As I read this sad news about Carol Lin being unceremoniously dumped by CNN, I couldn't help but think of the way other networks treat their talent in challenging times.
For example, when Fox News' Catherine Herridge's son needed a new liver, Catherine proved to be the only suitable donor. But of course, Catherine had a demanding job as FNC's homeland security correspondent--how could she take off months from work to be there for her child? So what to do? How to juggle job and personal life? In Catherine's case, happily, there was no conflict, because FNC gave her off all the time she needed. And now, as detailed on
Greta Van Susteren's blog, and confirmed abundantly everywhere else, Catherine and son Peter are both doing fine. So Fox stuck by its employee, after near-tragedy struck.
Now to CNN. Lin is the mother of a toddler, too. And tragedy struck her, as well--her husband, Will Robinson, a CNN employee, died recently. And in the meantime, CNN has decided to rid itself of Lin: As Variety's Michael Learmonth reports the story, "Sources said Lin's contract was up and CNN wanted her to leave the anchor's desk to become a national correspondent." But, Variety continued, "As a single mother to a toddler, she couldn't commit to the travel requirements of that job."
In other words, CNN put Lin in an impossible situation. Evidently, they were glad to see her go. Nice guys down over there in Atlanta.
