How CNN Reckoned With Covering Its Own Jeff Zucker Scandal
variety.comClaudia Eller Co-Editor-in-ChiefI’ve always wondered what it’s like for journalists at news organizations to have to cover their own outlets when they become the news.The most recent case is CNN reporting on the shocking story that its beloved leader of nine years, Jeff Zucker, abruptly resigned Feb.
2 over failure to disclose a consensual romantic relationship with his close lieutenant Allison Gollust. (There are news reports that there were other factors at play.) CNN has continued to cover the fallout from Zucker’s hasty departure, including Gollust’s resignation Feb.
15, which unlike her boss’ was widely expected.In early December, CNN had also covered Zucker’s firing of Chris Cuomo after an outside law firm came forth with information about how the star anchor had helped his brother, Andrew Cuomo, when the then-governor of New York was accused of sexual harassment.
I reached out to CNN media reporter Brian Stelter, who has been covering all these developments, to ask him the difficulties in filing stories on the very news establishment you work for.“The key to covering your own company’s news as a media reporter is to be transparent about the situation, cover the news head-on and give credit to other outlets where it’s due,” he says. “CNN management has always respected the independence of the media team, and that’s key.
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