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CNN fires Rick Sanchez over controversial comments

4K views 47 replies 22 participants last post by  lee635 
#1 ·
#27 ·
I'm not sure the "good old days" were ever as good as we sometimes remember... so I'll refrain from that as much as I can.

But I do remember at least some editorial content used to be clearly labelled as such... whereas today it seems to be integrated into the newscast.

Agreed that it's hard to be completely unbiased in reporting the news because being human makes you bound to read it differently depending upon your view...

But I really wish we could get at least 30-minutes, if not 60-minutes, of as unbiased as possible news without commentary.

People form their own opinions from the news, but when the news is loaded with opinion already how do you know where the basis of your own opinion is coming from?

I like news-entertainment shows... but I know they are entertainment. Unfortunately, many of them market themselves as if they are pure-news shows and claim to have no bias... and unfortunately a lot of people accept that and think they are getting unfiltered fact.

So... I want a reliable source of just-the-facts... AND I want the entertainment shows to be required to clearly present themselves as having bias so that you can accordingly adjust how you interpret them.
 
#28 ·
phrelin said:
It used to be you could check things by comparing three independent original sources. Unfortunately today, people think that means look at the web and if it appears on three or more web sites it must be true.
With today's syndication on websites it is easy to find identical content on dozens of sites within minutes of someone creating it. Often I am looking for information and find the same story under many different mastheads.

Of course my favorite trick is when I search for information and keep finding stuff on my own websites. I already KNOW that information! :)

Back to the drifting topic ... news and views doesn't bother me as much when the views are briefly stated and the news is the majority of the content. Being able to pick out a few examples of when a historical newsman strayed off of the reservation to give (gasp) an opinion reminds us of how much the rest of the newscast was news. Nowadays it is more of headline opinions ... here's a headline and 20 pundits to argue with each other over it.

And "Rick's List" is a good example of taking that further ... headline views and opinions on those views. Twitter me what you think of my opinion of the news. Very rarely would a news story actually get coverage. Just read the headline then start ranting about this sick sad world. Most of the time I'd rather watch the commercials - on any "news" channel.
 
#29 ·
With today's syndication on websites it is easy to find identical content on dozens of sites within minutes of someone creating it. Often I am looking for information and find the same story under many different mastheads.
Many nights, I'm up overnight scanning various news sites. I pick and choose the stories I want to read, sometimes getting several versions of the same story with updated details. Later in the day, I watch the morning news or mid-day news and what do I see? The same stuff I was reading hours earlier mixed in with commercials and a bunch or giggling, posturing and general goofing off among the news readers. You can't call them journalists anymore, just news readers.

Then they jump off to the opinion poll stuff. I have no interest at all in what "Precocious in Poughkeepsie" thinks of the previous story. When did the news become an interactive game show?
 
#30 ·
Jon Stewart spent the first 10 minutes of his Monday show dealing with the issue. Some of it sounded apologetic ... sorry you lost your job but MAN, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
 
#31 ·
James Long said:
Jon Stewart spent the first 10 minutes of his Monday show dealing with the issue. Some of it sounded apologetic ... sorry you lost your job but MAN, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
Saw that... It was pretty clear to me that Jon did actually feel bad about hammering the guy after-the-fact, but didn't think he could just ignore it either.

I will say this... and not in defense of Sanchez... but it is interesting sometimes what will and will not get you fired. Also interested how one offense ruins one person's career while another is just a temporary setback.
 
#32 ·
Stewart Vernon said:
I will say this... and not in defense of Sanchez... but it is interesting sometimes what will and will not get you fired. Also interested how one offense ruins one person's career while another is just a temporary setback.
In my opinion, the job ending comment was when he complained that his bosses at CNN saw him as just another reporter and not anchor material. The person used as an example of a reporter was Latino - Rick (in his own racial bias) heard that as a "just another Latino reporter". Some times people are oppressed because they WANT to be oppressed.

As Jon explained ... comments made against Jon Stewart - no big deal ... poking against each other is just part of Jon's game. His show is CREATED to get a reaction out of an audience and getting clips on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC and having the "respectable media" reference his show is a victory.

Offhand comments made about the Jews running media ... probably not enough to get you fired unless he did it on his CNN show and included some Mel Gibson language.

But complain about your boss? Not good. I imagine that the conversation on Friday was short - "Hey Rick! If you don't like the way we're treating you the door is that-a-way." Calling the boss a racist didn't help but the public complaint about not being promoted was enough, in my opinion, to reevaluate Rick's future at the network.

Brooke did a good job of anchoring the show when Rick was out early last week (and in prior appearances as well). Perhaps there will be less "me" news for a while. Probably not long enough.
 
#34 ·
The guy had a job, a good job, probably one of the best jobs in the world. Indoor work and no heavy lifting. Too bad Sanchez wasn't the man he thought he was.
 
#35 ·
James Long said:
But complain about your boss? Not good. I imagine that the conversation on Friday was short - "Hey Rick! If you don't like the way we're treating you the door is that-a-way." Calling the boss a racist didn't help but the public complaint about not being promoted was enough, in my opinion, to reevaluate Rick's future at the network.
You're probably right... People that insult random ethnic/religious/genders tend to get a bit of a leash... but if you directly insult your boss in a public manner like that, there probably isn't a way out of it.

I don't feel sorry for Sanchez here... but it does sure seem like he didn't get bang for his buck. Mel Gibson has better racial/power rants in his sleep than this guy, and Mel is still making movies as far as I can tell.
 
#36 ·
Stewart Vernon said:
You're probably right... People that insult random ethnic/religious/genders tend to get a bit of a leash... but if you directly insult your boss in a public manner like that, there probably isn't a way out of it.
Because this is being portrayed as a "called Jon a bigot" and "insulted the jews" moment there may be a way out. There is a groundswell of support for Rick ... there is also an underlying current that the unnamed CNN executive is right ... Rick isn't "anchor material" and should have been taken back from anchor status before the incident. Naming the show after a person doesn't help keep a person's ego in check.

"Parker Spitzer" was panned on their first night's performance ... sadly they are calling the show a replacement for Rick's List when Rick's List was only in prime time as filler for a few weeks. Brooke has become Rick's replacement for now, airing single anchor straight news with many of the same elements but no over the top glitz added to the presentation.

Perhaps Rick won't anchor again ... but I suspect he'll be back.
 
#37 ·
Stewart Vernon said:
...I don't feel sorry for Sanchez here... but it does sure seem like he didn't get bang for his buck. Mel Gibson has better racial/power rants in his sleep than this guy, and Mel is still making movies as far as I can tell.
Ggod point, but that's the difference in being just an employee, and being a self-employed entrepreneur.
 
#39 ·
My wife and I listened to the transcript (it's on youtube). My Jewish wife didn't find anything that got her upset and I kinda laughed at the hole he was digging for himself. But neither of us saw it as a reason to get fired - unless CNN wanted him gone anyway!

We think it was just an excuse to get rid of him.

Cripes - what David Letterman did was 1000x worse and he's still working nightly at CBS.
 
#40 ·
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ie6b00e94a5963b0978b68fc484de6c0a
Rick Sanchez said:
On October 4th, I had a very good conversation with Jon Stewart, and I had the opportunity to apologize for my inartful comments from last week. I sincerely extend this apology to anyone else whom I may have offended.

As Jon was kind enough to note in his show Monday night, I am very much opposed to hate and intolerance, in any form, and I have frequently spoken out against prejudice. Despite what my tired and mangled words may have implied, they were never intended to suggest any sort of narrow-mindedness and should never have been made.

In the aftermath of these comments, CNN and I have decided to part ways. However, I want to go on record to say that I have nothing but the highest regard for CNN and for my six wonderful years with them. I appreciate every opportunity that they have given me, and it has been a wonderful experience working for them. I have tremendous respect for everyone there, and I know that they feel the same about me. There are no hard feelings, just excitement about a new future of opportunities.

I look forward to my next step with great anticipation. In the meantime, I will continue to promote my book, "Conventional Idiocy," in the hopes of broadening the discussion to get a better understanding between all Americans, regardless of race, creed or religion.
 
#42 ·
I remember his days as local news anchor here in Miami, the guy has always been full of himself! He would stand on the set of the news show next to a desk as if he were modeling clothes and then he would say "let's go to the map" in a forced, deep voice. A world map laid out on the floor where he would stand over and begin his rant about who knows what. He's no stranger to controversy either, while at WSVN, Miami, he had legal issues regarding a DUI and striking a pedestrian, also something to due with the FBI regarding a local politian's corruption, he was investigated for that too. Again, his MOUTH was always going 100 miles a minute, with one sensational commit or oppinion after another. For those South Floridians who remember him while he was at WSVN, Miami, "Let's go to the map" is a comical quote not yet forgotten. It was amazing he lasted as long as he did at his last job, then again it is CNN.
IMHO they like a certain level of pompous stupidity, just look at Mr. Cooper and Mr. Blitzer. :rolleyes:
 
#43 ·
gilviv said:
I remember his days as local news anchor here in Miami, the guy has always been full of himself! He would stand on the set of the news show next to a desk as if he were modeling clothes and then he would say "let's go to the map" in a forced, deep voice. A world map laid out on the floor where he would stand over and begin his rant about who knows what. He's no stranger to controversy either, while at WSVN, Miami, he had legal issues regarding a DUI and striking a pedestrian, also something to due with the FBI regarding a local politian's corruption, he was investigated for that too. Again, his MOUTH was always going 100 miles a minute, with one sensational commit or oppinion after another. For those South Floridians who remember him while he was at WSVN, Miami, "Let's go to the map" is a comical quote not yet forgotten. It was amazing he lasted as long as he did at his last job, then again it is CNN.
IMHO they like a certain level of pompous stupidity, just look at Mr. Cooper and Mr. Blitzer. :rolleyes:
I'd rather look at Robin Meade! :)
 
#48 ·
Yeah, if his show were pulling in great ratings, CNN management might have been more understanding and maybe let him mea culpa and pull a stint on the apology circuit on Leno, Letterman, maybe even an appearance on the Daily Show. But when you're ratings are mediocre at best, you shouldn't be out there ranting about crappy your boss is.....
 
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