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I have always been leery of CNN’s promise to roll back the fake news and TDS and return to their more neutral reporting. I don’t think they can do it unless they fire some very specific people. They just canned one of those people – Brian Stelter, but he’s not even the worst of the bunch. It’s Jim Acosta and Don Lemon, who are the biggest and most rude TDS loons on the planet. Both of them have wildly crossed the line and insulted actual Trump voters, by falsely mocking them as “hillbillies” and “racists” and violent people. Don Lemon even spent half his show once, literally, falling out of his chair, laughing in hysterics as one of his guests viciously mocked Trump supporters. This “mean girl” approach to the news, of all things, is absolutely absurd and insulting, and there’s no going back from that type of outlandish behavior. So, if CNN doesn’t get rid of those two, whatever else they do, won’t matter… and now we’re getting a sneak peek at what’s to come for the embattled network, and it sounds like Lemon and Acosta are staying put.
Unreal.
The Wrap reported that a CNN insider said that “no decisions are being made” yet and said only that Licht is “weeks away” from announcing major programming changes.
Furthermore, insiders at Warner Bros. Discovery have not been advised of a plan to eliminate either high-profile journalist.
A spokeswoman for CNN declined to comment on Lemon and Acosta.
Nonetheless, a top CNN insider told TheWrap this week that Licht is seeking to establish a more neutral voice as a news platform — one that’s less associated with a left-wing lens. “It’s not a good brand position to be the opposite of Fox News,” said a network insider familiar with Licht’s thinking. “He wants to be tough and no bulls—, but not affiliated with a side. It’s fair to say he doesn’t like the CNN vs. Fox thing.”
That is also clearly the position of Licht’s bosses, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav and board member and major shareholder John Malone. In late 2021, Malone said in a CNBC interview that CNN should return to nonpartisan journalism once under Discovery’s control. “I would like to see CNN evolve back to the kind of journalism that it started with, and actually have journalists, which would be unique and refreshing,” Malone said at the time.
The influential board member hasn’t been shy about making that view known internally since then, according to a top media executive who has heard the chatter. “Everyone knows that Zas [WBD CEO David Zaslav] exists to please him… and Licht exists to please Zas,” the executive said.
Perhaps to his regret, Stelter called out Malone in February, accusing the billionaire of criticizing CNN without actually watching it and creating an atmosphere of anxiety in the newsroom. “Malone’s comments stoked fears that Discovery might stifle CNN journalists and steer away from calling out indecency and injustice,” Stelter wrote in his widely read media newsletter at the time.
So, CNN’s next big move will come in a few weeks, which will be “programming changes.” I believe they will announce Chris Wallace with a new prime-time show, and I think they’re going to revamp their morning show. I hear they’re thinking of putting Jake Tapper in that slot. And if new boss Chris Licht gets his way, he’ll also bring in that TDS lunatic, Stephen Colbert in some kind of role, but that’s yet to be determined. However, as far as Lemon and Acosta are concerned, they’re staying on.
I read this same thing from another site as well, so it sounds like it’s legit.
CNN isn’t serious about appealing to the “general public” if they keep “reporters” like Acosta and Lemon. There’s just too much water under the bridge. You can tell them both to “tone it down” all you want, but that won’t change the lies, and mockery they’ve gleefully taken part in.
I would give CNN a chance if they fired those two, but if they don’t, I will not, because you can’t improve the health of your network if you keep two cancerous tumors.