What the CNN scandal reveals about the mainstream media

By Chidozie Ehirim

Editor

On June 26th this year, Project Veritas, a not for profit organisation, who, according to their website 'investigate and expose corruption in private organisations' , released the first in a series of secretly recorded interviews with senior producers and contributors at American news network CNN. The interviews were eye opening and the fallout from the affair is still being debated.

The interviews centered on CNN's coverage of the allegations that Russia colluded with President Trump before and during the presidential elections and that the Kremlin interfered in the elections via the hacking of the Democratic National Committee servers. 

John Boninfield 

Senior producer John Boninfield can be seen and heard admitting that there is little to no evidence to support the claims. He further admits that he can understand why President Trump feels as though he might be the victim of a political witch hunt.

Further on into the interview he also reveals that ratings was the motivation behind the reporting and that the Russia story was prioritized above others. He further concedes that pressure to cover the Trump Russia story came from above and that more time was to be devoted to the story than any other. 

The videos have gained significant traction on social media and have gone viral. The story and it's significance have been discussed in the mainstream and more especially the alternative media. CNN took the opportunity to respond. In a statement, the network said:

'CNN stands by our medical producer John Bonifield, Diversity of personal opinion is what makes CNN strong, we welcome it and embrace it'

CNN were more than allowed their right of reply. In many ways however, the statement encapsulates everything that is problematic with the mainstream media. A senior producer for a leading US news network freely admits to running stories that have little to no proof. Then when exposed, it is dismissed in glib fashion by the network as simply 'personal opinion'. 

The problem for CNN is that they find themselves trapped in quite the predicament. If they admit to running false news stories, it looks bad. If they deny they have done so, the videos condemn them. If they apologize for what they have done, it denotes guilt. They are well and truly following the 'admit nothing' advice.

To say the least, it is awkward. Very awkward.

Under pressure

The rise of social media and skepticism of the mainstream media has lead to alternative voices, vloggers, citizen journalists and news organizations coming to the fore. The CNN scandal will only increase the lack of trust many have of the mainstream news organizations. In fact, mistrust of the mainstream media is already at an all time high. A Gallup Poll conducted in the US in February of this year, found that only 32% of respondents trusted the mainstream media 

The media's role whether mainstream or alternative is to report the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. When this core principle is diluted by political agendas, ratings and other insidious influences, it increases the possibility that the news it disseminates is tainted or worse, untrue. For the sake of truth this cannot be allowed to happen and where it does happen we must do what we can to expose it.

Unfortunately for CNN the secretly recorded interviews not only represent a smoking gun but the person holding it has been well and truly caught in the act.