Some of CNN’s top anchors are defending the network’s decision to produce near non-stop coverage of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 for the last month.
“I know it’s received a fair amount of criticism from some folks, and I understand that… it’s a lot of coverage,” Anderson Cooper told TVNewser after the network’s upfront presentation yesterday. At the same time, he said, the story is resonating with viewers because it’s a very “human” story. “We’re talking about 239 souls on board, and their families.”
Wolf Blitzer agrees. “Look, 239 people are missing, they’ve been missing now for several weeks,” Blitzer told us, adding that a $250 million, American-made Boeing 777 simply vanishing is an intriguing mystery. “We don’t know if it’s because of criminal activity, or mechanical failure.” Blitzer has produced strong ratings anchoring a full-hour of “The Situation Room” at 6pmET pre-empting “Crossfire.”
Erin Burnett acknowledged the network has had internal discussions about the amount of coverage. “I’m not going to deny we haven’t,” she said, adding that ultimately, this story is a mystery that brings to light other issues in the post-9/11 era.
“You can’t lose an iPhone, but you can lose a plane,” she wondered. “It’s a security story. It’s a safety story. It’s a personal story, and it’s a mystery.”