What happened to CNN?

At one point in time, CNN could honestly say they were the most trusted name in news. Unfortunately, they haven't been the same since they felt that the OJ Simpson trial warranted 24 hour coverage. Since then, CNN has fallen down a slippery slope of sensational pseudo-journalism.

It wasn't all bad of course. In a William Hung sort of way, CNN was amusing to watch for a while, quite simply because they were still trying to produce serious journalism... but falling short of the mark everytime. One of my favorite CNN moments is when they had a web survey that asked the question "Do you vote?". Shockly enough, 98% of the respondents voted yes!

I haven't watched CNN for a while, because I'm starting to abandon television in general. I've dismissed it as old media, like the telegraph. I confess that I do miss those old CNN gems like:

• Sonia Live: An interactive talk show where mostly unintelligent people get to voice their opinions on national television.
• Lou Dobbs: Who I actually respect as a financial reporter, but who was also obsessed with the problem of exporting American jobs overseas.
• That guy they sent into disaster zones: I don't remember who his name is, but if there was a hurricane, he'd be there with a yellow raincoat and a microphone. It was just terrible, but funny.
• Crossfire: I really do miss this one the most. It was a show that really communicated nothing but blind-partisan bickering between Democrats and Republicans. In the end, the show was done in by a visit from John Stewart, who called them out.
• Glenn Beck: I only found out about this show recently. This is CNN's attempt at copying John Stewart's witty self-deprecating style. The problem is that Glenn lacks the intelligence, charm, and subtle style that John Stewart has... and in the end Glenn Beck comes off as a bit of a self-righteous ass.

Unfortunately, the CNN of today is a bit painful to watch. I guess it's only funny if they're not in on the joke. Do you think that William Hung has figured it out yet?