Is Ventura News or Entertainment?
By DAVID BAUDER, AP
NEW YORK (AP), Minnesota Gov. Jesse
Ventura's return to the wrestling ring blends politics and entertainment in a novel
fashion and, as a result, gave cable news networks an interesting test of how it defined
news.
MSNBC's Laura Ingraham brought presidential contender John McCain on to talk
about his campaign Wednesday, and he found himself competing for air time with pictures of
Ventura in a feather boa and jewel-studden sunglasses.
Like MSNBC, Fox News Channel aired live coverage of Ventura's announcement that
he'll referee a World Wrestling Federation match next month. CNN ignored it.
``You can do news events and still have fun,'' John Moody, Fox News Channel's
vice president for news, said Wednesday. Fox commentator Dick Morris, called the
event ``a ritual political suicide ... In the last 15 minutes, this man has destroyed his
political career,'' he said.
McCain's interview with Ingraham about his campaign was preceded by Ventura's
news conference. McCain was answering a question about Ventura's political future when
MSNBC switched back to the news conference, leaving the Arizona senator looking slightly
perturbed. CNN thought Ventura's announcement wasn't particularly newsworthy,
spokesman Earl Casey said. CNN was covering the arrest of a suspect in the railroad killer
case and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's visit to the United States.
``It was our decision at the time to give more topical information to our
viewers,'' Casey said.
CNN was also queasy about airing live video provided by the WWF to promote a
pay-per-view event. CNN founder Ted Turner's TNT network also telecast World Championship
Wrestling events, and the WCW is the WWF's competitor.
Moody admitted Fox considered whether it was being used to promote an event but
thought he couldn't pass up the event. Fox used the WWF's video.
``Jesse Ventura is a political phenomenon,'' he said. ``There is no other way to
describe him. To come from his background and be elected governor is a political rarity.
Therefore, he's newsworthy.''
NBC had its own news crew at Ventura's announcement, said Bob Epstein, MSNBC
executive producer. He said covering the event was a perfect fit with Ingraham's show,
which tries to mix politics and culture.
``It really did show how these lines have been crossed and merged into one,''
Epstein said.
