https://www.axios.com/2022/06/02/cnn-breaking-news-guidelines

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Updated 7 hours ago - Economy & Business

CNN cutting back on over-hyping everything as "breaking news"

[]Sara FischerSara Fischer

  * Sara Fischer, author of Axios Media Trends

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[yH5BAEAAAA][1654180039](Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA
Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

CNN's new boss Chris Licht says that beginning today, CNN has added a
"Breaking News" guideline to its stylebook, to address overuse of the
breaking news banner across its network and cable news writ-large.

Why it matters: Licht and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav
have made it a priority to dial back on partisan programming at CNN
in favor of traditional journalism.

  * "We are truth-tellers, focused on informing, not alarming our
    viewers," he said in the note obtained by Axios.
  * "You've already seen far less of the 'Breaking News' banner
    across our programming."

Details: Licht said he agrees with complaints from "people both
inside and outside the organization" that the network overuses the
"Breaking News" banner.

  * "It has become such a fixture on every channel and network that
    its impact has become lost on the audience."
  * To address the issue, CNN bureau chief Sam Feist has led a team
    in building out "Breaking News" guidelines for CNN's stylebook,
    per the note.
  * "It certainly will need tweaks, so we are open to feedback, but
    this is a great starting point to try to make "Breaking News"
    mean something BIG is happening," Licht wrote.

The big picture: Zaslav and mentor and investor John Malone have been
public about their push to bring CNN back towards hard news coverage,
and away from progressive commentary.

  * Noting that the network is focused on "informing" and the truth,
    he said, "The tenor of our voice holistically has to reflect
    that."
  * "[W]e must be vital, relevant, and respected - and how we show up
    for our audiences, in every story, in every part of the country,
    and around the world, matters."

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