CNN’s media reporter Brian Stelter is questioning the ethics of cable news channels — like the one, you know, that pays his salary — of putting a guest like Sam Nunberg on the air when there are legitimate questions regarding his state of mind at the time of the interview:
Q in the @ReliableSources newsletter: If your source seems drunk or drugged or just plain out of his mind, what is your responsibility? https://t.co/5MdwIcraNw
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 6, 2018
Stelter writes in his newsletter:
Now an ethical debate is raging in journalism circles. If your source seems drunk or drugged or just plain out of his mind, what is your responsibility? Several of the interviewers expressed concern about Nunberg’s personal welfare on Monday… asking if he wanted to reconsider his position… asking if he’d consulted his lawyer… asking about his family… and, in Burnett’s case, even asking if he was under the influence. She said at the end of the interview that she smelled alcohol on his breath. But he denied drinking and said “anti-depressants” were the only meds he was on.
What do you think? Where’s the line in a breaking news situation like this?
But Stelter also found time to bash Fox News for not going full bananas over Nunberg, which makes no sense because what he’s asking is for Fox News to be as ethically challenged as his own network, CNN:
Fox’s newscasts covered the Nunberg news, but the pro-Trump talk shows in prime time focused on the Oscars instead. Mark Steyn, filling in for Tucker Carlson at 8pm, led with Oscars outrage (of course) and celebrated the award show’s ratings decline. Later in the hour, he downplayed Nunberg’s claims by saying “nobody’s heard of this Mr. Nunberg.” (False.)
At 9, Sean Hannity began and ended his show with “HOLLYWOOD HYPOCRISY.” Lots of Clinton talk, etc. And Laura Ingraham‘s lead at 10? “America’s resistance media has lost all touch with reality…”
So which is it, Brian? Should the cable news channels put on a guest where the anchors are questioning his sobriety to his face or should they cover the story, but also cover other major events?
We’re pretty sure the answer is the later, which means we eagerly await Stelter’s commentary on his network’s shameful behavior yesterday:
CNN's Erin Burnett commits journalistic malfeasance conducting interview with Sam Nunberg after allegedly smelling alcohol on his breath. pic.twitter.com/mFXjaNCDZL
— Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) March 6, 2018
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Related:
WATCH: CNN's Erin Burnett tells Sam Nunberg she can smell alcohol on his breath https://t.co/Y8wKBdHkPE
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 6, 2018
It's Mueller time! Former aide Sam Nunberg thinks Mueller might have 'something' on Trump https://t.co/7OmRb9ckmv
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 5, 2018
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