In the TV news world, the inside dirt gets played out not only in the blogosphere, but also in the ad realm. There’s no better example than a recent print ad from Fox News that in no uncertain terms calls out CNN and other news channels for their use of the asterisk in ratings promos. Our sibling site TVNewser is playing host to the sh*t-show that’s erupted in a post about the ad. Below is the copy that started it all.
Damn, now that’s some tough talk from Fox. But calling your competitors “pathetic” is in fact, pathetic. Even an inference that one’s competition isn’t deserving of the accolades they’ve received is, frankly, bullshit. CNN, MSNBC, FNC and the others are all doing something right — and that means everyone should have a certain lever of respect for one another. But FOX, ever the pain in the ass, bitchy, whiny newser, took it to that place. Way to go fellas, you really hit a homer on this one.
Here’s a few of our favorite lines from TVNewser’s piece.
A CNN insider tells TVNewser: “Obviously Fox is frustrated and must be down in the dumps because CNN has outscored them on every key political night — from primaries, debates, election night, to the inauguration — and CNN has been winning at 10 pm in the key demographic for a year now. No asterisks here.”
> Update: From an FNC insider: “No surprise that CNN has to resort to talking about the past given their current state of ratings turmoil in February — not only battling MSNBC for second place yet again but pacing to be the only news network to lose viewers over last year during one of the busiest months for news on record. What’s next, Jon Klein creating a time machine to transport CNN back to one of their 12 hour wins in 2008?”
> Update (2): “Wait,” an MSNBC insider tells TVNewser, “Fox thinks it does news?”
Click continued to see the full ad.
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