‘This is a New CNN’: Network Overlord David Zaslav Defends Town Hall With Trump
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav defended CNN hosting a town hall event with former President Donald Trump during a Friday appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box.
CNN has received criticism from progressive precincts over the decision to give a platform to the former president who continues to baselessly claim the 2020 election was stolen. Those reckless comments led to the seditious attack on the Capitol by his supporters on January 6.
Zaslav appeared on CNBC to discuss the latest earnings report for his media conglomerate, which owns CNN, and co-host Joe Kernen asked about the Trump Town Hall. Zaslav’s reply was a distillation of CNN’s mission under the leadership of new CEO Chris Licht:
Kernen: Because I want to talk about CNN and I want to talk about the cable news wars and what former President Trump is going to be on CNN?
Zaslav: Yeah, he should be.
Kernen: You should be. You know, you’ve already gotten criticism. Remember what John Malone said. Let’s get some real journalists. Now you try to get some real journalists and you’re getting hit CNN for getting rid of.
Zaslav: CNN has the greatest journalists and the largest group of journalists in the world in in the Ukraine, Poland and Russia. We have over 86 people on the ground. We’re not reporting from a desk.
Kernen: Do you see an opportunity, given what happened at some of your competitors?
Zaslav: We ave a divided government. Right? We need to hear both voices. That’s what you see. Republicans are on the air on CNN, Democrats are on the air. All voices should be heard.
Kernen’s comments about John Malone reference an infamous moment on the very same show in which the cable news giant and chief shareholder of Discovery called for CNN to “return to journalism” while it was under Jeff Zucker’s leadership. Malone even touted Fox News as an example for CNN to follow.
Zaslav continued to laud CNN’s future — and predicted a bounce-back from its current ratings lull — as 2024 presidential season approaches.
Watch above via CNBC.
