Apparently, TheWrap is helping set CNN’s advertising strategy.
A CNN executive who declined to be identified revealed in an interview with Mediaite the catalyst for the network’s full-page New York Times advertisement Thursday bragging about its ratings winning streak over MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
When asked about “Morning Joe” executive producer Alex Korson’s comments during a recent interview with TheWrap—in which he said, “I love the fact that we’ve hired this year and CNN has had a lot of public [layoffs]”— the CNN executive revealed those comments set CNN in motion.
“Here’s the deal: You cannot take pleasure in anyone else laying off people. These are people’s livelihoods. It was offensive beyond all belief. And more than anything else, that’s why we did the ad.”
In the advertisement, CNN aggressively boasts about beating Morning Joe:
“Sorry Joe, while you were leaning forward, we were moving ahead!” the ad reads.
The executive also cited MSNBC doing its own full-page ad in the Times in December citing “Morning Joe” beating CNN for the fifth year in a row in 2014.
“That’s silly for two reasons: New Day has only been on the air 18 months and they tout total viewers because they can no longer claim the demos,” the executive told Mediaite.
We’ll keep our eyes on the growing tit-for-tat between CNN and MSNBC. And of course, TheWrap appreciates our work being an impetus for an ad in the “paper of record.”