My Proposal to Save CNN

This is an open post for CNN with my suggestions on how they can recover from their disastrous ratings slide.  CNN has lost viewers dramatically with the emergence of Fox News.  They've lost many from their left-wing audience to MSNBC, leaving them without a niche.

I have two ideas for how CNN can return to prominence.  If they were to follow these two simple ideas, I believe their ratings growth would become phenomenal and force Fox to scramble in an attempt to catch up.

First, go back to CNN's roots.  Return to being first and foremost a news channel.  For most of the 24/7 cycle, use program blocks to rotate between Washington, the World, the Nation, and maybe a Sports segment.  Do straight news, "just the facts, ma'am", without commentary.  Stop managing the news to try to effect the viewers' opinions and attitudes.  Stop protecting democrats and trashing republicans.  Just gather and report the facts and don't stay away from stories (ie Fast & Furious or Solyndra) that might cast an unfavorable light on your favorite president.  Just report the facts in a strightforward way and let the viewers decide for themselves how they feel about them.

Second, create a special debate program in primetime.  Here's the idea:  Bring a prominent liberal and conservative into the studio to have a moderated debate about an important issue of the day.

Imagine this: A debate between Rachel Maddow and Laura Ingraham about social issues, titled something like "Family Values or Sexual Diversity - Which is healthier for the United States Culture?"

Or imagine Al Gore debating Chris Horner on "Global Climate Change - Is it Real, and if so, What Should be Done About It?"

I know you won't get Maddow because she's at MSNBC, but you get the idea.  Just make sure the debates are moderated fairly and the two people engaged for the debate are equally effective communicators.

It can be fun to imagine all sorts of possible debate matchups.  Limbaugh vs Maher, Ted Nugent vs Alec Baldwin, Michelle Malkin vs Andrea Mitchell, Alan West vs Alan Grayson.  So many fun possibilities.  Talk about great TV.
Do those two things and I'd watch.  I think lots of other folks would too.