YOU may not believe its self-important slogan, "The Most Trusted Name in News" – but CNN is definitely the most tanned name in news. Nearly 100 honchos at the ratings-challenged cable network jetted off to the Bahamas for some fun in the sun this week – much to the chagrin of other CNN rank and file who were left behind. TV gossip site FTVLive.com reports that among those hitting the beaches at the exclusive Atlantis resort on Paradise Island are Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide, and Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S. But the timing couldn’t be worse. As the CNN elite splashed in the blue-green sea and relaxed in 84-degree sunshine, the network suffered a jolting third-place finish among cable-news channels in its coverage of President Bush’s State of the Union address. While Fox News was way out in front in the crucial age 25-54 demographic with 1.17 million viewers, the usually last-place MSNBC was second in the category with 751,000 viewers, followed by CNN’s 668,000. The FTVLive site says that while "CNN suits are partying it up," network lackeys back home are "trying to keep a lid" on the tropical trip. "CNN claims that they exceeded their financial budgets so instead of putting it back into the company and giving some much deserved raises, they decided to break their arms by patting themselves on the back," the Web site said. "[There are] a lot of unhappy people in Atlanta, especially those who didn’t get to go on the trip," the site reports. "Sadly, we also hear that there will be people who won’t be getting raises this year due to ‘cutbacks.’ Well, except for Anderson Cooper – he’s the golden child." Cooper just signed a new contract for $4 million a year. Rooms at the Atlantis for a week range from $3,200 to $10,185, and the tasting menu at the Nobu outpost there goes for $150 per person. Messages left at the rooms of Walton and Klein were not returned. A CNN mouthpiece wouldn’t comment to Page Six on the trip, how much it cost or any unrest among the troops, instead crowing: "We’re coming off a phenomenally successful year, both in terms of ratings and profit growth, and senior management is hatching plans for continued success."
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Why is he still there? I never understood why they let him run CNN after he ran CNNSI into the ground?
