CNN Insider Says Jon Klein Firing Was “Olive Branch” For Internal Frustrations

by Steve Krakauer | 4:39 pm, September 27th, 2010

» 6 comments

Ken Jautz is now running CNN, but in the eyes of some of the staff it might be more notable that Jon Klein is no longer running the network.

The firing has brought out some former and current staffers speaking openly about their positive reaction to the move. We spoke to several people inside CNN about the feeling Friday, and Klein himself.

Publicly, former CNN correspondent Jamie McIntyre wrote this column about the “de-Kleining” move. “The fact is Jon Klein has overseen the slow, and sometimes not-so-subtle tabloidization of CNN, as he has systematically shed programming that aspired to provide context and perspective, in favor of ratings-seeking formulas aim more at fanning the flames of outrage and emotion,” wrote McIntyre. “There are still islands of excellence on CNN, and Klein points to some of them in his valedictory missive. Candy Crowley. Fareed Zakaria. But those islands of excellence are increasingly threatened by an rising tide of mediocrity and cynical tabloid sensationalism.” More subtly, former correspondent Miles O’Brien tweeted, “There is justice in this world. You just have to be patient.”

Klein tells Mediaite he hasn’t read McIntyre’s piece. “I have not been gorging on the coverage,” he says. “I’m ok with all this. I really maintain nothing in life is permanent, everything comes to an end sometime, it was a hell of a lot of fun, and very rewarding while it lasted, and I’m looking forward to the next thing.”

We hear when Jim Walton made the announcement to the staff that Klein was being replaced by Jautz there was an “extended round of applause.” Jautz said he was keeping the executive structure – with the people reporting to SVP of programming Bart Feder remaining in place, as well as the political team of Sam Feist and David Bohrman. He also implied he was “keeping the door open for more character-driven personality stuff,” but impying the network would push to be more entertaining without being more opinionated, according to one insider.

“The internal level of frustration had reached a fever pitch,” said one CNN source, who described the timing of the firing as an “olive branch” from the external forces outside of CNN.

“I’m not dwelling on that stuff,” said Klein. “We all gave it the best shot we possibly could.”

The source said the move “breathes a new life into this place,” and described Jautz as both the “logical heir apparent” and the “opposite of Jon Klein.” But it’s not going to be easy. “This is a tough thing to inherit,” said an insider.

In June I asked Klein if he thought the Spitzer/Parker show and the rest of the revamped prime time would be “do or die” for him and the network. “Is it ever do or die? Of course not,” he said. “It’s an ongoing evolution process, and we have high expectations of all these new initiatives we’re planning.” In this case, however, as Klein himself put it, he “got shot” before Parker Spitzer even aired.

We’ll have more from Klein later.

(This photo is from nearly four years ago – but wow, what a group!)

CNN, Jim Walton, Jon Klein, Ken Jautz

Big Eddie

Nancy Grace ! …………………………………………….Note to self – Big Eddie – pick up Halloween candy .
felixw

The comments from CNN insiders here show how much these folks are in denial. All sorts of excuses are given for why Klein failed, but…

No mention is made of the stultifying political correctness of every show, every day.

No mention is mad of the silencing of any perspective not aligned with progressive politics.

No mention is made of the ridiculing of the grassroots movements of mainstream Americans seeking a more responsible government.

No mention is made of the constant omission of news stories that might embarrass the Democrats in power.

No mention is made of people with huge following among the public (Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs) who left or were forced out of the network.

No mention is made to the utter predictability of programs in which every “viewpoint” expressed can be predicted with 100% certainty before the pundit opens his or her mouth.

Do you think there is any chance that CNN can fix its dying brand with such blinders on? No way. They can change the guy at the helm, but CNN is still a terminal case — dying of self-inflicted wounds.
TfT

Well said Felix. CNN is in denial about their basic problems. They continue their leftward slant they won’t gain viewers, it’s as simple as that. Have they yet even done ONE report on the Coates testimony? Just one specific example of how they spike stories that may cause damage to the dems and team Obama.

As long as they claim “fair journalism” and “real journalism” as their bread and butter, they won’t fix a darn thing. Blinders indeed.
Azarkhan

felixw said:
No mention is mad of the silencing of any perspective not aligned with progressive politics.

It doesn’t appear that approach will change any time soon, if what Mr. McIntyre says is true:

Unlike many newspapers, CNN is not hurting financially, and is not struggling with a failing business model. Despite its lack of bragging rights in primetime (which I’m told accounts for about only 10% of its overall revenue) CNN had its most profitable year ever last year.
libra blue

@felixw, “The comments from CNN insiders here show how much these folks are in denial. All sorts of excuses are given for why Klein failed, but…”

You are so right! Unless CNN stops being a lap dog for the Obama administration and stops its anti-white agenda it will continue to decline in the ratings, but based on what I have been hearing since Klein’s firing I don’t think any of that is likely to happen.

Also, CNN should start respecting their viewers by posting comments on their blogs that don’t necessarily agree with their Obama loving/Muslim loving/anti-white agenda. I don’t mean hate speech either, I mean meaningful, fact-filled comments that challenge and criticize CNN’s one-sided reporting and opinions of their on-air personnel.

CNN needs to remember that without their viewers they are nothing.
Thelonious Funk

Any insiders out there should know that Feist needs to go too. Tabloid journalism at it’s worst.

Bohrman’s OK though. But only because political coverage needs more holograms.