"During national emergencies such as natural disasters or outbreaks of disease, the news media can serve as a valuable source of information for the public. Yet when it came to their coverage of the coronavirus on Thursday, CNN largely put their Trump-bashing agenda ahead of that important role.
MRC analysts identified 44 guest interviews on CNN between 6:00 am and 11:59 pm EST on February 27, 2020. Out of 136 questions that hosts asked about the epidemic, 82 (60%) invited guests – even medical specialists – to criticize the Trump administration’s handling of the epidemic. Questions asked of CNN-affiliated reporters and analysts were not included in this total.
Hosts often pressured guests who were reluctant to attack the administration. For example, Dr. Luciana Borio – the former Head of Biodefense and Preparedness at the National Security Council – initially sidestepped one such invitation from At This Hour host Kate Bolduan. A flustered Bolduan pressed further, remarking that Borio’s former position at the NSC was now vacant:
MRC analysts identified 44 guest interviews on CNN between 6:00 am and 11:59 pm EST on February 27, 2020. Out of 136 questions that hosts asked about the epidemic, 82 (60%) invited guests – even medical specialists – to criticize the Trump administration’s handling of the epidemic. Questions asked of CNN-affiliated reporters and analysts were not included in this total.
Hosts often pressured guests who were reluctant to attack the administration. For example, Dr. Luciana Borio – the former Head of Biodefense and Preparedness at the National Security Council – initially sidestepped one such invitation from At This Hour host Kate Bolduan. A flustered Bolduan pressed further, remarking that Borio’s former position at the NSC was now vacant:
Dr. Borio again refused to attack the administration’s handling of the coronavirus, and Bolduan retreated."Do you think the administration, the White House, would be better served, though if they had someone – I don’t know – like a Dr. Luciana Borio in the position that you had held?
STUDY: Trump-Bashing Takes up Majority of CNN’s Coronavirus Coverage
During national emergencies such as natural disasters or outbreaks of disease, the news media can serve as a valuable source of information for the public. Yet when it came to their coverage of the coronavirus on Thursday, CNN largely put their Trump-bashing agenda ahead of that important role.
www.newsbusters.org