CNN Finally Reevaluates What Should Qualify As “Breaking News”

Finally responding to years of complaints from viewers and journalists alike that CNN has overused the “breaking news” banner across its various media platforms, an internal memo at the network now declares: “we are truth-tellers, focused on informing, not alarming our viewers.” To make this aspiration a reality, CNN bureau chief Sam Feist is leading an effort to create a new style guide at CNN that will govern the usage of the “breaking news” tag and try to limit it to situations when something actually big is happening. Sadly, the move may be too late and the damage may already be done. When you train a society to ignore anyone but the person who yells the loudest, promising to yell less often hardly seems like it will make a difference.