Paula Zahn Is “Stirring The Pot”

“I never expected a mainstream TV anchor to regularly tackle race, religion and sexual orientation — subjects cable TV news’ traditionally older and more conservative audience can’t find particularly comfortable,” Eric Deggans writes in the St. Petersburg Times. But that’s what Paula Zahn is doing on CNN in a focus called “Out in the Open.”

“I’ve done just about every kind of show in this business you can tackle… and this has given us a way not to do a standard newscast,” Zahn says. “I’ve always been fascinated by issues of race. (And) what I’ve learned over the past few months is how little is being done on this, though everybody pays lip service to it. I’m very proud of stirring the pot to make us think of things that are sometimes raw and uncomfortable.”

> Update: 8:21pm: A skeptical e-mailer writes: “Since I’m a cynic at heart, I know why Paula Zahn is ‘tackling the tough subjects’ — it gives her and CNN an excuse to explain away their dreadful ratings and ultimate cancellation. The public ‘wasn’t ready’ for such daring TV…. sure.”