CNN imposes new rules on Russia stories
WASHINGTON. - CNN is reportedly implementing strict new rules for the network’s stories regarding Russia.
CNNMoney executive editor Rich Barbieri sent out an e-mail on Saturday regarding the network’s new rules after the network a day earlier issued a retraction on one of its stories.
“No one should publish any content involving Russia without coming to me and Jason (Farkas),” said the e-mail, obtained by BuzzFeed News.
“This applies to social, video, editorial, and MoneyStream. No exceptions,” the e-mail added. “I will lay out a work-flow Monday.” The new restrictions come after CNN on Friday retracted a story that connected Anthony Scaramucci, a prominent ally of President Trump, to a Russian investment fund managed by a Kremlin-controlled bank. On June 22, 2017, CNN.com published a story connecting Anthony Scaramucci with investigations into the Russian Direct Investment Fund,” the news organisation said in a statement.
“That story did not meet CNN’s editorial standards and has been retracted. Links to the story have been disabled. CNN apologises to Mr Scaramucci.”
The story was posted on Thursday night, but didn’t receive any air time on CNN, according to ‘Reliable Sources’ host Brian Stelter.
By Friday, the story was removed entirely from the website and scrubbed from the network’s social media accounts, replaced with an editor’s note noting the piece “did not meet CNN’s editorial standards and has been retracted.”
Scaramucci weighed in on Twitter on Saturday morning about the network’s decision to pull the story, calling it a “classy move.”
The president has dubbed CNN “fake news” and has made a habit of antagonising the network, refusing to call on its reporters during press briefings. Back in May, the network refused to run a 30-second television spot created by Trump’s re-election campaign that featured the words “fake news” displayed over several journalists, including CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
Many conservative figures, including the president’s son Donald Trump Jr., used the retraction in an attempt to paint CNN as having an anti-Trump bias in its reporting.