CNN = The Social Networking News Network?

The Wrap’s Lucas Shaw writes about CNN’s social media endeavors…

And it has paid off in higher ratings — if not overall, at least on big-event nights.

“To say that there is a direct correlation [between ratings points and social] right now would not be the right thing to say,” Ghuneim told TheWrap. “But there is definitely a correspondence. This is the beginning of the ability for networks to value their media based on engagement and not just reach.”

CNN agrees. “I don’t think anyone can make case that there’s this causation where what happens on social media cause big ratings,” Steve Krakauer, senior digital producer for CNN, told TheWrap. “But on some of big events there’s a correlation.”

When asked why the social-media advantage hasn’t benefitted the network’s overall ratings, Krakauer said the Twitter population doesn’t represent the average viewer. Twitter in particular can be dominated by the media yammering about one thing or another with little regard for who’s actually watching what on TV.

Cable News Mob Wars: Clash of the Egos…

TVNewser’s Chris Ariens writes about a return of inter-network sniping in primetime…

It’s not new, but these back and forth shots do seem to be on the rise. And it’s clear why these networks produce these segments: to defend themselves, to go after their competitors and to play directly to the bifurcated cable news audience. Fox News viewers love to hate MSNBC, and MSNBC viewers can’t find much love for Fox.

I’m going to refine what Ariens wrote above. The rise can be traced mostly to two things.

1) Rush Limbaugh and the limited yet notable success pressure groups have gotten getting at him and his advertisers. It was all too obvious that once Rush got brought into the crosshairs by Liberals, Conservatives were going to do their part in this “mutually assured destruction” routine. It’s like a mob war. One guy gets hit and suddenly it’s time to go to the mattresses and everyone’s a potential target. And like your typical mob war things will stay this way for a while until everyone has racked up enough damage that things quiet down.

2) The 2012 Election season – With candidates running around politicizing everything and making lots of red meat statements to their bases, it’s only natural that the pundits are going to weigh in on those statements. Once the pundits weigh in, the ones that disagree are going weigh on on the disagreers. And it escalates and gets more heated. This too will die down once the election ends.

Off the Al Sharpton Focus Reservation…

Media Research Center President Brent Bozell apparently didn’t get the memo that Al Sharpton is the MSNBC target de jour for conservatives looking to get a liberal scalp after the attacks on Rush Limbaugh. Nope, our man Brent is all fixated on Ed Schultz and sent out two letters, one to MSNBC President Phil Griffin telling him to resign for hiring Schultz and the other to Comcast telling them to fire Schultz. Well at least he has his bases covered…not that it will get him anywhere.

All fooling around aside, take a look at Ed’s “greatest hits” that Bozell notes. It’s not a pretty record and I don’t want to minimize that aspect of Bozell’s crusade because I too have teed off on it in the past.

Free for All: 03/15/12

What’s on your mind?