CNN’S ETHICS PROBLEM

Short on sleep, I had intended to take off a few days from blogging … until these caught my attention:

After Castellanos controversy, CNN vows to be ‘vigilant’ in the future about disclosing conflicts of interest

Apparently one of CNN’s contributors, Alex Castellanos, has been in the employ of AHIP and the Republican National Committee for some time. According to reports, the GOP paid Castellanos $434,336 in four installments, and AHIP paid Castellanos for placing advertisements critical of Democratic health reform efforts. In other words, the man was a MOLE as well as a SHILL. Paying a so called news “contributor” on the sneak doesn’t speak well of the GOP either.

There is more ...

CNN: World watches odyssey of 'Balloon Boy' in real time
BBC: 'Balloon boy' found alive at home

I was flipping channels at about 6:00 pm and caught both versions of this story. Wolf Blitzer of CNN was hyping the story as if the balloon was still flying and the drama still ongoing. Meanwhile, the BBC reported that the balloon had landed, that the boy had been found hiding in the attic of his parents’ house. I flipped the channel to Deutsche Welle: Same report as the BBC.

Is this possible? The BBC and Deutsche Welle actually reporting the event in real time and ahead of CNN by an hour? Or is something else happening here? I have reason to believe CNN was deliberately hyping this story for a primetime audience long after the story had concluded. If true, the BBC and Deutsche Welle reported the story while CNN prolonged and embellished it, i.e. more theater than news.

CNN calls itself the “most trusted name" in journalism. Perhaps they should change their slogan from “trusted” to “busted.” Anyone disagree?

Of course, there is still CNN's Lou Dobbs problem.

Octopus is tired and really wants to take a break for a few days.