Re: CNN anchor endorses satellite over cable

["Bill O'Neill" <billo@shoreham.net>]

I guess editorial freedom still exists at
> CNN, at least until the AOL Time Warner higher ups hear about
today's
> comments.
>
> -- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine

Wait until Rush Limbaugh takes hold.  Interesting that Rush, in what I
caught of his show yesterday, failed to refer to CNN as "Clinton News
Networ" as he consistently has for years.  The guy, at 12:15 ET  is
whining that half of his 250 M goes to Uncle Sam...he never gets to
tip only 15-20% anymore, as people expect "a Lexus" for a tip each
time...his quality of life to which he has become accustomed puts
great demand on his financial resources.   Even with his tongue firmly
planted in his cheek, it fell flat.  He makes more per phone call than
most Americans will gross in a month.  He not-so-humorously
insinuating there that he "needs the money" and a CNN gig would buy
that new pair of shoes.

I must say that it's getting more and more difficult for me to
patronize (time included) anyone worth _that_ much and still trying to
pass themselves off as one of us working stiffs.  I felt the same way
about Letterman when he hit it big with CBS (even though at NBC he was
highly compensated) as I do with just about any big name athlete or
sports team. To hear Howard Stern whine on about the dwarfing Limbaugh
contract, compared to his eight figure contract (plus who knows what
other perks) is just not funny, not entertaining, and just not helpful
to getting through the work day.  Just about everyone on this list
works their butts off, has bills waiting, home stuff unfinished.  Some
are busting just to get back to a gig.  The highly compensated in our
world that don't pretend to be otherwise really don't bother me
because they're being honest about how they present themselves;
multi-millionaires simply don't have the same day-to-day problems as
most others.  Period.

Perhaps since the studio is no longer up the street in the square,
that we no longer share the same donut shops or barbers with the
radio/TV people, have our kids in the same soccer leagues, fighting
the same daily grind, it's clear that we have less and less in common
with those who's voices we now hear.

Bill O'Neill