For any media platform, it can be tough being all things to all people -- especially legacy, linear TV networks.
In the old days, the four broadcast TV networks pursued this with emphasis on the
word “broad” -- as in broadcasting versus narrowcasting.
The rise of cable TV networks pursued that differentiation for some time.
It's tougher now to go about that --
given the fractionalization of media, digital and otherwise.
Add in the increasingly siloed political leanings of TV viewers right now -- especially in the world of TV news coverage.
Upstart NewsNation continues to head in that direction, providing what it says is a much-needed, obvious and clear perspective -- an offering for both sides of the political divide.
A new
promo for the Nexstar Media Group news channel, called “News for All Americans," is touting among other things its new prime-time lineup:
“Elizabeth Vargas Reports” (7 p.m.);
“CUOMO” (8 p.m.), hosted by Chris Cuomo; “On Balance” (9 p.m.), hosted by Leland Vittert; “Katie Pavlich Tonight” (10 p.m.); and new show “Jesse Weber
Live” (11 p.m.)
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The promo starts with Cuomo offering up some initial words about NewsNation's effort --
reiterating the position the network has been pushing since its launch in 2020, as a network for everyone.
“Welcome to NewsNation, where right and left come to be reasonable. And that
isn';t just some tagline. It is what NewsNation is built to do because I don't think there is anything more.”
In between there is video of noted conservative TV news anchor/former Fox
News Channel host Bill O'Reilly, alongside Cuomo, next to outspoken ESPN personality, Stephen A. Smith.
While the visual is good, possibly a better selling point would be an example of a
reasoned approach when it comes to news coverage and/or news opinion.
The ending voiceover talks about “diverse voices, fresh perspectives with a respect for all of us.”
This is not new. Quality news TV networks have always sought both sides of a straight ahead news story. Has that middle ground changed?
Increasingly, prime-time opinion programming garners
wide viewing by dipping into that edgy siloed content.
It seems that reasonable middle ground is getting thinner, and tougher to define.
Is that what most viewers want now? And what
does that look like, exactly?