Stelter’s last sanctimonious lecture at CNN

Posted on: August 22, 2022 at 17:04:49 CT

Brent Baker, vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center, explains our weekly pick:
“Stelter, full of sanctimonious chutzpah, until the end. No acknowledgment of how he destroyed a 30-year franchise by turning it into a partisan hatefest more concerned with proving Donald Trump was ‘authoritarian’ and/or a ‘fascist’ than media criticism beyond relentless bashing of CNN’s more popular competitor, the Fox News Channel. For anyone interested in critiques of ‘mainstream media’ and why so many see so much fake news, he won’t be missed.”

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/washington-secrets/liberal-media-scream-cnn-stelters-last-sanctimonious-lecture

This week’s Liberal Media Scream says farewell to one of our regulars, CNN media critic Brian Stelter. His show was dumped last week, and he has decided to quit the slumping cable network.

He has been criticized over the years for harping on conservative media and ignoring the problems of liberal media.

He ended his final episode of CNN’s Reliable Sources on Sunday with a lecture in which he put himself on the side of decency and patriotism over demagogues and liars: “I know it’s not partisan to stand up for decency and democracy and dialogue. It’s not partisan to stand up to demagogues. It’s required. It’s patriotic. We must make sure we don’t give platforms to those who are lying to our faces,” he said.

Stelter wrapped up by championing CNN as critical to the survival of the nation and the planet: “I believe America needs CNN to be strong. I believe the free world needs CNN to be strong.”

Stelter’s last words on the final Reliable Sources on CNN on Sunday morning, Aug. 21:

"And that’s the watchword here: accountability. So this show's going away, but there’s going to be so many more. We need to have room for media criticism and debate and discussion. And we will. So much of the media ecosystem in 2022 is garbage. And so much of it is spectacular. The hard part is sorting out the treasure from the trash.

These are thorny, complicated things. I know I never had all the answers. I didn’t even always have all the questions. But it was the gift of a lifetime to get to confront these issues on international television with the backing of CNN.

Here’s what I do know. I know it’s not partisan to stand up for decency and democracy and dialogue. It’s not partisan to stand up to demagogues. It’s required. It’s patriotic. We must make sure we don’t give platforms to those who are lying to our faces. But we also must make sure we are representing the full spectrum of debate and representing what’s going on in this country and in this world.

That’s why CNN needs to be strong. That’s why I believe CNN will always be strong. You viewers at home, it’s on you. CNN must remain strong. I know the 4,500 staffers are going to do their part to make it stronger than ever.

But it’s going to be on you to hold CNN accountable. And not just CNN, you've got to hold your local paper accountable. You've got to hold your local digital outlet accountable. It’s on all of us. We are all members of the media, all helping to make it better. That’s what I believe.

I can’t wait to be watching CNN, seeing what happens here in the future. I’m going to be rooting for it. I want CNN to be strong. I believe America needs CNN to be strong. I believe the free world needs CNN to be strong. And it will continue to be, because all of us are going to help make that happen.

The free world needs a reliable source. So, for Reliable Sources, for the last time, I’m Brian Stelter. Thanks for being with us."

Brent Baker, vice president of research and publications for the Media Research Center, explains our weekly pick: “Stelter, full of sanctimonious chutzpah, until the end. No acknowledgment of how he destroyed a 30-year franchise by turning it into a partisan hatefest more concerned with proving Donald Trump was ‘authoritarian’ and/or a ‘fascist’ than media criticism beyond relentless bashing of CNN’s more popular competitor, the Fox News Channel. For anyone interested in critiques of ‘mainstream media’ and why so many see so much fake news, he won’t be missed.”