Dear Lou Dobbs and Moneyline Producers:

On tonight's CNN Moneyline With Lou Dobbs you did an 'in depth' segment on Y2K and...elevators. That your show would run such a ludicrous piece at this point in time is more than a little disappointing.

The producers at Moneyline seem to added two and two and found the result to be furball. Please, let me help. Here are some hints:

The issue is not elevators.

The issue is not microwaves.

The issue is not VCRs, TVs or clock radios.

The issue is not home computers.

The issue is not airplanes falling from the sky.

The issue is not 101-year old grammas receiving kindergarten notices.

The issue is not millennial angst.

OK Lou, so here's your assignment: You and your producers should go home tonight and think real hard about these hints that I've given you and come back when you feel you know what some of the real issues are.

Because I realize that thinking is hard work, here are four additional clues:

Does the color green have any special meaning to you?

What's the name of your show? (no fair looking above)

What four letter word starts with a "B" and ends with "ANK"

Fill in the following sentence: "It's the ________, stupid!"

Now, I know that this will be quite a challenge for you and your staff but I feel that if you all truly apply yourselves, success can be yours. Good luck and best wishes.

-- Arnie Rimmer (Arnie_Rimmer@usa.net), February 25, 1999

Answers

Arnie,

LOL! I sense some frustration. ;-)

Hang in there!!

Signed....

Right there with ya,

-- Deborah (soon@they.wgi), February 25, 1999.

Arnie, I certainly agree with your feelings of frustration. When you have CNN running a 5 minute segment on the very real problems of Russian Y2K and then a rather respected program like Moneyline does theirs. I mean, elevators? Come on! The banks are a major problem, oil is a major problem. Looks like the grid might make it (if the truth is what's being told). It all comes down to "Will our economy survive in a condition where we can resume life and enjoy it?" My feeling is No. Gonna go get some more beans. Lobo

-- Lobo (hiding@woods.com), February 25, 1999.

Arnie: If you send it, please add my name at the bottom also. Thanks

-- PNG (png@gol.com), February 25, 1999.

Seems to be a prerequisite for CNN reporters .. pick the most trivial and report on it. For example .. I was at a Y2k Expo recently. So was a CNN news crew. I asked the reporter if he was familiar with the true concerns and potential ramifications of Y2k. He said he was. I then asked how long he'd been studying the issue. His reply: "a year...". The crew then proceeded to film someone buying a fanny pack .. moved on to the solar trinkets (mosquito repellers etc...) and other "survival" toys. Then they left without covering the real issues.

Probably one of the first classes they take in reporter school: Trivial Coverage-101.

Another data point.

Dan

-- Dan (DanTCC@Yahoo.com), February 25, 1999.

"Then they left without covering the real issues."

I have a feeling that any crew working for CNN will not be freelancing. Some producer sent the crew there with instructions, and they will be following those instructions. Or looking for other work very soon.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), February 25, 1999.