CNN's epiphany; cabler needs to get with it; the Sunday pulse from the 415

Even though their ratings continue to erode, CNN brass has taken on a position of almost near defiance, as if to say, "It's our way, and dammit, if you don't like it, we could care less." Which is OK, but apparently the cable-viewing public isn't buying it.

CNN has now fallen to dead-last, as MSNBC is #2 to top-rated Fox News channel.

The problem for CNN, among many, is that they simply don't know what they want to be. I have a few suggestions.

For starters, they can cut the cord with Anderson Cooper and Larry King, both key components of CNN's prime-time brand, only its quite apparent that fewer and fewer people are hip to King and Cooper. It could be worse; at least they're not Campbell Brown, who seems about as relevant as an C-Span rerun.

CNN is like that expensive restaurant in the city that turns into a late night lounge. Does it want to be taken serious as a straight-news operation, or does it want to continue to flirt with commentary segments, and the minutiae of King, who has clearly gone off the culture radar, and that's not even mentioning his latest domestic situation.

Say this for Fox and MSNBC: while their commentary-heavy content is often laced with loud-mouth, interuptus-laden pundits, the formula seems to have found a niche in the prime-time cable arena, while CNN seems to be caught hanging out too much in the Situation Room.

Rick Sanchez is a dope and is fast becoming a caricature inside and outside the Atlanta hdqrs. Lately, it seems, every time Sanchez opens his mouth, whether its making inane comments about earthquakes or describing volcanic ash, Sanchez continues to embarrass both himself and CNN.

Maybe he has pictures, I don't know, but CNN could do better. More Don Lemon, less Rick Sanchez.

CNN can be both bold and intuitive but it needs to hire vibrant, new, fresh talent. Wolf Blitzer is still  a very fine newsman, but clearly he's jumped the shark, ditto David Gergen and Roland Martin. Think about it__does anyone remember anything these Washington pundits say of any sort of substance lately? Of course not because they invariably say nothing.

And that's just the point.

CNN needs to reinvent itself and think outside the box. They need to set an agenda and stick to it, but with a new brand of talent; I mean, if Bill O'Reilly can nab Dennis Miller once a week, then certainly John King must have the clout to get seven minutes of Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert.

It couldn't hurt.

Just because you're committed to all-news doesn't mean you have to abandon ship and become useless. You can improvise and be creative and withstand the mounting negative vibe that you've lost touch with the viewing public.

Numbers don't lie. CNN is in deep cable purgatory and almost at the point of no return. If its to become back into the world of relevance, then it needs to act, not react.

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