CNN has given coverage to the Occupy America movement, but in a way that can only be called sneaky. For while the Cable News Network has reported on the New York activities of Occupy Wall St., it has curiously ignored coverage of Occupy America activities right in its own back yard, in the form of Occupy Atlanta.
This blogger took note of the problem when, on Friday morning, CNN anchor Jacqui Jeras referred to a map of Occupy America / Occupy Wall St activities around the country, but failed to mark any place in the entire State of Georgia, most notably Atlanta.
Yet, Occupy Atlanta had planned a general assembly meeting on that Friday evening at 6 PM at Wooddruff Park in Downtown Atlanta. Here’s this blogger’s video from that event:
And during the video, the question was asked “Where’s CNN?”
Speculatively, the fact that CNN’s not at the Occupy Atlanta events right in its backyard signals a desire not to be seen as supporting the movement in any way. That flies in the face of CNN’s recent Tea Party coverage – like the Tea Party Debate – itself an adjustment to makeup for a now legendary argument between CNN’s Susan Roesgen and Chicago Tea Party protestors.
But it looks like CNN’s at it again. Not only has CNN ignored the Occupy Atlanta rallies for Occupy Wall Street, it sent in Erin Burnett to try and make certain Occupy Wall Street participants look silly, all in the name of journalism.
But Burnett’s act was met with wide-spread criticism, with even the conservative Forbes referring to her coverage as “vapid” (although it looked like the author was called Erin “vapid” and not her work on Occupy Wall Street):
But the Erin coup de grace is when she lays into the unemployed software developer and sets him straight on the notion that the Wall Street bank bailouts cost America money. Her crack staff ran the numbers and they determined that taxpayers have made $10 billion to date and should ultimately make $20 billion. “This was the big issue?,” she asks grinningly. “Well, we [her staff] solved it!”
You hear that, America? This economy is rocking! Go home.
Erin Burnett was way too dismissive and condescending of these protesters. Who proclaimed that only people who live in caves and don’t use bank machines can show up to protest on Wall Street?
If CNN just settled down and reported the news rather than these attempts and manipulating it, all would be OK. If Occupy Atlanta’s holding rallies, report on them. If Occupy Wall Street protestors are marching, let them talk – don’t try to put words in their mouths.
Erin!
Stay tuned.
Bill Carroll