Bizzare Aaron Brown Web Happenings

I don't know if anyone else has noticed something strange happening.

I made a brief mention last week about CNN's decision to shitcan Aaron Brown in favor of Anderson Cooper, and, though it wasn't THAT big a deal, I mentioned that I'm kinda sad to see him go.

Almost immediately, I saw that my blog had become a destination for a much higher number of search engine results looking for "Aaron Brown" than would otherwise been normal for this blog.  And, randomly, these searches are yielding comments about people expressing dismay at Brown's firing.

I liked Aaron Brown, but I never looked at him as the "newscaster of a generation" or anything, and I haven't really heard anything, blogosphere wide, which would echo such widespread sorrow at his firing.  There has really only been the occasional, "Well, that's too bad," mention.

It's making me wonder if there isn't some sort of Aaron Brown publicity campaign going on.   Is there someone, on behalf of Aaron Brown, who is trying to start a netroots campaign to bolster public opinion of him?  Has anyone else noticed anything like this?

Comments

[Beth]

Dylan, there is an ENTIRE Aaron Brown subculture that I gather you are just joining. :)

For example, my husband and I subscribe to the World News Now listserv. (We are longtime fans of ABC's WNN from back when we were first dating. When one of us needs a lift, it's not unusual for the other one to sing the World News Now Polka, for example.)

The listserv is a terrific source of news, since many members are either news junkies or working journalists or both--but one interesting feature of the WNN listserv is that Aaron Brown is known as "Anchor God." (Brown was formerly a WNN anchor.)

Another feature of the WNN listserv is the "deadpool"--"nowbies" pay attn to which famous people have died, with the expectation that such deaths will happen in threes.

Anyway, Aaron Brown has a cult following, WNN has a cult following . . . all that could easily add up to more comments on your blog. Enjoy. :)

[Dylan]

That's crazy... I'm seriously getting 100+ hits a day from searches for Aaron Brown... and you can see the ever growing list of comments on the post.

[R. Mousseau]

I have given up on CNN. Aaron Brown was the bright star in my mind and to be replaced by Anderson Cooper is humiliating. When Cooper starts to speak in a calm voice instead of the excited, high level soprano voice he uses, then perhaps I can see reason about Mr. Brown's departure. But it will never happen.

[Aaron Brown fan]

CNN ("Continually Negative News") has made a ridiculous decison to let go of Aaron Brown. In a time when news is broadcast like a sporting event, Aaron Brown brought a reflective, contemplative spirit to the nightly news. Can't think of another newscaster that I look forward to watching on a consistent basis. Here's to hoping Aaron Brown pops ups on another network soon.

[Ron Jones]

There is no "netroots campaign to bolster public opinion" for Aaron Brown. I am a Canadian and I'm disgusted with what is going on at CNN. It was a big mistake to let Mr. Brown go. I can't stand Cooper and never could. My first turnoff with his phony style of reporting was after the Tsunami. Mr. Cooper shamefully placed himself as a spectacle of mourning in the forefront of the genuine victims of this disaster. We don’t need to see his second hand phony grief in the place of the genuine grief of those who are truly living the disaster. I'm sick of seeing this guy using disasters and disaster victims to promote his "humanity" and the popularity or ratings of his TV show. I can no longer bear to see him getting blown about in a hurricane. If I were a genuine reporter I'd hate to be working at CNN right now. Many of the reporters left seemed to have succumbed to the pressure of being entertainers instead of truly transparent reporters. I think Aaron will perform a lot better elsewhere among true reporters like himself instead of being in the midst of a bunch of actors.

[Beth]

Dylan, can you imagine the sorts of comments that CNN must be getting?

Truly, Aaron Brown is the AnchorGod. :)

[Gail Wagner]

You underestimate the impact Aaron Brown had on those who watched his broadcast on 9/11. I became part of his "cult following" from that day on. I no longer watch CNN.

[Nancy J. Miller]

Aaron Brown offered US viewers a thought-provoking,rational news presentation. This sense of the news broadcast being spoken to us asadults was something not found in USTV. Aaron Brown gave us wonderful interviews with writers, legal experts and others . He let them speak; he never, ever became excited or confrontational. For Americans this was unique. The whole format of his news program had a sense of "class", even the set itself as well as the "fun" parts such as "The Rooster" and "Morning Papers".
Aaron is missed terribly by many of us former CNN viewers!

[Nancy J. Miller]

Aaron Brown offered US viewers a thought-provoking,rational news presentation. This sense of the news broadcast being spoken to us asadults was something not found in USTV. Aaron Brown gave us wonderful interviews with writers, legal experts and others . He let them speak; he never, ever became excited or confrontational. For Americans this was unique. The whole format of his news program had a sense of "class", even the set itself as well as the "fun" parts such as "The Rooster" and "Morning Papers".
Aaron is missed terribly by many of us former CNN viewers!

[Nancy J. Miller]

Aaron Brown offered US viewers a thought-provoking,rational news presentation. This sense of the news broadcast being spoken to us asadults was something not found in USTV. Aaron Brown gave us wonderful interviews with writers, legal experts and others . He let them speak; he never, ever became excited or confrontational. For Americans this was unique. The whole format of his news program had a sense of "class", even the set itself as well as the "fun" parts such as "The Rooster" and "Morning Papers".
Aaron is missed terribly by many of us former CNN viewers!

[Fern Dworkin]

I, too am amongst the countless viewers who miss the warmth and journalistic excellence of Aaron Brown. He helped to heal millions of North American and International viewers, post 911. What is so unique about him is his humanity.He reflects the pulse of public opinion, with humanistic expression and charisma, that endears himself to viewers, longing for " Walter Cronkite" professionalism. Anderson is too matter of fact and 360 has left a void for Brown fans.CNN made a huge mistake!!! Aaron we miss you! Perhaps you can fill the shoes of Dan Rather or the late Peter Jennings.Let your viewing public know where you are.

[John and Marjorie Hills]

John's comments: CNN has misjudged its audience. I believe Aaron Brown was highly revered by the over-35 audience, and I believe we, in that group, were CNN's principal audience, not the under-35ers that I guess CNN brought in Mr. Cooper for.
We are no longer in the CNN audience pool and are assigning our limited TV time to the other networks. It is hard to understand why CNN would replace Mr. Brown, truly CNN's standout, with a beginner who is now in training. Is there anything involved here besides just an incredible management blunder? We wish Mr. Brown well and look forward to his reappearance in a major role in the near future. He's the best there is, and CNN did not know it.

Marjorie's comments:
As an avid watcher of news in general, I too feel lost without the caliber of excellence which Aran Brown exemplified. His dry sense of honest humor infiltrated each of his broadcasts on a consistent basis. He was another "Abe". As I watched, I felt we were together searching for the truth in each thought-provoking interview. It takes a lifetime to have honed the reportive skills which have been dicarded. CNN, please consider the cost to your audience.

12 03 2005

[Pearl Liang]

I liked Anderson. His orginal 360 was fun & informative. But I can't understand why CNN replaced him for Aaron Anderson who carried his role with class, dignity & knowledge. I stop watching CNN completely.

[Sandy Wilcox]

I too stopped watching CNN. Aaron Brown was was an honest news person and reported the news not dramatized it beyond what it already was. Cooper is a baffoon, if I see him being blown around in a staged scene during a hurricane one more time I will stop watching all news.

[eve richardson]

what was C.N.N,thinking ???? Arron was a great news man,and he let his guests talk...Don't watch the news now..Top bosses rea
lly
messed up this time..... Eve RICHARDSON NANAIMO B.C.CANADA

[Joan McLean]

Why would CNN replace a news anchor with class for an excitable, ridiculous fluff like Anderson Cooper? Fifteen minutes of him is too much - nevermind one hour!!

[Nola Crewe]

What a sad, trite little man CNN has chosen over a true giant of news. Where is Aaron? How can we get our world view back again?

[Sue]

God, I'm glad to know someone agrees with me. I have caught a few moments of that stupid Anderson Cooper 360 and every time I do, I feel the disbelief all over again. I LOVE Aaron Brown. He is brilliant.

[Carol Forsloff]

We didn't know what happened to Aaron Brown, only that he disappeared from the news following Hurricane Katrina and now learned that his place was taken by the hysterical, slick style of Anderson Cooper, who doesn't report the news but massages it for dramatic benefit.

Aaron Brown was a crisp reporter with balance and spirit. We want him back.

[maureen]

I miss Aaron too, watch anything but Cnn

[Mimi]

Unfortunately that subculture isn't in the television business. They're in nursing homes. Don't worry. He'll be there soon, too. I am not part of this subculture. I prefer my news anchors alive. And handsome. OK....Sue me!

[mimi]

By the way......I think there is a pr campaign underway: Aaron and his rabid, middle aged female fan club! They're a repressed bunch!

[toni narducci]

There are those who want news entertainment, youth and cuteness...they would never tune into a Peter Jennings, Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, or McNeil-Lehrer Report, or Aaron Brown for trustworthy, balanced, insightful, news given with genuine care and a dash of wit.....too bland and too balanced for them..unfortunately.

The News business would rather throw away a very substantial international audience of loyal viewers and dumb down to a duplication of news-entertainment brands... contributing to America's ADD (attention-deficiet disorder)...

If Mr. Brown has to wait out 2 yrs before he can take another position - there will be an international audience waiting. Amnerica is in need of such reporting...