CNN head plans to take on Fox with more in-depth reporting

Jonathan Klein's priority is to convince viewers to watch CNN regularly - not just during breaking news, writes Joshua Chaffin…

Jonathan Klein's priority is to convince viewers to watch CNN regularly - not just during breaking news, writes Joshua Chaffin

During a recent public appearance in New York, Roger Ailes, Fox News chief, was asked if there was anything he envied about rival CNN. Ailes paused for a moment, drawing the audience forward in their seats. Then came his blunt reply: "No."

As the leader of the US's top-rated cable news channel, Ailes is entitled to make that response. This year, through till May 15th, Fox News Channel has drawn an average of 1.59 million viewers during prime time, compared with 795,000 for CNN's flagship US network, according to Nielsen Media Research.

For CNN, it falls to Jonathan Klein, head of its US network since November, to narrow the gap.

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Klein, who hails from CBS News and more recently founded a broadband video news company, is the fifth person to oversee US programming at CNN since 2000.

Although he plays down any direct competition with Fox - noting that CNN is fighting for viewers with many rivals, including the internet and video games - he is willing to draw a distinction.

"We go out and roll up our sleeves and report the news, and they talk about the news," he says.

His priority is to convince viewers to watch CNN regularly - not just during breaking news, when its ratings tend to spike.

One key to Fox's success is that its on-air talent has built a loyal fan base that tunes in each night during prime time, when networks generate most of their advertising sales. Fox's viewers also watch the network longer on average than viewers of CNN.

"We must let the audience know that we are essential viewing, even if there isn't a tsunami or the death of a pope," says Klein.

To accomplish that, he intends to move away from the talking-head shout-fests that have become the staple of cable television to focus on more in-depth reporting and storytelling.

"We want to pause and be more thoughtful," he says.

So far, changes have been small scale. Earlier this year, CNN announced that it would cancel Crossfire, the political debate show.

It also said that it would add a midday newscast from CNN International, consistent with Klein's belief that Americans have a greater appetite for foreign news since the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11th, 2001.

By comparison, CNN's domestic sister network, Headline News, has undergone a complete makeover. In February, it replaced its rolling news coverage with prime-time programming starring its new anchor, Nancy Grace, a voluble former prosecutor who tends to favour maximum justice.

With a style that seems borrowed from Fox, Ms Grace has pushed Headline News to become the number three cable news network.

Her emergence begs the question of what CNN will do about its prime-time line-up, the network's greatest weakness and a source of intense speculation.

CNN boasts only one ratings star, Larry King, who, at 71 years old, hardly seems like the network's future.

Klein says no personnel changes are imminent. Instead, he prefers to emphasise the values of "character" and "storytelling" that hark back to his CBS roots on the award-winning 60 Minutes news magazine.

Not everyone is convinced that CNN has been so high-minded under him.

"It's become so tabloid you can't watch it," one shareholder complained to Dick Parsons, chief executive of Time Warner, CNN's parent company, at last month's annual meeting. "It's because you're trying to outfox Fox, which you can't do."

CNN's extended coverage of the so-called "runaway bride", a Georgia woman who left her fiancé at the altar and hopped on a bus to Las Vegas, was criticised. Some viewers have also sensed a Fox-inspired shift to the right in such areas as CNN's branded coverage of homeland security.

Mr Klein defends his editorial choices.

"Security is a paramount concern to our viewers," he says, arguing that the subject is neither right nor left on the political spectrum.

He also fends off criticism of Lou Dobbs, the veteran CNN anchor, who has mounted a crusade against illegal immigration.

"Lou's earned the right over 25 years at CNN to offer a little more bite and opinion," Klein says.

Viewers respect his opinion because "it comes from the heart".

While it may be too soon to judge Mr Klein's programming, one area where he has improved over his predecessors is in matching Ailes's gamesmanship. Asked how soon he could be expected to challenge Fox, Mr Klein responds matter-of-factly: "We already beat them every day in terms of editorial quality."