Bill Clinton Tells Piers Morgan 'I Used to Worry That CNN Was Going to Lose Too Many Viewers'
By Noel Sheppard | September 26, 2013 | 10:47
Readers are strongly advised to remove all flammables, liquids, and sharp objects from their computer's proximity as the following is likely to cause an uncontrollable fit of laughter.
Former President Bill Clinton told Piers Morgan Wednesday, "I used to worry that CNN was going to lose too many viewers" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
BILL CLINTON: I used to worry that CNN was going to lose too many viewers because ...
PIERS MORGAN: No fear of that , Mr. President, we are ...
CLINTON: No, no, let me -- let me ...
MORGAN: ... storming ahead.
CLINTON: Obviously, yeah, you're doing better, but you're more entertaining now which is good. But, but, but you became more entertaining without becoming more extreme which is important. I mean, because people are wired when they see all this conflict to get in to the fray so that, and you know what it takes. You got to have 800,000 viewers in a cable show to breakeven, and if you get more than that your profits go up.
So, the good news about the media today is that we have more sources of information than ever before; the bad news is we are all of us prone only to go to the places we agree with. So, MSNBC has grown because they have ...
MORGAN: Don't mention that, I'm sorry it's a ...
CLINTON:...and Fox News had this big base and they know it's very carefully done psychologically and substantively. And we just, everything is serving to polarize the country.
I probably don't have to tell you that this is hysterical on many levels.
First, when he was in office, many on the right referred to CNN as the Clinton News Network because of its biases towards the 42nd President.
As such, did Clinton fear CNN would lose viewers because of its biases or that such a decline might mean he was losing popularity?
As for needing 800,000 viewers to break even, CNN rarely does that.
On Tuesday for example, not one CNN extended primetime show even had 600,000 viewers. Morgan only had 546,000.
So if Clinton's right about the break even point, CNN's losing money on all of its primetime programs. Makes you wonder if he's aware of that.
As for dividing the nation, I'd say the left and their media minions have been doing a fine job of this for decades without Fox's help.
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