Lou Dobbs quits in surprise restoration of CNN brand
Media Matters wins this round, and CNN gets to go back to being a no drama news network. From the New York Times:
Months ago the president of CNN/U.S., Jonathan Klein, spelled out two options for Lou Dobbs, the channel’s most outspoken anchor. Mr. Dobbs could vent his opinions on radio and anchor an objective newscast on television, or he could leave CNN altogether.
On Wednesday Mr. Dobbs made his decision: He chose opinion.
Mr. Dobbs told viewers that he was resigning from his CNN job immediately. Sitting before an image of an American flag on his studio set, he said “some leaders in media, politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at CNN and to engage in constructive problem solving as well as to contribute positively to the great understanding of the issues of our day.”
He remained vague about how he would contribute “to the national conversation,” saying that he was considering “a number of options and directions.”
The abrupt announcement caught even some of his closest staff members by surprise. They were told about the decision only hours before Mr. Dobbs’s 7 p.m. program. CNN said it would name a replacement for Mr. Dobbs on Thursday morning.
Mr. Klein said in a statement that “Lou has now decided to carry the banner of advocacy journalism elsewhere.”
“All of us will miss his appetite for big ideas, the megawatt smile and larger than life presence he brought to our newsroom,” he said.
I must say this actually isn’t a surprise. It was hard to see how the network that just gave Christiane Amanpour a show, right after Fareed Zakaria, could continue to be the home of an increasingly Hannity-esque talk radio guy. (Dobbs can be charming, and was very nice when I interviewed him on the radio a couple of years ago, but his show had become an unwatchable amalgam of obsessive immigration rants and anti-Obama conspiracy theories.) So where might Dobbs go (besides his radio show?) Geraldo seemed confident last week that he had secured a promise from the bosses at Fox not to hire Dobbs — who is famously feuding with Mr. Rivera over the latter’s accusations that Dobbs has demonized Hispanic undocumented immigrants. Pro-immigrant groups like Presente, which have been calling for Dobbs to be fired from the otherwise straight news network, applauded the departure. Media Matters, which has also led the anti-Dobbs charge, issued this statement:
“For too long, CNN provided Lou Dobbs with its stamp of approval as he pursued a dangerous, one-sided and all too often false conspiracy tinged crusade against immigrants,” said Eric Burns, president of Media Matters. “This is a happy day for all those who care about this nation of immigrants and believe in the power of media to elevate the political discourse.”
Any guesses as to who will replace Dobbs in primetime would be pure speculation, but my money is on Roland Martin, assuming such a move would not conflict with his duties at TV One. As for Dobbs, I wouldn’t be surprised if he stays focused on radio, and tries for a reboot online, a la Sarah Palin.
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