CNNs Aaron Brown Keynotes SupplySide

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CNNs Aaron Brown Keynotes SupplySide

CNN news anchor Aaron Browns keynote address officially opened the showand drew a crowd interested in the logistics of the news business and thededication required to sustain a career in a changing industry.

Brown addressed the integrity of news broadcasts, an interesting subject foran audience from an industry whose products are often maligned in the media.Brown discussed the absurdities of the news businesss coverage of car chasesand thong underwear, but since that is what the TV-viewing audience wants, hesaid, that is what is covered. Car chases are slam-dunk television, but why[people] watch them is [beyond me], said Brown, whose hour-long programcovers more cerebral topics, such as race in America. He added that the timesand networks like Fox News do not allow for civilized educated discussion.

At the more staid CNN, Brown stated he felt comfortable with the work hedoes, as he mused, Whos out there doing Gods work and whos doing thework of the devil?

In the current news climate of excessive-thons, in which story topicslike Robert Blake, Laci Peterson and other ratings-grabbers are beaten into theground, Brown admitted networks are attempting to keep the viewers tuned in. Werescared to death of the remote, he said.

Brown has come a long way from his small-town roots in Minnesota. Even as ayoungster, he knew journalism was his lifes calling. He had a short-lived,self-made newspaper that was closed by the publisher (his mom) after he reportedon a neighbors marital woes in the front-page headline: Divorce Hits theNeighborhood. His freedom of speech was temporarily grounded after thatincident.

Brown said he knew when he was finally living his dream, and it was not whenhe was hired at CNNit was when he was parodied on Saturday Night Live.