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Article: CNN Hopes New Strategy Will Help It Beat Fox News in Ratings.
- Article from:
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Article date:
- April 7, 2002
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Matt Kempner
Apr. 7--Last spring, CNN Chairman Tom Johnson had uncomfortable conversations with advisers who blew in from Hollywood with Johnson's new boss, Jamie Kellner.
The West Coast guys had ideas for how to jazz up the Atlanta-based network, which was looking more and more frumpy next to rival channels with flashy graphics, high energy and party personalities.
"I kept hearing words like `hot' and `sizzle,"' said Johnson, who retired in June. "It troubled me."
Publicly, Kellner said CNN only needed "a fresh coat of paint." Privately, "he told oe he thought CNN needed a new DNA," Johnson said.
Either way, Kellner ...