CNN Ridiculed over ‘Reality’ Reporters Combatting ‘Misinformation, Extremism’
CNN is being ridiculed online following the left-wing news network’s new job postings seeking “reality” reporters and an accompanying editor to help combat what it deems “misinformation,” with many noting the hypocrisy of the network having been accused itself of misinformation on many occasions.
In the job listing for the “misinformation” team in New York City, CNN Digital states it is seeking “reality” reporters and an editor to help run a “new team covering misinformation,” which the network is starting.
“We’re looking for reporters to cover reality, and an editor to guide them in doing it,” the posting states.
The position entails covering the “distortions” of reality and those behind them and includes “vaccine refusal” and what it deems “extremism” and “insurrection.”
“That includes the uses and abuses and distortions of it, the people twisting it, and the effect that twisting is having on all of us, from schools closed over rumors about TikTok challenges to vaccine refusal to extremism and insurrection,” it reads.
The “ideal” candidate is described as one “who can see the big picture” and who “loves reporters and stories.”
They should also “be ready to jump into action on it” and possess a “deep knowledge of misinformation and the issues surrounding it.”
In a tweet on Tuesday, Alex Koppelman, a managing editor for CNN, tweeted he was hiring individuals for the new team.
“We already do a lot of important work on this,” he wrote, “we want to do more.”
Hello Twitter! Some very exciting MEDIA JOBS to tell you about. I’m hiring 3 people for a new CNN team dedicated to covering misinformation. Thread about the team/jobs starts here. Please feel free to share far and wide, and if you’re interested, reach out or apply at the links.
— Alex Koppelman (@AlexKoppelman) January 18, 2022
In response, many ridiculed the left-wing news outlet.
“1984 – ‘Ministry of Truth,’” wrote investigative reporter Drew Hernandez.
“Bar none — the funniest story of the day is the fact that #CNN announced new team dedicated to ‘covering misinformation,’” wrote radio host Joe Pags Pagliarulo.
“Every joke and poke and comment exposing this nuttiness did not go far enough to mock this ridiculous announcement,” he added.
Bar none — the funniest story of the day is the fact that #CNN announced new team dedicated to ‘covering misinformation.’ Every joke and poke and comment exposing this nuttiness did not go far enough to mock this ridiculous announcement.
— Joe Pags Pagliarulo (@JoeTalkShow) January 20, 2022
“CNN Covering Misinformation is a Joke,” wrote Turning Point USA.
“Just read the report that CNN is launching a show dedicated to misinformation. It’s called CNN,” quipped radio host Jimmy Failla.
“This is laughable,” wrote former judge Alex Ferrer. “If you’re going to cover CNN misinformation, you might want to hire 30.”
“Will this replace the many teams that @CNN has to create misinformation?” asked Dan Gainor of the Media Research Center.
“This is rather surprising. You don’t normally hear of left-wing networks hiring staff to call out its fellow anchors, reporters and analysts for spreading nonsense,” wrote conservative talk host Jason Rantz.
“Kudos to CNN for finally looking in a mirror to call out their misinformation and disingenuous takes,” he added.
This is rather surprising. You don’t normally hear of left-wing networks hiring staff to call out its fellow anchors, reporters and analysts for spreading nonsense. Kudos to CNN for finally looking in a mirror to call out their misinformation and disingenuous takes. https://t.co/puqrRbaPHU
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) January 18, 2022
“Along with NBC, the New Yorker, the Atlantic and NYT, Ground Zero for the insane Trump-is-Putin’s-blackmail-pawn conspiracy theory was CNN. They were led around by CIA to spread the most unhinged conspiracy,” wrote journalist Glenn Greenwald.
“Now they really believe they fight, rather than spread, ‘misinformation,’” he added.
“Are you going to re-cover the Steele dossier, Hunter’s laptop, the Russian bounties, ISIS’ Air Force in Syria and all the other tales CNN told?” asked terrorism expert Max Abrahms.
Are you going to re-cover the Steele dossier, Hunter’s laptop, the Russian bounties, ISIS’ Air Force in Syria and all the other tales CNN told?
— Max Abrahms (@MaxAbrahms) January 19, 2022
“Translation: CNN is looking to hire three people whose job it will be to attack non-liberals who get online traction with truths which contradict/question/embarrass the accepted liberal narrative…,” wrote columnist John Ziegler.
“CNN ‘covering misinformation’ is like Stalin trying to pass voting rights legislation,” wrote former congressional candidate Jon Hollis.
CNN “covering misinformation” is like Stalin trying to pass voting rights legislation.
— Hi (@hollis4congress) January 18, 2022
“[W]hen it comes to blatant misinformation. CNN is definitely one of the leaders in the space,” wrote sportswriter Dominique Clare.
The creation of the new “reality” team to combat “misinformation” comes on the same day that CNN — which itself has been accused of misinformation on multiple occasions — announced the hiring of ex-NBA player Rex Chapman, described as one of the biggest purveyors of misinformation on Twitter.
“Most amazing media news of 2022: CNN announces a new department to cover misinformation ON THE SAME DAY they hire renowned misinformation peddler Rex Chapman,” wrote sports radio host Gerry Callahan.
Most amazing media news of 2022: CNN announces a new department to cover misinformation ON THE SAME DAY they hire renowned misinformation peddler Rex Chapman. @TheCallahanShow https://t.co/2nxsOBIY3o
— Gerry Callahan (@GerryCallahan) January 19, 2022
Chapman has been accused of pushing lies, doctored videos, deceivingly editing quotes, and promoting misinformation on his Twitter account.
In one example, he tweeted that GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell was a mask scoffer early during the pandemic, despite being one of the early members of the GOP to advocate for mask-wearing both in D.C. and at home in Kentucky.
Even a CNN “fact-checker” blasted Chapman for his lies:
This is not true. McConnell was vocally pro-mask under Trump, in Washington and during trips home to Kentucky. https://t.co/RW6SNxIsgo pic.twitter.com/MhrtziqAZS
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) July 21, 2021
In October, CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta admitted the network was wrong in framing a well-known medicine as solely a veterinary drug after host Brian Stelter accused podcast superstar Joe Rogan of using “horse deworming medication that’s discouraged by the government” after he had noted on his podcast that he took doctor-prescribed Ivermectin to treat his COVID-19 infection.
Last year, CNN agreed to settle a $275 million lawsuit brought by Covington Catholic student Nick Sandmann over the network’s misleading coverage of a confrontation involving himself and his classmates and a Native American man during a school trip to Washington, DC.
In addition, the network has suffered a slew of embarrassing incidents, scandals, and a sharp decline in viewership over this past year.
The network’s new campaign against what it labels “misinformation” follows President Joe Biden complaining about “disinformation” regarding the coronavirus and vaccines on social media last Thursday.
“I make a special appeal to social media companies and media outlets — please deal with the misinformation and disinformation that’s on your shows,” Biden said. “It has to stop.”
In response, former CIA operative Mike Baker warned of the dangers of such practices.
“I spent a lot of time overseas in some very unusual places, where this is the way the governments in these places work,” he said. “They will tell you what is correct and what is not….”
“This is a very dangerous path for us to be going on, this idea that the President of the United States would be saying, ‘All of you news networks: you gotta shut down this misinformation,’” he added. “That’s something I would hear when I was overseas in a Fourth World country.”
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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