CNN tar til orde for å deplattforme konservative tv-kanaler, både fra kabel-tv og fra satellitt. Her maler demonstranter på CNN-logoen utenfor kontoret i Atlanta i forbindelse med Floyd-protestene i 2020. Illustrasjonsfoto: Mike Stewart / AP photo / NTB

CNN vil deplattforme Newsmax TV ved å fjerne kanalen fra kringkastingen, skriver Newsmax. CNNs mediekritiker Oliver Darcy gir nyhetskanalen skyld i opprøret på Capitol Hill den 6. januar og ber tv-selskaper som gir plattformer til kanaler som Newsmax, Fox og One America News (OAN) vurdere sin rolle i spredningen av «konspirasjonsteorier».

«We regularly discuss what the Big Tech companies have done to poison the public conversation by providing large platforms to bad-faith actors who lie, mislead, and promote conspiracy theories. But what about TV companies that provide platforms to networks such as Newsmax, One America News — and, yes, Fox News?

Somehow, these companies have escaped scrutiny and entirely dodged this conversation. That should not be the case anymore. After Wednesday’s incident of domestic terrorism on Capitol Hill, it is time TV carriers face questions for lending their platforms to dishonest companies that profit off of disinformation and conspiracy theories. After all, it was the very lies that Fox, Newsmax, and OAN spread that helped prime President Trump’s supporters into not believing the truth: that he lost an honest and fair election.

Yes, Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson and Mark Levin and others are responsible for the lies they peddle to their audiences. But the TV companies that beam them into millions of homes around the country also bear some responsibility. And yet we rarely, if ever, talk about them», skriver Darcy i en kommentar hos CNN Business.

Brian Stelter pukket opp tråden fra Darcys kommentar i CNNs Reliable Sources i søndagens episode, hvor hans gjester fokuserte på deplattforming av Newsmax.

«We are going to have to figure out the OANN and Newsmax problem,» sa Alex Stamos, tidligere Facebook chief security officer, til CNNs Stelter.

«These companies have freedom of speech, but I’m not sure we need Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, and such bringing them into tens of millions of homes.»

Ifølge Newsmax var det CNN som gikk i bresjen for å deplattforme president Donald Trump fra Twitter.

Newsmax er den fjerde største nyhetskanalen på kabel-tv i USA og anklager CNN for å forsøke å fjerne Newsmax som konkurrent, ettersom Newsmax fortsetter å vokse og ta over seere fra CNN.

«We have to turn down the capability of these conservative influencers to reach these huge audiences,» sa Stamos videre.

«There are people on YouTube that have larger daytime audiences than CNN.»

Det er ikke bare flyktende seere som er problematisk i CNNs kampanje. Når Darcys oppfordrer Verizon, AT&T og Comcast til å vurdere sin rolle i spredning av «konspirasjonsteorier», nevner han ikke at AT&T er CNNs moderselskap.

Newsmax nekter for ha spredt konspirasjonsteorier om valgfusk, hvilket CNN også anklager dem for, og påpeker at Newsmax aldri har forsøkt noen kampanje om deplattforming mot CNN for deres feilrapportering av Russiagate, som CNN ikke har blitt holdt ansvarlig for.

«In a statement released Sunday, Newsmax said, contrary to Darcy’s and Stamos’ claims, Newsmax never denied the election results.

The network called all contested states for Biden as they were certified and accepted him as president-elect Dec. 14, after the meeting of the Electoral College.

Newsmax also noted, while it justifiably covered the president’s allegations about the election, and interviewed his lawyers and supporters – as did Fox News and Fox Business News, it never said all allegations were true.

The network did note, after years of CNN falsely claiming the Steele Dossier was valid and the Russian collusion claim against Trump was credible, it was never held accountable for its misreporting. Newsmax never called for CNN to be shut down.»