"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:
Dr. Borio again refused to attack the administration’s handling of the coronavirus, and Bolduan retreated."
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.
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