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When CNN buys Buzzfeed political staff, is media shifting?

Buzzfeed is on the rise as 2016’s innovative source for news and entertainment.   

This global network has been known to satisfy the hearts of foodies and cat video enthusiasts, while providing a comedic outlook on national affairs and issues.

Although Buzzfeed has proven its popularity among millennials, it has not been so popular with other generations.

CNN President, Jeff Zucker, issued a statement saying that Buzzfeed isn’t a legitimate source for news. It seems that Zucker may feel a bit threatened by the growing influence Buzzfeed has on the internet.

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Although I am a fan of Buzzfeed, I also feel it lacks the basic components to be considered a reliable source of information.

An appropriate source of news pertaining to politics should be unbiased, so the viewers are not easily persuaded from partisan  rhetoric.

Buzzfeed actively portrays itself as more liberal than conservative. CNN is well aware of the effect Buzzfeed has on the younger generation when it comes to news and entertainment.

It recently surfaced that CNN has hired two of Buzzfeeds’ top political reporters.

As consumer needs evolve, companies have found new ways to reach the audience they are seeking. What better way to do this than poaching your competitor’s top political reporters, right?

It seems that Zucker’s comments come from the realization that CNN needs to improve and connect to a broader audience.

As a millennial, I find information scrolling through my Facebook news feed – which is where I first found out about Buzzfeed.

I feel the company effiectively relates to its viewers and conveys political information in a way the average American will understand.

Although CNN has legitimate reasons to feel threatened by Buzzfeed, Zucker’s choice of words sparked an unnecessary feud, which could lead to checks on CNN’s credibility.

Buzzfeed responded to Zucker by listing all the scoops that CNN pursued from their website.

Zucker was also criticized for the close relationship he has with Donald Trump and the possibility that he knowingly enhanced the Trump hype we are now faced with.

Internet news source plays an active role on societal viewpoints and issues and will continue to as technology evolves.

News organizations should strive to be valid sources that are not aimed only for the views on a website, but to inform the people about the issues that are occuring in our communities.

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