The CNN town hall wasn’t anything new. What the network maybe fails to realize is that the rest of us went through this cycle with them in 2015-16 and haven’t much forgotten how they panted after Trump with a camera. Thus, it doesn’t take long for us to reach a personal boiling point when they roll out a red carpet for him and dutifully fill the venue with a few thousand of His Number One Fans. They’re happy to chisel away at our democracy by airing his insurrectionist bile.
So, having gone from zero to sixty on this fairly rapidly, I don’t feel like lingering at the outrage stage. My estimation of them hasn’t been high for a very long time. It’s time to call or write their advertisers and suggest that their money would be best spent elsewhere. Maybe one can’t argue that CNN is another FOX, with a top-down editorial mission, but the town hall suffices by itself to argue that it is wildly unprofessional, happy to burn down our democracy if it gets a chance to televise the conflagration.
They may not lose money, but they’ve showed themselves, on prior occasions to be exquisitely sensitive to the prospect of bad publicity. It’s worth a shot (especially if one has a handy way of assembling a list of their advertisers). If they want the Fox viewership, they can enjoy all the negative consequences that come with that.
Here is a draft letter, adapted from this:
Dear CNN Advertiser:
I am a loyal and patriotic American and, as such, I am making the informed decision not to support companies that advertise on CNN and/or its individual programming. I feel that you have the right to know why you may be losing my business.
CNN’s telecast of the Donald Trump town hall shows a reckless disregard for our democratic system. Two years after he sparked an insurrection, bringing our hallowed 220-year tradition of the peaceful transition of power to a horrific end, Trump was allowed to shout out his lies about the election and defame a woman he assaulted — all before a cheering audience.
It is not a question of whether to cover him, but how. Eight years after he emerged as a political figure, no one can claim to be naive about his mendacity or the threat he poses. Giving him free reign to spout lies, as CNN did, rather than pre-recording an interview and thereby asserting control is beyond naive at this point. Rather, it is cynical. CNN wants its ratings, but they will have to come without my viewership.
Until it ceases panting after him with a video camera, I will not watch CNN. Furthermore, until your company discontinues your relationship with CNN, I will not purchase your products or services. Please consider severing your ties with CNN and/or its individual programs and spending your advertising budget in areas that will help build a better America. It is never acceptable for a company to provide a free, unchecked platform to a racist authoritarian insurrectionist.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your City/State