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Internal CNN memo: 'We are not at this time showing the Charlie Hebdo cartoons'

CNN is not showing detailed images of cartoons from the Charlie Hebdo magazine that could be viewed as offensive to Muslims, CNN senior editorial director Richard Griffiths said in a message sent to CNN staff Wednesday afternoon.

Griffiths' email:

Although we are not at this time showing the Charlie Hebdo cartoons of the Prophet considered offensive by many Muslims, platforms are encouraged to verbally describe the cartoons in detail. This is key to understanding the nature of the attack on the magazine and the tension between free expression and respect for religion. Video or stills of street protests showing Parisians holding up copies of the offensive cartoons, if shot wide, are also OK. Avoid close-ups of the cartoons that make them clearly legible. It's also OK to show most of the protest cartoons making the rounds online, though care should be taken to avoid examples that include within them detailed depictions of the Charlie Hebdo cartoons.

Griffiths' memo comes after several news organizations came under fire for censoring various Charlie Hebdo cartoons that depict Muhammad. The Associated Press, The New York Daily News and The Telegraph were among those that blurred or cropped photos of the covers.

UPDATE (3:40 pm): A CNN spokesperson says in an email they are continuously discussing how to portray the images on the network:

As this distressing story continues to evolve we are actively discussing the best way of addressing the key issues and images across all of our platforms. Those conversations will continue throughout the day and beyond as the story develops.

Hadas Gold is a reporter at Politico.