threatening employees. Small matter – there were no actual incidents like this to detail, so stories became altered.
Now, there has been a spate of bomb threats called into Target stores, and curiously, there is nothing in the way of hyperactive news coverage. That is because it was learned the perpetrator was an activist in the LGBT𝜋 community upset that the store chain altered the displays in stores.
Even the few outlets reporting on it, such as USA Today, make a point of highlighting the conservative backlash while glossing over the origin of the bomb threats.
Police investigated bomb threats made against Target stores in Utah allegedly spurred by retail chain’s LGBTQ collections celebrating Pride Month. https://t.co/EWopmHJqg2
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 27, 2023
Both Kinds of Standards – MSNBC
On "The Last Word," Lawrence O'Donnell had on one of the Tennessee state legislators who had been initially punished for participating in the protest that swelled in the capitol chambers back in March. State Rep. Justin Pearson actually had the stones to say he needs to prevent his state from becoming a GOP "mob-ocracy."
Seriously…the guy who himself encouraged a mob within the chambers of their capitol actually said this.
TN State Rep. @Justinjpearson: Our democracy can’t become a GOP ‘mobocracy’ https://t.co/hJcbUGqBHj pic.twitter.com/9Xf7SlQjHk
— The Last Word (@TheLastWord) May 31, 2023
Low Octane Gas Lighting – VARIOUS OUTLETS
- Very good on your part. Now, did we learn anything?
Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had come out with his opinions on the Miami school that banned the works of the young author who read a poem at President Jose Biden's inaugural. As we have gone over, there was no ban at all. The books were placed in a different section of the same library. Well, Kennedy did something properly – he fessed up to being wrong and corrected the record.
CORRECTION: I got some facts wrong in my initial tweet. The poetry book was not banned, just moved to a different section of the library. And to clarify, DeSantis had nothing directly to do with the school’s action. The WaPo was criticizing his failure to defend the author,…
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) May 30, 2023
Kennedy, obviously, had gotten the incorrect information from the press. That would be the same press that has not been as diligent in correcting the record on this or any other false claims of books being banned in Florida.
"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature covering the nation's deeply flawed aspects of journalism, where Brad Slager looks to bring accountability to the mishaps, malaprops, misdeeds, manipulations, malpractice, and manufactured narratives in mainstream media.
