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Bureau of One

The New York Times reports on CNN’s plan to do more with less by assigning “one-man bands” to assorted U.S. cities, in effect “doubl[ling] the number...
August 13, 2008

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The New York Times reports on CNN’s plan to do more with less by assigning “one-man bands” to assorted U.S. cities, in effect “doubl[ling] the number of domestic cities where the cable news network has outposts.” CNN, in its words, is “harnessing technology that enables us to be anywhere and be live from anywhere.” And by “us,” CNN means, one of us. In a cubicle on loan from a local TV news station. To be sure:

The quality of a report produced by a four-person news crew is often superior to that of a one-man band. But for many assignments, especially ones on the Web, a single skilled journalist will suffice.

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Liz Cox Barrett is a writer at CJR.