Trump has mocked CNN for putting a ‘clamp’ on labeling his election fraud claims ‘the Big Lie,’ claiming that the network is concerned about legal liability of using the catchphrase.
Trump took aim at CNN’s new president Chris Licht’s directive to cease using the phrase “the Big Lie” since it is a Democrat slogan during his American Freedom Tour outside of Memphis, Tennessee, on Saturday.
Trump stated CNN recognized the word, which has been used at least 168 times by CNN employees, is legally accountable.
‘In fact, a big story from two days ago, that CNN has put a clamp on ever using the term The Big Lie,’ Trump said to the enthusiastic audience cheering him.
‘Because I think they’re worried about the legal liability of using that term, because I think they realize it wasn’t a big lie. They’re not allowed to use the term the big lie on fake news CNN anymore.’
Far from Trump’s suggestions, Licht just ‘discouraged’ employees from using the term in an effort to prevent ‘adopting branding’ used by the left, according to Mediaite.
Licht believes the precise language of ‘the Big Lie’ – an allusion to Hitler’s Nazi propaganda efforts during the Third Reich – is a Democratic Party talking point, according to a source.
‘Trump’s election lie’ or ‘election lie,’ according to Licht, are plausible replacements.
Trump also dubbed Biden “the worst president in the history of America” during his speech in Memphis, accusing him of converting “common to chaos, prosperity into poverty, and security into catastrophe” during his 17 months in power.
The 2020 Presidential Election, Trump went on to say, is “the worst thing that could have happened.”
‘You ever see where they say the Big Lie? That was no lie. The Big Lie was what they were doing,’ Trump said. ‘That was the Big Lie.’
Mediaite reported on Thursday that Licht allegedly said he preferred staff avoid the catchphrase, though was clear in saying that this was not mandatory.
CNN has come under fire for moving away from its well-respected news coverage towards dreary opinion programming, where hosts on seven and eight-figure salaries parrot woke talking points.
Licht issued the edict days after warning staff over their incessant use of ‘BREAKING NEWS’ graphics on stories, which he said was melodramatic, and ultimately diluted the power of big stories when they did break.
Licht is also said to be keen to move the well-resourced network back towards neutral news coverage, with CNN hailed over its coverage of the Ukraine war and other big international news stories.
CNN employees have suggested that the demand to stop saying the big lie was not met happily by people within the Atlanta-based network.
‘It’s worrisome that we’re being told how to talk about one of the worst things that ever happened to American democracy,’ a CNN insider said to Mediaite. ‘We have to call lies, lies, whether they’re small lies or big lies. Is there any lie bigger than that lie?’
That insider suggested that Discovery board member John Malone – now on the board of the network’s parent company who has been critical of CNN under Zucker – is behind this.
‘It seems to indicate where things are headed,’ they added. ‘We didn’t have this problem until John Malone was sitting on the board of this company.’
A former producer at MSNBC’s Morning Joe and most recently with Stephen Colbert’s Late Show, this is far from the first time Licht has tried to get the network to tone things down since he took the reins.
Licht, as part of his efforts to revamp the outlet, has been evaluating news personalities and programs that became polarizing during Donald Trump‘s presidency.
Those who fail to get on board with the network’s new priority to become ‘less partisan’ could be terminated, CNN insiders told Axios.
Licht isn’t reportedly looking to get rid of primetime personality programming, but he does want CNN’s news staff to present information in a way that upholds the network’s apparent values of unbiased reporting.
Analysts allege this could prove problematic for network correspondents Jim Acosta and Brian Stelter, among others, who have ‘become the face of the network’s liberal shift.’
Licht wants to give the controversial personalities a chance to ‘prove they’re willing to uphold the network’s values’ before casting anyone out, the insiders said.
Specifically, he wants on-air talent, producers and bookers to make programming decisions that are focused on ‘nuance’ and don’t tarnish the CNN brand, which was once regarded as ‘the most trusted name in news.’
He has no plans to alter the tone of the network’s primetime programming, but he does want to guarantee that partisan views do not ‘dominate’ programming in a negative way.
This would be a shift from former CNN President Jeff Zucker’s management style, which many believe aided the spread of an anti-Trump agenda.
According to Axios, Licht, who took over at CNN on May 2, agreed with concerns from “people both inside and outside the organization” that the banners are overused on TV in a recent memo.
‘It has become such a fixture on every channel and network that its impact has become lost on the audience,’ he wrote. ‘We are truth-tellers, focused on informing, not alarming our viewers.’
CNN bureau head Sam Feist oversaw an assessment to determine best practices for using the Breaking News label, and the network’s stylebook, or internal editorial guidelines, were updated as a result, according to Licht.
‘It certainly will need tweaks, so we are open to feedback, but this is a great starting point to try to make ‘Breaking News’ mean something BIG is happening,’ said Licht of the new rules.