Let me preference what I going to post with a quote and a statement:

Some time ago, Commentator Dennis Prager said about TV news is the news is not reporting the facts but commentary with pictures. Second, I always thought about the modern news media is that the narrative is already written, the media is just looking for the actors.

With above in mind, this is Life with Lisa Ling “Furry Nation”, billed as inside a misunderstood culture. The story is a touching human-interest story that falls short of its main goal because of CNN’s bias reporting by injecting old stereotypes of furries are people who dress up in animal costumes and have mental health issues.  Not all have fursuits or struggle with mental health issues and only about 20% of furries own fursuits.  For many the fandom is not a crutch but a means of expressing creativity.

The documentary focuses on the lives of three fursuiters in the fandom and their struggles.  The beef I have is how CNN displays media bias and manipulation of the narrative at Anthro Northwest by focusing on fursuiter by crop shots and digitally blurring non –suiters. It should be noticed that antedates have signed waivers to be shown in CNN’s piece or opt out thus some were blurred out.    CNN’s  biased they  gives the illusion that  Fursuiteres is all the convention is about, even through the fact at  Anthro Northwest, or any furry convention, the number of  suiters does not  surpass 20%.   Furthermore, why Lisa Lang focus mainly on fursuiters, except a small section on Uncle Kage?  She could have interview a furry musician such as Fox and Pepper who was at the con or a writer or a furry artist to get their angle on the fandom.

In spite of my objections, Lisa Lang did a very good and professional   job, compared to Dominic Rodriguez’s documentary Fursonas.  Lisa know when  to step back and let the  fursuiters tell they own story  compared how  Dominic injects himself  too often in  Fursonas.

Overall, I see Lisa Ling squandered any potential by concentration on fursuiters rather than the fandom overall. A better treatment of Furry Fandom is CNN’s accompanied written piece.

Update- In a nod to Captain Boons I need to make a few corrections. First, many of those blurred out were to protect their privacy.  Second, my confusion about the reprot revolves around CNN as a new organization, whether this is a documentary or investigative news piece. Finally, I referenced my own experiences of the media when I was involved with the Republican Party.  I have seen CNN and other mainstream Journalist use the same tactic by focusing on the most provocative example of a tea party member, Pro-life advocate, or Christian Fundamentalist and claim that outlier represents the entire movement.  I also referenced, contrasted, and compare Lisa Lang’s price to NBC news treatment of the fandom in a piece on Antrhocon. Unlike CNN, NBC News shown a more balanced story by featuring both suiters and non-suiters and, other attendees in and out of suit  in the background.