[lbo-talk] Amanpour taken to woodshed?

Doug Henwood dhenwood at panix.com
Tue Sep 16 07:20:08 PDT 2003


[it's hard to tell whether the headline is the truth, or the Post's spin - as another Murdoch property, it loves to promote Fox and make fun of CNN]

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



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