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* Gov. Pat Quinn appeared on MSNBC’s “The Ed Show” this week to talk about Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Quinn told the host that he watches the show almost every night. Quinn’s appearance begins about six minutes into the video, which is here.

I’ve never watched more than a few minutes of that program. I despise cable news, and that’s one of the worst shows I’ve ever seen. Man, talk about shrill. And Quinn’s admission about being a loyal watcher sure tells us a lot about his partisan bent.

But, hey, some people dig that cable stuff, so…

* The Question: How often do you watch cable news programs? What do you watch the most? What do you dislike the most?

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:12 pm

Comments

Wait, can’t we talk about the pause and the look of panic in Quinn’s eyes about 7.5 minutes in, when Ed asks him how he treats public sector workers? Quinn eventually says in Illinois we “honor” workers. He doesn’t mention he refuses to honor the workers’ union contract.

Comment by Jeff Park Mom Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:22 pm
It takes far too much time and energy to get to a morsel of useful information, so I try to avoid cable news and related programming.

Comment by Coach Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:24 pm
we try to watch Chris Matthews and some of the wing nut Fox stuff for “balance”. we would find hard to believe an indy/undecided voter watches either because it is mostly hate speech from teh heads filling the screen.

Also beginning to wonder when these reporters do any writing or reporting because they are always on

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:24 pm
I flip to “Morning Joe” sometimes when the local news goes into whacky mode.

“Hannity” and “Reilly” are all heat and no light.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:26 pm
Cable news….everyday. I like to catch Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper on CNN and Rachel Maddow & Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC. Wolf & Anderson are more for newsy, non-opinion stories for me. I like Maddow and O’Donnell because they are intelligent and funny. They also seem to understand that not everyday or every minute of the show needs to be screaming, blood boiling hot air. That’s in contrast to people like Ed Schultz, Sean Hannity, and others who just like to scream all day without any kind of intellectual exercise. I used to watch O’Reilly on FNC, but I got burned out on Fox. However, for some laughs I do like to catch their Red Eye show overnight.

I don’t watch each of these shows everyday, but I like to catch at least one or two of them unless there’s a Cubs/Bulls/Hawks/Sox game on.

Comment by Aaron Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:31 pm
Morning Joe (or as i call it, Morning Mika), Hardball occasionally.
while i disagree with much of Joe’s politics, I do like connections to music and sports that mix with the politics.

I hate the crusading aspect of cable. they get on one issue and cover it endlessly. Once upon a time, cable would be a good source for breaking news of all sorts. now, one can read the crawl, but the talk is narrowcasting.

while it is mostly available on cable now, I would not call BBCNews America cable news but rather amazing news coverage. Katty Kay rocks.

Comment by amalia Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:38 pm
I watch Joe Scarborough before I go to work to catch up on national politics. I sometimes watch Rachel Maddow in the evening. Everything else is just noise.

Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:41 pm
I will occassionaly watch the Daily Show and the Colbert Report, not your standard news shows.

I can’t stand to watch any of the others. I wouldn’t call them news shows they are more like
news reality TV shows.

Even the regular news shows get to be a bit much. I did not watch the news last night or this morning which a change from my normal routine. I have seen just about all I can absorb regarding the current four big news stories that are hashed and rehashed and on and on ad nauseum.

Comment by Irish Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:42 pm
Daily Show when I can; otherwise, nothing on any regular basis except PBS

Comment by D.P. Gumby Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:46 pm
Q1: How often do you watch cable news programs?
A1: Never.

Q2: What do you watch the most?
A2: I used to watch Maddow. Got out of the habit and don’t feel any less informed for not watching.

Q3: What do you dislike the most?
A3: Every opponent is satanic, every misstep is a calamity and every bad decision is motivated by hate. Those things are true about some people, some missteps and some bad decisions, but when everyone and everything is the worst thing ever it all starts to sound like a malfunctioning car alarm.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:46 pm
WARNING: All MSNBC shows are intended for entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by MSNBC hosts should not be taken seriously. Excessive viewing of MSNBC may result in screaming, unexpected periods of angry outbursts, and a temporary loss of all hope for America. The Surgeon General recommends anyone watching MSNBC for any period of time exceeding ten minutes to immediately listen to conservative talk radio, pray for America, and/or contribute a sum no less than $25 to a conservative candidate of your choice. MSNBC is not intended for children — but only for adults who act like children.

Comment by Scott McCoy Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:49 pm
I’m totally addicted to C-Span’s morning talk show. It’s the voice of America speaking! They also read current news on the hour, I think. I also like the Weather Channel, they bounce around many topics on the live show. Fox News and all three local channels take the rest of my time. I wish I could set some type of device that would just go thru those channels and stay 10 minutes or so and then on to the next. I’m a news nut tho.

Comment by Fan of Cap Fax Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:51 pm
The Daily Show and Colbert Report put them all to shame. Sadly, they often include more substance…

Comment by Left Leaner Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:53 pm
Can’t stand “Madcow”. Mathews is too slanted and is a drama queen. CNN is worthless. Listen to radio more than I watch cable anything.

Comment by Blago's Hare Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:54 pm
Cable news makes my head explode. I compare it with having a 10 pound flour bag and filling it with the same 1 pound of flour 10 times. I’ll take the BBC any day over what we have on cable.

Comment by conservatively liberal Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:54 pm
Never watch any of the cable or network news; not worth the time for the limited information value.

Comment by Retired Non-Union Guy Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:55 pm
I prefer print or pbs/npr…more news. Don’t understand your problem with cable…no worse than free tv.

Comment by doug dobmeyer Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 12:56 pm
The only time I watch cable news is for national news coverage. NPR in the morning, capitol fax all day along with drudge, evenings are reserved for ESPN, music, or CSPAN

Comment by John A Logan Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:00 pm
I used to watch Olbermann before he totally went off the deep end a few years back. Every once and a while Morning Joe when local am tv becomes to inane. Daily Show regularly and sometimes Colbert .

Comment by Abby Normal Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:06 pm
Can’t stand Hannity - he asks a question and then constantly talks over the guest when they attempt to respond.

Comment by kerfuffle Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:14 pm
Manage to stomach maybe 5 minutes of CNN Headline News on occasion but the rest of cable “news” blows. Maddox, Stewart, Hannity - cannot listen/watch anyone regurgitate opinion as though it’s fact.

Comment by Sgt Schultz Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:16 pm
I watch none of it, but I do log onto cnn.com everyday just to make sure the world isn’t on fire. My main problem with cnn.com is they mix opinion links with actual news links, and their headlines are incredibly sensational and not often fair to the story.

I once had an opportunity to work in a congressional office in DC and turned it down bc I couldn’t imagine having to react to whatever idiot said something on a cable news show the night before.

My news usually comes from the right hand side of capfax.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:19 pm
Sportscenter.

‘Nuff Said.

Comment by Abu Iskandr Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:22 pm
Morning Joe is OK in small bites. Maddow and ODonnel at least have room to have sense of humor. FOX lasts two minutes. CNN is bland. I tend to flip the channels a lot depending what’s on and drift back to the news heads if the other 85 channels are boring. However Ancient Aliens has taught me how UFOs and visitors from space have actually controlled everything for years so why bother.

Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:22 pm
I don’t watch them for the same reason a worker at a meat packing plant avoids eating hot dogs.

The failings of 24-hour cable news are partly the fault of the format: what they do to most efficiently and economically fill the “news hole” is often anathema to real journalism.

Sending real reporters and camera crews to locations to research and then report back costs too much time and money. What’s easier is to drag an “expert” into the main studios or those of an affiliate, and depose them over the satellite. The next half hour is then devoted to going back over the stuff you just got, in ever-widening circles, getting the reaction, the reaction *to * that reaction, viewer’s feedback to the reaction to the reaction, etc.

And in this way, they stretch one original piece of reportage like a poor mom stretches a Sunday chicken dinner across most of the following week; They make a hash out of it.

And always, everything is framed with often false urgency, or with teasing, infuriating invective and innuendo, so as to get your blood pressure up, keep you angry or afraid or both, and keep your eyes glued thru the commercials for any sign of hope or answers.

From right or left, none of it is particularly good or useful. Ted Turner himself is ashamed of what he built with such high hopes.

Comment by Newsclown Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:23 pm
Take this, and Insert Fox for some,

WARNING: All MSNBC shows are intended for entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by MSNBC hosts should not be taken seriously. Excessive viewing of MSNBC may result in screaming, unexpected periods of angry outbursts, and a temporary loss of all hope for America. The Surgeon General recommends anyone watching MSNBC for any period of time exceeding ten minutes to immediately listen to conservative talk radio, pray for America, and/or contribute a sum no less than $25 to a conservative candidate of your choice. MSNBC is not intended for children — but only for adults who act like children.

Comment by I'm Just Saying Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:30 pm
I hate cable news. On major primary days/nights and election day/night, I will watch CNN because it’s about as down-the-middle as cable news gets. I also really like John King because he is one of the more knowledgeable info persons who actually uses data and tells you what is REALLY happening as opposed to nearly entering the initial stage of pulmonary thrombosis. Watching Rachel Maddow or Sean Hannity is like viewing a condensed version of the agonizingly-long and monologue-filled radio talk shows that are syndicated across the country.

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:47 pm
The comments are interesting. I am frankly surprised at how many responders don’t like cable news and/or don’t like FNC.
How often do I watch? - every weekday.
What do I watch? - FNC almost always. I think it’s ratings indicate a bigger following than this comment threat would suggest. I like O’Reilly, but don’t like when he talks over guests (unless they go on with talking points too long). I like “The Five” and “Special Report”. Guys like Brit Hume, Brett Baier, and Niel Cavuto don’t engage in over-the-top presentations and cover issues intelligently. Fox does have intelligent liberal contributors (like Jaun Williams, Alan Colmes, Bob Beckel, Kirsten Powers and Leslie Marshall, among others).
What don’t I like? - Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews, Ed Schultz….all very slanted, and mean-spirited. I also don’t like most of local “news” coverage; cable news surely repeats stories over the day, but local news is more about station promotion and commercials than anything newsworthy….remember when local channels had “Commentary”?

Comment by JustaJoe Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:48 pm
oops, meant “…comment thread…”

Comment by JustaJoe Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:50 pm
Special Report with Brett Bair, the O’reilly Factor. I can do without Hannity, Greta V., and Fox Morning Show. Good Morning America in the a.m. CNN is just ok at best and their website sucks. MSLSD is a joke. Steven Colbert is hilarious. During the day I get everything I need right here…thanks Rich!

Comment by Cooper Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:51 pm
I am aware of the shows on election nights since they are usually on where we are gathering. For really breaking news (i.e. Bin Laden’s death) I watch. Other than that, almost never. Can’t stand Fox for reasons others have mentioned — “all our opponents are motivated by evil” — and don’t care for the echo chamber that MSNBC can be. Overall, they all just seem like whiners.

Comment by Skeeter Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:53 pm
I don’t watch infomercials.

Comment by JN Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:53 pm
The Five on Fox is really the only cable news show I watch now.

Comment by DoubleDown Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 1:59 pm
JustaJoe:

We don’t watch FNC because if I wanted to watch a conservative rally I would go to one.

******

I shy away from both the FNC and MSNBC. They are hyper-partisan and annoy me. If I choose to watch cable news I go with CNN usually. I’m more of an internet reader.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:00 pm
I love cable news! I have Morning Joe and Chuck Todd on every morning. If I am near a TV for lunch, I watch Megan Kelly and I would definitely recommend Brett Bair (sp ?)at 5:00. If I don’t have plans for the evening, I watch Chris Matthews just so I can laught AT him! The last time I watched broadcast news, Peter Jennings was the anchor.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:00 pm
How often? Most days.

What? Morning Joe or Hardball are all I can watch on MSNBC. Daily Show/Colbert. Hardball occasionally. CNN. Nothing on FoxNews though I actually don’t mind O’Reilly for some reason; he isn’t always pure party line.

What do I dislike the most? Ed Schultz/O’Donnell and Hannity/Fox Morning crew all make me cringe; especially Schultz/Hannity - their lack of self-awareness of their own hypocrisy as they attack the other side is laughable.

Comment by Robert Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:04 pm
I used to watch every day. Maddow, Schultz, O’Donnell, and even Sharpton at times. However, I became pretty burned out by all of it, so I rarely watch at all anymore.
By the same token , I also despise FNC.
Both these channels pull more FAUX emergenices and national crises out of their aft ends than aqnyone with a sane mine and an IQ greater than 35 can bear.
Someone above commented on BBC. They are pretty good. I often times look at Al-Jezeera as well.

train111

Comment by train111 Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:05 pm
UP with Chris Hayes, weekend mornings on MSNBC. Really great panels, civil discussions, and much more intellectual analysis rather than ‘horse race’ reporting. I highly recommend it. Otherwise, cable news is good on election nights and that’s about it.

Comment by chi Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:09 pm
Sports Center junkie

CNN for election coverage

Comment by Stateline Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:10 pm
I really watch none of it, except when I’m channel surfing and see a guest that might have something interesting to say. I think the worst may be Nancy Grace, but she has lots of competition.

O’Reilly, Maddow, some of the others are quite bright and articulate, but they are so driven by their agendas that they rarely provide news, just opinion. Tell me the facts: I am perfectly capable of opining without your help.

At least though, it is educated and informed opinion, unlike some of the far worse.

Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:33 pm
I usually watch FOX News. I like Bill OReilly and can tolerate Sean Hannity but sometimes his program doesn’t seem much different than some of the MSNBC hosts

Comment by Levois Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:44 pm
The last time I watched any cable news programs, Wolf Blitzer was hunkering under a desk in Baghdad. I harbor much fonder memories of Floyd Kalber and Ulmer Turner.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:44 pm
minimal. chris matthews has problems but I like the old school guys he brings on like ed rendell and he at least isn’t a 25-35 year old with a pretty face and no experience in politics. I of course watch some fox, but it’s gotten ridiculous over the last several years and a lot of Republicans I know on the more moderate end have stopped watching it entirely.

Comment by Shore Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:48 pm
I watch the shows less and less all the time, for all the reasons above. The Daily Show is the only one I watch regularly. I use to watch some of the others, but they keep getting worse.

Comment by Rufus Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:50 pm
Cable has news?

Comment by LIberty_first Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 2:55 pm
Never, it’s not news. And strange that Quinn is constantly ripping Walker when he’s in the same camp as Walker when it comes to corporate welfare and screwing hard working union members.

Comment by Flan Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 3:07 pm
A couple thing…
Ratings show that fewer people watch MSNBC and CNN than ever. This means that everyone who watches those lame excuses as news POSTED here today.

I watch Bob Beckel on Fox’s The Five and Greg Gutfeld on Red Eye at 2am when kids keep me awake - often daily.

PS Cable is for Disney Channel to keep pre schoolers quiet.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 3:09 pm
Never thought some people might just be trying to flatter their interviewer?

Comment by wow Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 3:13 pm
I never go near Fox News—I think what is finally happening to Murdock and the wiretapping scandal is all you really need to know about his “news” empire. I like Anderson Cooper for real “news” and turn to Maddow and O’Donnell when, as a member of the choir, I want to be preached at. Ed Schultz? Frankly I don’t like yelling even if I might agree with what is being yelled.

Comment by Chevy owner/Ford County Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 3:25 pm
I watch Shep Smith, Bret Baier, and Imus. Also watch Beckel and enjoy his quips.

Enjoy Krauthammer the most with the panel and like Chris Matthews and Maddow the least.

Comment by Sunshine Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 3:36 pm
The only news program I watch is Chicago Tonight. The rest of it–cable and network, rightwing, leftwing or balanced–is crap.

Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 3:46 pm
I’m never able to catch my regular ones on TV so just play their audio podcasts in the background that night and next morning: Chris Matthews (only gives the five main minutes of the show), Rachel Maddow (though getting a bit too slanted on Romney even for me), Erin Burnett (just did a good segment with Netanyahu)

I’m new to Burnett, but like her so far. I really wanted to like Anderson Cooper, but he gets too stuck on one news subject for days.

Comment by COPN Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 4:04 pm
Morning Joe is the best “talking heads” show on TV. Balanced, informative, funny and accurate! Try it, you’ll like it.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 4:06 pm
The only one I watch is REDEYE with greg gutfeld.

Comment by A modest proposal Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 4:57 pm
Anon….have to agree with you on Morning Joe. Completely agree (can’t believe I forgot to mention it). The Daily Rundown that comes on after is also a very good “just the facts Ma’am” political show.

Comment by Chevy owner/Ford County Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 4:57 pm
I hate ‘em all, and Schultz may be second to Nancy Grace as the absolute worst.

Comment by JJB Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 5:14 pm
Judging by the responses, I’m heartened to lelarn that CapFax’s readership doesn’t take cable news seriously. Like video gaming in bars (at least for the foreseeable future), it’s for “entertainment purposes only.” That’s why the most successful talkers — O’Reilly, Olbermann (at least until he enivitably shoots himself in the foot) — are the most successful. Which, admittedly, doesn’t explain the success of no-talents like Hannity (he should give his entire paycheck to O’Reilly for providing him with a lead-in audience).

Comment by Soxfan Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 5:15 pm
PBS Newshour and Chicago Tonight

Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 5:18 pm
” Fox does have intelligent liberal contributors (like Jaun Williams, Alan Colmes, Bob Beckel, Kirsten Powers and Leslie Marshall, among others).”

Wow, I can’t believe that anyone believes such nonsense.

Comment by wishbone Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 7:13 pm
I can’t watch it, it’s far too aggravating. Newt Minnow was right about TV being a vast wasteland and cable has taken that to a new low.

One exception: I peak in to Fox News on election days when the GOP is expected to take a beating and when the GOP presidential candidates tear into each other at the debates. When Fox is forced to be critical of GOP candidates, that is when it is most entertaining to watch.

CNN, MSNBC etc are no better than Fox either, nor are the networks for that matter. At least the networks limit themselves to 30 minutes of national news per evening. That’s enough infotainment for me.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 8:02 pm
Morning Joe… I watch almost every morning. can be a little liberal if Joe is not on.

Comment by Lance Stevens Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 8:36 pm
Walter Cronkite = Times Warner Collection. History is almost as good the second time around.

Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 8:44 pm
I don’t pay for TV.

If someone wants to pay me to watch TV, I ask that you contact Rich & that Rich forward the message to me.

Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr. Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 10:20 pm
I watch Special Report with Brett Baier and especially enjoy the Fox All Stars. Then, I sample other evening programs on Fox and CNN. I never watch MSNBC; even Chris Matthews has become a Democrat Party shill.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 11:54 pm
A little Fox, a little MSNBC, mostly CNN. Having watched all for years CNN is currently the most balanced. Fox is probably second but way way behind, MSNBC has little after Morning Joe worth watching - except for their weekend morning news.

Comment by otownie Friday, Apr 27, 12 @ 8:31 am
Ed of the “ED-SHOW” is just a far left, crass & angry individual . Poor fella’

Comment by annon Friday, Apr 27, 12 @ 8:45 am
The only time I have watched news on TV in the past five years was the ‘08 election and Bin Laden’s death. And I don’t intend to watch any coverage of election night this fall. TV is the worst possible way to get your news to begin with, and once you water down journalistic standards to today’s level it’s downright dangerous to base your knowledge of the world on cable news.

That said, Daily Show and Colbert, every day. I rarely learn new information, but find the take on the news a vital component of my info intake. And seriously, did you see Herman Cain on Monday? It was glorious, absolutely amazing.

As for reading: NPR (every day, both ways on the commute), CapFax, HuffPo, Drudge, Slate, Salon (hate the redesign), Fark, and just for giggles, WorldNewsDaily.

If I had to recommend just two sources of info that are sufficient for someone who doesn’t like to read as much as I do, I would say that NPR and Fark.com/politics will be sufficient to keep you in the know on things of national importance. turn it on the car, flip through the headlines once a day for 15 minutes, and you can keep the screaming heads off all night long and still know more than them.

Comment by Colossus Friday, Apr 27, 12 @ 10:10 am