If anyone takes the time to watch CNN regularly, one may get the impression that CNN's Early Start show -- which airs early in the morning before the more prominent New Day show -- is somewhat in its own universe in contrast to the more visible daytime and evening shows on the Cable News Network.
While the overwhelming majority of the network's airtime resembles a caricature where shows are mostly fixated on stories that include the words "Trump," "Russia," or "Stormy," Early Start actually manages to make at least a modest amount of time for other hard news stories like the violent attacks that police officers sometimes endure as part of the job.
So, on Friday, it was fascinating to see the early morning CNN anchors Dave Briggs and Christine Romans on Early Start concluding their show with an expectation and promise that New Day and other CNN shows "throughout the day" would provide further updates as the two informed viewers that an ATF agent was shot and seriously wounded in Chicago. But that one 21-second brief that closed out the show just before 6:00 a.m. Eastern was all CNN viewers heard of the story for the rest of the day.
At 5:59 a.m., Romans informed viewers: "This agent is in serious condition, we are told. No information yet about a suspect. There are reports of a second officer shot as well. Details throughout the day here on CNN. Just breaking just now."
Briggs then added: "New Day will have an update shortly."
In fact, the New Day show did not mention the attack in its three hours on the air. At 6:33 p.m. -- one of the more opportune times when the show sometimes gets away from political discussions and airs briefs on other subjects -- co-host Alisyn Camerota spent 26 seconds updating viewers on the controversy over the House chaplain being fired by Speaker Paul Ryan, followed by co-host Chris Cuomo reading a story on the volcanic eruption in Hawaii.
By contrast, between 5:29 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern, various FNC shows have covered the story 10 separate times, totaling more than 15 minutes, in which they informed viewers that there is a manhunt for the gunman who seriously wounded the agent by shooting him in the face.
The three broadcast evening newscasts also each ran a full story on Friday, but MSNBC has so far not mentioned it.
