New York Post - September 16, 2003
CNN GIVES CHRISTIANE 'PRIVATE' DRESS DOWN
September 16, 2003 -- CNN news chief Jim Walton had a "private converation" with reporter Christiane Amanpour after she accused her own network of being "intimidated" in its coverage of the Iraqi war.
Amanpour, a guest on last week's "Topic A with Tina Brown" on CNBC, set off shockwaves in the TV world over the weekend when she said she thought her employer, CNN, was "muzzled" in its war coverage by a combination of the White House and its competitive position with the higher-rated Fox News Channel.
"I think the press was muzzled, and I think the press self-muzzled," she said. "I'm sorry to say that, but certainly television and, perhaps, to a certain extent, my station, was intimidated by the administration and its foot soldiers at Fox News."
CNN denied it was cowed by anyone in its coverage - but said to have no plans to reprimand Amanpour. "I respect her," Walton told reporters yesterday and emphasized that Amanpour "speaks for herself" and not for CNN.
A Fox News spokeswonman said: "It's better to be viewed as a foot soldier for Bush than spokeswoman for al-Qaeda."
- Post TV staff