Mouth Still Roars

Turner Broadcasting and CNN founder Ted Turner, speaking at the National Press Club Monday, gave a big raspberry to Fox News Channel.

Asked what he would change at CNN given the rise of Fox News Channel, he blew a raspberry into the mike and called Fox: "A different animal." Turner said that "the right wingers have every right to have a network of their own, and they've got one."

On news in general, he said there shouldn't be as much emphasis on the "pervert of the day" when "they won't even say what happened in Iraq," though he said that was on a bad day.

Last week, National Association of Broadcasters President David Rehr said that broadcasters are serving the public interest. Turner was asked whether he agreed with that statement.Turner said some are doing a better job than others, but that all are providing some entertainment and information, so in that since they are all doing the public. "Could they do better?," he asked. "We could all do better," he said.

Amen.

By John Eggerton