Something is a mis- with CNN

Misinformation? Misunderstood? Mismanaged?

Something is happening with CNN on the UNLV campus. Not only with the tour, but something more.

Students of UNLV were called upon last week to help with the debate efforts. Whether it was crowd control, holding signs, spreading the word, or just dealing with the parking nightmare. Up to this point, however, CNN has been less than thankful for our help.

Yesterday afternoon an e-mail went out announcing a behind-the-scenes tour of the debate to take place for Greenspun Journalism students at 5 p.m. After showing up at 4:45, I walked over to the designated meeting spot with Dr. Ardyth Sohn, director of the Greenspun school.

No one was there to greet us at 5 . A man from CNN security was nice enough to let us up to the debate hall so that we could get some answers about where we should be. After speaking with a very kind producer in the hall itself, we went back downstairs and after wandering around a little more we finally got some answers. It was 5:20 and we were told our guide would be with us in just a few minutes.

At about 5:30 our two guides came out. They introduced themselves as CNN publicists and said it was their pleasure to show us some of the key media areas of the debate.

Here is where the mis- really starts.

We quickly walked across the breezeway to the Thomas & Mack boardroom, which will be the “spin room” on Thursday for the debate. We were told we couldn’t go in because they are setting up. Understandable.

Next we walk to the front of the Cox Pavilion area and told that this is where “standups” will be and here is where the general public will be entering. General enough.

Next we were led around the back of the building, near a small set of steel doors and we’re told that this is were the press filling room will be, but we cannot go in there either because there are rehearsals going on. What rehearsals are in a press filling room?

And that ended the tour.

I know we were all disappointed, and maybe it wasn’t their fault that we couldn’t see the debate hall (even though CNN security let me up earlier) but if that is all you could show us why bring us there in the first place?

The real story came later that evening. As a volunteer, I was required to attend one of two training sessions for the debate. The first was held last night at 9 p.m.

At 8:55 the room on the second floor of UNLV’s student union was opened and I and about 40 others came in and sat down.

Two women from UNLV’s public affairs department introduced themselves and told us that the CNN rep would be there soon. While we were waiting, they handed out UNLV “Presidential Debate” logo polos for us. We later found out that most of us cannot even wear the shirts to the event because of they are white, and white conflicts with CNN’s rules on volunteer attire.

After 45 minutes, the CNN rep had still not shown up, and the UNLV staffers told us they would not make us wait any longer and let us go.

This was a required meeting for students to attend. How disappointing that CNN did not show up to tell us how to help them! We are not all students that have an hour of our time to throw away. Some called in to work, some had to arrange babysitters, and some blew off studying for our impending finals to be here and to help. We are thanked for this by having two separate meetings turn out to be complete wastes of our time.

Students may or may not show up to the polls this year, I think they will, but to take such a highly involved group of students and hang them out to dry is really a shame.

I cannot blame CNN as a whole, but the individuals we have dealt with have either had their hands tied, turned us down, turned us away or not kept the promises they made.

So I leave it to you.

Misunderstood? Mismanaged? Misinformed?

Or simply misguided in thinking that we as UNLV students don’t matter?