Too Much TV: Cable TV News Conventional Wisdom Gets It Wrong (Again)
It turns out that there are downsides to relying on the opinions of political insiders
Here's everything you need to know about the world of television for Tuesday, June 24th 2025:
THERE IS A DOWNSIDE TO RELYING ON THE WISDOM OF POLITICAL INSIDERS
I watch a lot of cable TV news - likely more than is healthy. I often have it on during the day while I'm working, and I'm a regular viewer of much of MSNBC's primetime lineup. But it can be a frustrating experience. The three major cable TV news networks may vary in their politics, but one thing they all have in common is a core belief that more than anything else, viewers are looking for insider perspectives. So their guest lineups and network correspondent ranks are heavily weighted toward former Administration officials, party regulars, various legislators, and assorted political strategists.
And to be fair, they have an informed role to play in political discussions. But because they all are different cogs in the same big wheel, all of these people - along with the Beltway reporters who are part of the same world - tend to develop a conventional wisdom about current events and the trends that influence national politics.
This is all well and good, except the downside of not having a diversity of points of view is that if you are focusing your coverage on conventional wisdom that turns out to be wrong, your network can often feel out of touch.
Tonight, Muslim socialist underdog Zohran Mamdani won New York City’s Democratic primary on Tuesday night after Andrew Cuomo conceded. Now, part of the reason why Cuomo conceded so early is that he'll still have a spot on November's ballot thanks to the weirdly complex electoral rules of New York City. But regardless, it was a stunning win by Mamdani, who had faced months of skeptical coverage from the national political press.
Cuomo had wide name recognition and nearly every Democratic politician who argued that it wise for him to have resigned following numerous allegations of sexual misconduct in 2021 ended up endorsing him over his rivals this time around. Cuomo had the support of many national Democratic politicians and built a massive war chest thanks to contributions from billionaires such as Michael Bloomberg, anti-free speech hedge fund manager and Trump supporter Bill Ackman, and Alex Karp – the co-founder of the data security broker Palantir.
But watching Mamdani's campaign play out, I was struck by the fact it was the kind of campaign that was built for 2025. And it was also the type of campaign that insider-centric cable TV news doesn't cover particularly well. Most of his donors gave small amounts, and he appeared on a wide range of podcasts and other interviews - many of them unfriendly. And while those appearances sometimes garnered bad press from the traditional press outlets, the net impact seemed to be that many younger voters appreciated his candor and honesty - even if they didn't agree with him.
And yet, the conventional political wisdom continued to be "Sure, he's running an interesting campaign. But Cuomo has people like former President Bill Clinton and Rep. Clyborn endorsing him."
No moment better illustrated the jarring differences between conventional political wisdom and reality on the ground than when rival and political ally Brad Lander was arrested while attempting to walk a client past waiting ICE agents at the courthouse. According to much of the political wisdom, Democrats should stay away from the immigration topic because polls show that it's a winner for Donald Trump and the Republicans.
And yet, footage of Lander being arrested simply for asking agents to see an arrest warrant was just the latest example of confrontations that have turned the polling numbers against the Trump Administration. And when Lander was arrested, Mamdani was at the detention facility demanding his release.
If you watch a lot of cable TV news, much of this might be new to you. Because viral moments and social media buzz can be hard to show in the context of traditional news coverage. But at a time when both CNN and MSNBC are looking to reinvigorate their approaches to news coverage, this Mamdani victory and the way that it happened should be a wake-up call.
I'M SURE THIS WILL END WELL
Oliver Darcy's Status newsletter is reporting tonight that Skydance Media's David Ellison has quietly courted conservative Bari Weiss for a possible role at CBS News:
During the meeting, Ellison, who is set to control CBS News once the Paramount Global–Skydance Media deal closes, expressed strong interest in recruiting Weiss to work in some capacity with the network, according to people familiar with the matter. I'm told that Ellison appeared to leave a wide range of options on the table, signaling that he sees Weiss as a valuable addition while he considers how to put his stamp on the news division. While a management role is not said to be on the table, it would not be out of the range of possibilities that she could be named as an on-air contributor or even perhaps given a coveted correspondent position on “60 Minutes.”
In recent years, Weiss has become a major star in right-wing media, known for assailing mainstream institutions as out of touch and under the trance of the "woke" left. Weiss has also gained significant notoriety for chastising and portraying mainstream news outlets, including CBS News, as biased instruments of the progressive elite. While Weiss might be popular in certain circles, many journalists view her unfavorably, criticizing both her tactics and views.
It's hard to know if moves like this are an accurate reflection of Ellison's views, although given that the billionaire has been also doing things such as hanging out with Donald Trump at a UFC fight, there is a suspicion that when (or if) the Paramount Global/Skydance Media merger is approved, Ellison will push CBS News in a more rightward direction.
ODDS AND SODS
* In the US, Paramount+ is renaming it’s premium tier from Paramount+ With Showtime to Paramount Premium. Which feels a lot like the decision to rebrand HBO Max to Max.
* The series Suspicious Minds will premiere Thursday, July 10th on Hulu. Here is the official logline: "The 6-part series introduces Amber (Silvia Alonso), one of the most brilliant thieves in the world who, after a failed robbery in Las Vegas, prepares her next heist. This time it will take place in Isla Esperanza, an idyllic place lost in the middle of the Pacific. Her target is the tiara of saint Agatha, a jewel valued at 240 million dollars, that the daughter of Mexican oil tycoon Emilio Villegas (Asier Etxeandia) will wear during her wedding. To prepare the robbery, Amber has been infiltrated in the Villegas family for three years as a school governess. But her meticulous plan goes awry when Rui (Álex González), a cheeky and mysterious thief with whom she had a troubled relationship in Las Vegas during a spectacular heist, shows up on the island."
* The new Alicia Silverstone series Irish Blood will premiere Monday, August 11th on Acorn TV. Here is the official logline: "Divorce lawyer Fiona Sharpe receives a message from her estranged father, embarking on a journey to Ireland. She uncovers family truths and her father's dark past, realizing her life's abandonment story was a protective lie."
* Mike Jackson and Egypt Sherrod have announced on social media that HGTV has canceled their series Married to Real Estate after four seasons.
* The sadly underappreciated Apple TV+ children's show Stillwater is returning with a fourth season on Friday, August 1st.
* Netflix has ordered a second season of Ransom Canyon, its freshman romantic Western drama starring Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly.
* PBS Kids has renewed Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood for an eighth season.
* Bobby Sherman, a singer and actor who starred in the ABC comedy Here Come the Brides and did guest stints on shows such as The Partridge Family, Emergency! and Mod Squad, died Tuesday morning of cancer. He was 81. Thanks in large part to being on television, Sherman had five top ten hit singles and four Top Twenty albums between 1969 and 1971.
* Netflix has renewed Bet for a second season.
TWEET OF THE DAY
WHAT'S NEW TONIGHT AND TOMORROW
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25TH, 2025:
* Countdown Series Premiere (Prime Video)
* Human Footprint Season Two Premiere (PBS)
* Mr. Loverman Season One Finale (BritBox)
* Raid The Cage Season Two Finale (CBS)
* The Bear Season Four Premiere (Hulu)
* The Ultimatum: Queer Love Season Two Premiere (Netflix)
THURSDAY, JUNE 26TH, 2025:
* Butchers Of L.A. (Sundance)
* CMA Fest (ABC)
* Nelly And Ashanti: We Belong Together Series Premiere (Peacock)
* Police 24/7 Season Two Finale (The CW)
* Secrets Of The Bunny Ranch Season One Finale (A&E)
* The Good Ship Murder (BritBox)
* The Wrong Marriage (LMN)
* Welcome To Wrexham Season Four Finale (Hulu)
SEE YOU ON WEDNESDAY!