Longtime ESPN Anchor Linda Cohn Agrees: Liberal Politics Is Driving Viewers Away

[Spike]

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you most likely know that ESPN just went through massive layoffs. The reason behind the layoffs? Don't miss the politics factor.

How many times have you or someone you know said the following, “Why doesn’t ESPN just stick to sports?” or “Since when did ESPN become a political channel?” Well, apparently Linda Cohn, who has been with the network for over 25 years, thinks politics IS partly to blame for the layoffs. In an interview this past Friday with WABC’s “Bernie and Sid Show,” Cohn spoke about the loss of viewership the network has been experiencing.

Cohn, when asked if she feels there was a “distaste” among viewers for politics invading the programming decisions, said she feels it that is “definitely a percentage of it....I don’t know how big a percentage,” she said, “but if anyone wants to ignore that fact, then they’re blind. And that’s what I meant about the core group of what made ESPN so successful.”

Cindy Boren of The Washington Post elaborated:

Whether ESPN got there first or was merely led by athletes, who are increasingly becoming vocal about politics and social justice, doesn’t really matter in the face of criticism that has become a nearly constant presence. ESPN was ripped almost two years ago for giving Caitlyn Jenner its Arthur Ashe Courage Award over Lauren Hill, the Mount St. Joseph basketball player who had brain cancer. The criticism continued over its coverage of Colin Kaepernick last year and his protest of the national anthem.

The network roamed farther and farther away from coverage, running near-constant debates with “hot takes” that can alienate viewers. Fandom can be polarizing enough without politics creeping into things.

Despite ESPN’s claim that their lack of viewership and recent layoffs are the result of streaming online video platforms, one thing is for certain – just as the news media couldn't suppress a tone of panic and loathing over Donald Trump and helped sink Hillary Clinton, ESPN seems to be following in their footsteps by choosing politics over audience-building.

http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb...nchor-agrees-liberal-politics-driving-viewers

-------------------------

The Trump Effect strikes again!

 

[hamster]

It just shows how out of touch these coastal media types are with the heartland of the country.They know what politics are good for us and they are going to shove it down out throats whether we like it or not. Dumbasses.

 

[76steelers]

I don't watch ESPN. I want to enjoy sports not be told how to be politically correct

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[Tim Steelersfan]

Has anyone watched The 6 or whatever it is called with Jemele Hill and Michael Smith (I think?)? It's on at times here. They are so in Lefty Land it's absurd. Twice in the past week they've brought up Colin Kaepernick. They are working - working hard - to portray him as a good guy. Today they showed him giving away suits in New York or something and they smiled at each other while saying "But yeah he's a bad dude" and they both laughed. Last week they had some black writer on who said anyone who was against him simply can't understand him and alluded to anyone in disagreement is simply racist.

That show is complete bullshit. I urge you to try to watch it at some point.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

Has anyone watched The 6 or whatever it is called with Jemele Hill and Michael Smith (I think?)? It's on at times here. They are so in Lefty Land it's absurd. Twice in the past week they've brought up Colin Kaepernick. They are working - working hard - to portray him as a good guy. Today they showed him giving away suits in New York or something and they smiled at each other while saying "But yeah he's a bad dude" and they both laughed. Last week they had some black writer on who said anyone who was against him simply can't understand him and alluded to anyone in disagreement is simply racist.

That show is complete bullshit. I urge you to try to watch it at some point.

I believe you've just convinced us all not to watch it.

 

[xjx]

I never watch the horseshit on espn. They suck. They all suck.

 

[Steeltime]

I used to watch ESPN several hours per day. I have not watched that channel, except for MNF, at all for several years.

And I mean AT ALL, where I was a "Baseball Tonight" addict.

F@#$ ESPN, in the ***, with a barb-wire wrapped cactus.

 

[Yinzerlyn]

Has anyone watched The 6 or whatever it is called with Jemele Hill and Michael Smith (I think?)? It's on at times here. They are so in Lefty Land it's absurd. Twice in the past week they've brought up Colin Kaepernick. They are working - working hard - to portray him as a good guy. Today they showed him giving away suits in New York or something and they smiled at each other while saying "But yeah he's a bad dude" and they both laughed. Last week they had some black writer on who said anyone who was against him simply can't understand him and alluded to anyone in disagreement is simply racist.

That show is complete bullshit. I urge you to try to watch it at some point.

I've seen the previews for that and I will not watch. Jemele is a raging leftist lesbian and makes it abundantly clear as much as she can. She tries too hard to know sports, and it's painful to watch her.

 

[Sarge]

Has anyone watched The 6 or whatever it is called with Jemele Hill and Michael Smith (I think?)? It's on at times here. They are so in Lefty Land it's absurd. Twice in the past week they've brought up Colin Kaepernick. They are working - working hard - to portray him as a good guy. Today they showed him giving away suits in New York or something and they smiled at each other while saying "But yeah he's a bad dude" and they both laughed. Last week they had some black writer on who said anyone who was against him simply can't understand him and alluded to anyone in disagreement is simply racist.

That show is complete bullshit. I urge you to try to watch it at some point.

No team wants the baggage for the marginal QB talent he brings. Dude just isn't that good. Why give yourself that headache?

 

[SteelChip]

Has anyone watched The 6 or whatever it is called with Jemele Hill and Michael Smith (I think?)? It's on at times here. They are so in Lefty Land it's absurd. Twice in the past week they've brought up Colin Kaepernick. They are working - working hard - to portray him as a good guy. Today they showed him giving away suits in New York or something and they smiled at each other while saying "But yeah he's a bad dude" and they both laughed. Last week they had some black writer on who said anyone who was against him simply can't understand him and alluded to anyone in disagreement is simply racist..

 

[MTC]

Linda is right.

Sports is an entertainment outlet to get away from politics and the like. Why carry that over into sports? I think the libs are so out of touch with life, that they have to resort to infiltrate entertainment media outlets like sports, ficticious tv, etc to be heard.

Yet the discontent grows because of them.

 

[steel dino]

The only show I watch is Highly Questionable..

 

[Superman]

I mean, when I watch SPORTS, I'm constantly intrigued with that athlete's personal opinion on politics, their reasoning on the economy and obvious social injustices. I, for one, applaud ESPN for stepping away from the hand that fed them and allowed them to become the largest and most well-known SPORTS channel and morph into some hybrid Social Justice Warrior Sports Network.

Lauren Hill should be HONORED to have lost that award. Just as other women should be grateful to lose to transgenders now competing in their chosen SPORT.

 

[IndySteel]

It all started with that damned libtard Keith Olberman.

 

[SteelerInLebanon]

 

[Superman]

ESPN openly cheered for Michael Sam and celebrated when he was a Ram, even going so far as to question why he wasn't a first round draft choice. ESPN cheered when Sam was drafted and kissed his boyfriend on tv. They celebrated his every move. They made sure he was at the top of the talk shows. They even did a report asking his teammates if they were comfortable showering with the NFL's first openly gay player.

That may have put them over the top.

now that he's fizzled out and isn't in the league...they don't discuss Michael Sam.

Does he not matter now? He's black. I thought Black Lives Matter.
or is it only if they serve a purpose for a driven agenda?

 

[Coach]

Didn't ESPN just clean house and fire a whole bunch of people?

 

[Superman]

that's kinda sorta exactly what this thread is about

 

[JMM]

Hell you can't even watch the Weather Channel without getting caught up in politics. Probably the reason why we cut the cable and don't watch much tv anymore. Like MTC said, sports used to be a way to get away from the day to day ****. Why have one more inlet for the media/propagandists to weasel their way into the house?

 

[Ron Burgundy]

It all started with that damned libtard Keith Olberman.

And he's gone so far Left that even ESPN doesn't want him. He's on the friggen' GQ channel.

 

[Steelerfan]

Linda Cohn-hit

 

[Steelin]

They pissed me off a long long time ago. I cut the cable. **** them.

 

[SteelChip]

 

[madinsomniac]

I haven't watched espn outside of a bar in years... if it didn't come in the only package with root sports I wouldn't even have it at home... oh how i wish congress would break up the cable monopolies and let us get channels alacarte... man would a lot of cable channels go bankrupt quicker

 

[Steelin]

I haven't watched espn outside of a bar in years... if it didn't come in the only package with root sports I wouldn't even have it at home... oh how i wish congress would break up the cable monopolies and let us get channels alacarte... man would a lot of cable channels go bankrupt quicker

Like O?