Cable News Ad Wars: MSNBC Targets CNN

In a new television promo, CNN claims it is “No. 1, with more viewers than Fox and MSNBC.” The ad goes on to say that CNN has held the top spot for seven years in a row.

Now, MSNBC is challenging the credibility of the CNN ad and asking Nielsen to weigh in. The LATimes’ Joe Flint went to the publicists for comment:

• MSNBC spokeswoman Alana Russo: “MSNBC beat CNN in prime time last quarter. It seems to have driven our competitor from news to fiction writing.”

• CNN spokeswoman Carolyn Disbrow countered that the promo is “based on fact” and added that “MSNBC is just anxious because they are not only behind CNN in the total number of individuals watching television each month, but they are trailing CNN on the Web and among the Web and television combined audience as well.”

• Fox News spokeswoman Irena Briganti, going to the top referencing Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes whilst taking a shot at CNN: “Jeff Bewkes is too smart to buy Jon Klein’s [nonsense].”

(TVNewser has learned Fox really said “bullshit,” but apparently you can’t write “bullshit” in the LATimes, which we think is bullshit.)

What do you think? The ad after the jump…

Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews.