The paradox of Jeff Zucker
- apekary
- Oct 2, 2020
- 2 min read
In my last column for Columbia Journalism Review, I wrote about how CNN's President was caught on tape helping Donald Trump during the 2016 election. Since that post, I have talked to people who know Jeff Zucker and they described the good and the bad. One industry veteran thinks Zucker is the best person for the job and trusts him thoroughly, while acknowledging the destructive nature of commercial broadcast news. Another former CNN employee described Zucker's obsession with the ratings. In this piece, I try to square the various opinions. I conclude he's paradoxical, like many producers I know from my time in cable news.
This week's debate was a reference point when I talked to people this week. A former colleague of Zucker's defended CNN's analysis, citing the Fact Checker segments with Daniel Dale. Now a CNN reporter, Dale is invaluable to correct the record in real time. But I think the bar has been lowered so far, that even self-aware producers give too much credit to the state of TV news. I thought CNN's coverage was standard outrage TV, ultimately motivated by the need to profit. Seasoned political journalists clutched their pearls at the sight of an outrageous politician doing outrageous things.
Now, I understand the challenge. But the network continually fails to recognize that there are two candidates in this election. CNN let Donald Trump dominate the narrative. No, journalists can't ignore his behavior altogether, but they shouldn't ignore Joe Biden, either, whether it's to praise or criticize him. In the end, that is a disservice to voters and this election. We ought to call on CNN (and all of the commercial networks) to focus on covering these candidates and their policies appropriately and thoroughly, rather than treating the election as a way to increase their bank accounts.
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2. 3D Printer Electrical Noise and 3D Printer Interference
Modern 3D printers rely on precise stepper motor movements and 3D Printer accurate temperature readings. Electrical noise can disrupt these:
3D Printer Stepper Motor Missed Steps: Electromagnetic interference (EMI) from power supplies, heaters, or poorly shielded wires can cause stepper motors to momentarily "miss" steps, leading to subtle layer shifts or ghosting (ringing) that aren't due to mechanical issues.
3D Printer Inaccurate Temperature Readings: Noise on the thermistor wires can cause fluctuating temperature readings, leading to inconsistent extrusion, blobbing, or even thermal runaway errors if the readings become too erratic.
3D Printer Random Pauses/3D Printer Random Resets: 3D Printer Severe electrical noise or 3D Printer power fluctuations can sometimes cause the 3D printer's mainboard to 3D Printer momentarily freeze, 3D Printer pause, or even 3D Printer reset,…
Student Reflection
While common 3D printing issues like stringing, warping, and layer shifting are widely discussed, there are several less commonly acknowledged or understood problems that can significantly impact print quality and machine longevity. Here are some of those "less known" issues:
Less Known Issues in 3D Printing
1. 3D Printing Filament Moisture Absorption (beyond the obvious "3D Printer popping")
Most users know that wet filament can cause popping sounds and visibly poor prints (stringing, bubbles). However, the subtle effects are often overlooked:
3D Printer Reduced Mechanical Properties: Even slight 3D Printer moisture absorption can significantly degrade the tensile strength, 3D Printer impact resistance, and 3D Printer overall durability of 3D printed parts, especially with 3D Printer hygroscopic filaments like 3D Printer Nylon, 3D Printer PETG, and even 3D Printer PLA.
3D Printer Dimensional Inaccuracy: Moisture can…
3D Printer Uneven Footing/3D Printer Surface: A print surface that isn't perfectly rigid or level can introduce subtle rocking or movement during printing, even if the printer itself feels stable, leading to inconsistent layer height or bed adhesion.
3D Printer Internal Vibrations: Motors, fans, or even poorly tightened bolts within the printer itself can create subtle vibrations that transmit through the frame and affect print quality, especially on machines without robust frames.
6. 3D Printer Aging and 3D Printer Wear of Components
Printers, like any machine, degrade over time, often subtly:
Worn Nozzles: Even without a 3D Printer visible clog, a 3D Printer worn nozzle (enlarged or irregular opening) can lead to inconsistent 3D Printer extrusion, 3D Printer poor line width, and 3D Printer fuzzy prints.
3D Printer Stretched Belts: Over time, drive…
5. Subtleties of 3D Printer Vibration Management
Beyond just making the printer stable:
3D Printer Resonance Frequencies: Every printer and its mounting surface has natural resonance frequencies. 3D Printer Printing at speeds or accelerations that match these 3D Printer frequencies can 3D Printer amplify vibrations, leading to 3D Printer ghosting, 3D Printer ringing, and even 3D Printer structural weakness in parts that appears as 3D Printer minor surface imperfections.
3D Printer Uneven Footing/3D Printer Surface: A print surface that isn't perfectly rigid or level can introduce subtle rocking or movement during printing, even if the printer itself feels stable, leading to inconsistent layer height or bed adhesion.
3D Printer Internal Vibrations: Motors, fans, or even poorly tightened bolts within the printer itself can create subtle vibrations that transmit through the frame and affect print quality,…
Less Known Issues in 3D Printing
1. 3D Printing Filament Moisture Absorption (beyond the obvious "3D Printer popping")
Most users know that wet filament can cause popping sounds and visibly poor prints (stringing, bubbles). However, the subtle effects are often overlooked:
3D Printer Reduced Mechanical Properties: Even slight 3D Printer moisture absorption can significantly degrade the tensile strength, 3D Printer impact resistance, and 3D Printer overall durability of 3D printed parts, especially with 3D Printer hygroscopic filaments like 3D Printer Nylon, 3D Printer PETG, and even 3D Printer PLA.
3D Printer Dimensional Inaccuracy: Moisture can cause slight 3D Printer swelling in the filament, leading to inconsistent 3D Printer extrusion widths and thus 3D Printer dimensional inaccuracies that are difficult to diagnose without precise measurements.
3D Printer Increased Brittleness: 3D Printer Dry filament can become brittle over time due to…