Dr. Bruce Hartman: It’s Time to Tell the Truth About CNN

By Dr. Bruce L. Hartman:

Recently, Jeffrey Zucker the head of CNN, runs into the control room and insists on getting the microphone to talk to Jack Zapper who is interviewing Kellyanne Conway. Forcefully telling Tapper to “’expletive’ nail her!” Then tells the executive producer to extend the segment by seven minutes and bypass all the commercials.

Caught on tape, that was secretly transported out of CNN, only Fox picks up the story. That in itself is the story. Where the heck have our national journalist’s gone. This should have been a major headline throughout the printed press and the on air news channels. Only to be ignored.

Why is this a big story, it's simple, part of our treasured freedoms is the freedom of the press. Freedom not just from the press, but also free from single individuals controlling what Americans hear and see. One man, Jeffrey Zucker playing God with the news is caught and like compliant sheep our national journalist don’t see it as news. Well it is and its important.

While most Americans go to work every day to carve out a life, our soldiers bravely defend freedom, and doctors and nurses heal the ill, their news is getting sanitized. All Americans just doing their job, while Jeffrey Zucker plays God on one of the nation’s leading journalistic outlets.

Americans expect better and have had better. Imagine Zucker blaring into Walter Cronkite’s ear piece. The interview would have ended and Cronkite would have resigned on the spot. Or Woodward and Bernstein, Huntley and Brinkley; all would have got up and left their job.

Zucker is the first to scream about the freedom of the press, but like a modern day Lenin, he is trying to blind the masses with contrived news. This incident isn’t a one off event. According to other reporters who have left CNN it is a common event. He likes his point of view and demands it be shown. As long as CNN’s rating are high he gets away with it.

On the same evening when five big pharma companies are agreeing to settle their opioid cases by paying twenty billion dollars, he plays his game and the big pharma abuse of Americans doesn’t make top billing.

Zucker is right he should be free from government influence. But the fourth estate and Zucker has a duty of fairness. Fairness is the highest value of journalistic integrity. Doctors have their oaths, workers have their job description and soldiers know their duty. This is what makes America great. CNN has failed in their duty, while people from Tennessee or Missouri go to work every day and have to do their jobs with integrity. And they do and do it well.

Interestingly, Zucker cut his teeth at Disney. Ironic in that he isn’t a professional journalist, but the maker of illusions and characters. From the world of make believe to the world of professional journalism Zucker has arrived. Controlling our news.

The truth needs to be said. Jesus said and the truth shall set you free. It’s time the American public knows the truth. They need to know that CNN is no more than a contrived reality TV show. They need to know that one man is playing puppeteer to create money at any cost.

I know how this ends. Eventually CNN will become exposed. Ratings will fall and the investors will lose their money. All because they allowed a former puppeteer create illusions. When Jesus said, and the truth shall set you free. It was for times like this.

When we Americans finally realize that we are being told a lie. Like we always have, we will turn away. Freed by the knowledge that we are being manipulated. We will know that our viewership has supported a threat to our democracy. Americans will turn away and it will be quick.

Americans deserve the truth. They don’t get to eat in fancy restaurants like Zucker can. They just get up before dawn to start their day. They worry about paying their bills, kid’s colleges, and the health of aging parents. Most Americans do this every day. Retiring to bed at night exhausted. They deserve the truth, they pay their bills and do their jobs honorably.