Rivals Criticize CNN

CNN's rivals have many reasons to question CNN's creditability to report objectively. They question CNN's policy of sharing satellite dishes with other global news networks such as Al Jazeera in or to get war zone pictures other networks can not get.

CNN also maintains a news sharing arrangement with other governments and foreign news organizations used on their World Report. CNN's competitors feel that these broadcasts are unedited news pieces from state run news agencies, and in the case of Iraq, is nothing more than Iraqi government propaganda.

Rivals of CNN also claim that CNN too quickly accepted restrictions placed on them from the Iraqi government when reporting from Baghdad.

What they aren't criticizing is that for weeks, CNN was the only broadcasting network allowed in Baghdad. This was an advantage over CBS, ABC, and NBC. CNN was able to offer pictures and reports that the other networks could not offer. Even if CNN accepted the restrictions, they were in Iraq and reporting something the other networks could not offer to their viewers.

Rivals aren't also mentioning that CNN has has the largest network of foreign affiliates. They have affiliates in countries such as Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Their affiliates allow them to fill in news that is run 24/7 on their network.

Propaganda is in the eye of the beholder. ABC, NBC and CBS will all air their version of the war. They make these accusations to try to get viewers to change the channel and watch their programs, especially when they can not offer programming their competition can.