CNN Marketing Time Magazine's Gitmo Story

Last night around midnight I ran across a story on CNN.com that really got my blood boiling (see yesterday's rant):

Time report fuels Guantanamo criticism

While exercising my morning ritual of internet perusal, it occurred to me that not one major news organization other than CNN was reporting on the new scandal out of Gitmo. It then occurred to me that I had made a dreadful mistake. You may recall (and if you don’t you can look down) that I titled my blog entry:

‘20th Hijacker 'Tortured' with Aguilera Music’

I promptly did a search of the article and found that the word ‘torture’ did not appear in it. The actions taken against Mohammed al-Qahtani were called ‘treatment’, ‘interrogations’, ‘interrogation techniques’ and ‘such things’, but never ‘torture’. Initially, I pondered how bad I would look if any of the fringe lefties that check out this site happened to notice my error. (fortunately, none did, so I am able to out myself unscathed)

I was in the midst of refining my defense, but a recurring theme continued making its way to the forefront of my thoughts. Why all the stir about Mr. al-Qahtani's 'treatment' if American actions weren’t torture? This line of thought continued for a few minutes until I happened to take a look at the baseball page on CNNSI. When I am stumped on something, I normally check out baseball and the answer comes to me. That's a trade secret, so consider yourselves special. As I was reading about Atlanta's humiliating loss last night, I was slapped by a rude dose of reality.

As a Braves fan I should have seen it sooner. If you look down to the far left corner of any CNN.com page, you will see the following:

‘A Time Warner Company’

Time Warner is using its news service, CNN, to market its 'less than a scandal' article that is coming out in a week. What better way to sell magazines. Pump up the 'scandal' in the news so that the story itself is a story. Make sure your news organ gives your magazine credit for the find. Get the left into a tizzy. Put up another article the next day with the Republican response. (Cheney: Guantanamo policy 'is the correct one') Then put the magazines on the shelves.

I have been an unwilling dupe. So have those Republicans who felt the need to turn on the administration over this ‘report’.

It then occurred to me that I had made another mistake. Time wasn’t covering for Newsweek. They were attempting to sell magazines at the expense of Newsweek. What a plan. Write an article similar to the Newsweek story, but make sure not to use a source that is anonymous or wrong. Granted, there isn’t much to the story, but its close enough to get all of the libs on board. Get your news arm to market it for you and voilà, big bucks.

Time Warner's actions are pathetic. Not only does Time go to bat for a would-be assassin of innocent Americans who was forced to listen to bad music, but they have to taint CNN by using them to promote their rag.

All of you nutty lefties who attack ‘big oil’ and Haliburton never say a word about ‘big media’. Time has shown that they are willing to sacrifice independent news to sell magazines. It may sound far fetched. But if I'm wrong, so what! I'm only following the current day standards for reporting conspiracies.

So remember, as you read your America bashing copy of Time, you are supporting an enterprise just as greedy and un-ethical as any in the country. Have a nice read.

Note: In anticipation of a question I am sure is going to be asked:

Yes, this does put the Braves on equal footing with the Nats in regards to who I will not support. Fortunately, it will be football season soon.