CNN to Simmer Down On ‘Breaking News’ Banner. How About MSNBC?
BREAKING NEWS: CNN’s new chief has told staff to simmer down on the “Breaking News” graphic, but MSNBC misuses and abuses that chyron just as much.
But that’s not breaking news, right?
Exactly.
News consumers have long complained that cable news outlets, particularly CNN, overemploy the breaking news graphic — for stories that are simply not breaking news — in a desperate bid to keep ratings up.
Thankfully, CNN is embracing some self reflection.
In a memo to staffers on Thursday, new CNN President Chris Licht said:
Something I have heard from people both inside and outside the organization is complaints we overuse the “Breaking News” banner. I agree. It has become such a fixture on every channel and network that its impact has become lost on the audience. Starting today, CNN has added a “Breaking News” guideline to our stylebook. A special thank you to Sam Feist, who led the team that put the guideline together. It certainly will need tweaks, so we are open to feedback, but this is a great starting point to try to make “Breaking News” mean something BIG is happening.
Go figure. Now MSNBC should follow suit.
Deadline: White House, hosted by Nicolle Wallace, is a particularly egregious example. A recent episode of the show featured a breaking news banner during its entire hour-long run — during segments that absolutely do not qualify as breaking news.
On Friday, the examples of breaking news abuse were plenty. Morning Joe used the “Breaking News” chyron to advertise their interview with Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova.
Also on Friday, MSNBC used the “Breaking News” banner when President Joe Biden spoke about the May jobs report.
The competition was more restrained: Over on CNN, the news was accompanied by a “Happening Now” chyron. Fox News used their “Fox News Alert” banner.
On Thursday, Chris Jansing Reports used the chyron to break the news that former Attorney General Bill Barr was leaving a meeting with the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol.
Since when is a former attorney general’s movement through a hallway breaking news?
A similar case happened on Sunday when Alex Witt Reports showed the “Breaking News” banner of Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arriving in Uvalde, Texas, less than a week after the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School, where 19 kids and two adults were killed.
Someone, even the president, arriving somewhere is simply not breaking news.
The relentless misuse and abuse of the breaking news chyron might be good for a cheap ratings high, but ultimately will make viewers tune out. After all: if everything is breaking news, nothing is.
It should not have to be said, but the breaking news chyron should be used for what and when there is actually breaking news. Networks like MSNBC need to figure out how to attract viewers without misappropriating the graphic.
Not breaking news: MSNBC’s breaking news chyron is broken and should get the Licht treatment.
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
