Popular Culture Review Vol. 8, No. 2, August 1997 | Page 130

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Popular Culture Review

increasing by an even bigger margin, to five times their margins.
CNN spokesperson Steve Hav/orth confirmed the tone, if not the
exact figures, of those reports in a Quill magazine article: "CNN is
extremely profitable. We have a cushion that some others may not
have." (Avis, 19) The parent company of CNN, Turner Broadcasting,
reported an operating profit of $201 million for the first quarter of
1991.
Those were some of the facts and figures. Many of the
contributions to popular culture were more intangible. All who
watched had images etched into their memory banks that they will
carry with them for the rest of their lives. Worldwide, viewers
shared in the fear for the CNN reporters in Baghdad, not knowing if
the next bomb would bring anniNlation. John Holliman-one of the
"Boys from Baghdad," as they came to be known—compared their
location to the center of hell. Other memories that endure include
the TV footage from ABC which showed the eerie anti-aircraft fire
failing to hit the American planes, the scores of Iraqi soldiers
surrendering to a helicopter and the Patriot anti-missiles attempting
to intercept the Iraqi scud missilles.
Then there were the criticisms. There was no shortage of
negative opinions, particularly concerning the live television
coverage. The accusations ranged from distortions to stupidity, from
lack of background to absence of patriotism. One large category was
security, though one must wonder whether national security was not
confus^ with job security. There were many whose livelihoods were
directly affected by the television coverage. These included
politicians, dictators, military personnel, munitions suppliers,
diplomats and journalists. If the real time coverage portrayed any of
these persons in an unfavorable manner, the electronic journalists
were the primary recipients of cheap shots, right or wrong. Peter
Arnett of CNN was slammed by Presidential Press Secretary Marlin
Fitzwater for distributing misinformation,