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In personal conversations this week, CNN journalists expressed dismay to 1 one other that the community didn’t self-discipline Chris Cuomo for aiding his brother, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, in response to sexual harassment allegations. New York AG Letitia James discovered on Tuesday Gov. Cuomo had sexually harassed 11 ladies.
CNN’s conundrum with Chris Cuomo might encourage an Apple TV+ sequence — it’s that difficult and troubling. The community’s top-rated host is the brother of the topic in essentially the most newsworthy ongoing political scandal.
On each the left and the best, media members criticized Chris Cuomo Tuesday after he ignored the AG report on his primetime program. Cuomo, as a substitute, opened his present with a scathing monologue on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ dealing with of the pandemic. Cuomo Prime Time was the one cable information program on Tuesday that didn’t cowl James’ report.
In half, CNN made this matter worse final spring. See, CNN put a clause in Chris Cuomo’s contract in 2013, which he prolonged in April 2020, that prohibits him from masking his brother on-air. Yet, CNN lifted that restriction in spring 2020 to permit Gov. Cuomo to seem on his brother’s program
“We felt that Chris speaking with his brother about the challenges of what millions of American families were struggling with was of significant human interest,” CNN mentioned.
Sometime within the fall, CNN reinstated the rule, banning Chris Cuomo from masking or interviewing his brother.
“[The] rule remains in place today,” CNN mentioned in February.
Though CNN fails to contextualize the tales it covers, the reality is CNN would’ve reinstated the ban in some unspecified time in the future anyway. However, the narrative is already written and reads: CNN banned Chris Cuomo from masking his brother after a number of ladies accused Andrew Cuomo of sexual misconduct.
CNN allowed Cuomo to humanize his brother whereas the nation cheered the governor’s response to COVID final 12 months, thus that’s the headline. There’s no erasing that narrative. Earlier this 12 months, CNN even floated the concept of a short-term go away to Cuomo, during which he declined.
So how does CNN deal with the matter transferring ahead?
Ideally, for CNN, Andrew Cuomo quietly runs out the clock on his time period as governor. At this second, nevertheless, the quiet half is uncertain.
President Joe Biden has known as for Gov. Cuomo to step down, signaling that Gov. Cuomo is now honest sport to the remainder of the celebration.
Both Republicans and Democrats will now goal Andrew Cuomo and preserve his title within the information. And if the New York State Assembly impeaches Cuomo, his title will bolt to the highest of the information cycle for an prolonged time frame. And at that time, how might CNN proceed to disregard the story at 9 pm? It possible couldn’t.
Steve Krakauer says Chris Cuomo can and may cowl the story with the correct disclosures. “It actually gives CNN a unique angle to the story,” Krakauer tweeted.
I don’t see that occuring. Nor do I count on CNN to fireplace Cuomo, an concept that drew a uncommon settlement between the deranged Keith Olbermann and The Hill’s Joe Concha.
If lawmakers impeach Andrew Cuomo or the story furthers, CNN might revisit placing Chris Cuomo on go away — however this time telling, not asking him. CNN might danger shedding its locker room if it doesn’t, as ESPN did when it performed favorites with choose personalities.
Moreover, this week additional raised questions on Chris Cuomo’s long-term future at CNN. The community has made Cuomo one of many faces of CNN — together with Anderson Cooper, Don Lemon, and Jake Tapper — however a star expertise is solely irreplaceable till their draw back outweighs their upside. Some CNN workers have already turned on Cuomo, as have former pleasant media critics.
What’s extra, Cuomo isn’t making the distinction he did in 2020. Cuomo Prime Time averaged 954,000 viewers in July. Cooper 360, Cuomo’s lead-in, common 947,000. Without Trump, Cuomo is merely holding CNN’s base viewers common. Not that others would do higher, however they’d possible draw equally with out the destructive press.
Jake Tapper, essentially the most highly effective expertise at CNN, has already condemned Chris Cuomo for aiding his brother publicly.
“He put us in a bad spot,” Tapper mentioned.
Though deserving, that creates an uncomfortable feeling for Cuomo, Tapper, and CNN. And as digital media continues to shut the hole between linear TV, Cuomo — himself — might develop anxious for an eventual departure from the community. Chris Cuomo already hosts a day by day SiriusXM present, which he might develop.
“The calls are getting louder and louder,” Don Lemon, Chris Cuomo’s colleague, and off-air buddy, opened his present Tuesday saying. Lemon was referring to calls from New York Democrats for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign. While not as widespread, the calls are simply as loud for CNN to deal with the Chris Cuomo conundrum.
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