The Rise and Fall of CNN, the Most Busted Name in News

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Jon Rappoport, Guest

Waking Times

As new revelations about CNN emerge from Project Veritas (see also ExposeCNN.com for updates), here is a backgrounder I wrote and published several years ago. It brings back fond memories, and offers the beleaguered children at CNN solutions to their never-ending problems…

“CNN is still licking their wounds after a rather disastrous couple of weeks, where a shoddy Russia-Trump story led to three staffers resigning, a Project Veritas investigation exposed that the network’s producers peddled the Russia story for ratings, and what came off as a wholly inappropriate veiled threat against an anonymous Reddit user who created a Trump WWE video, which the president tweeted before the Fourth of July Holiday. The video shows Trump beating up WWE’s Vince McMahon, whose face has been superimposed with the CNN logo. The media went apoplectic as an attack against the press; it wasn’t. This spurred the network’s reporters to find the user and pretty much threaten to dox him if he continues to post things CNN doesn’t like.” (Townhall, Matt Vespa, 7/7/17)

If you create a giant, you gain extraordinary visibility, and if the giant develops an unsightly and grotesque case of fungal disease, that’s a problem.

CNN was born in 1980. At the time, it was the first television network offering 24/7 news, and it was the first network offering nothing but news in the US.

In 1991, CNN’s coverage of the Gulf War reached a billion viewers worldwide.

Today, CNN International reaches 200 countries.

That’s a giant.

But from the beginning, back in 1980, there was a major question: how was CNN going to fill up all that time every day with news? Face it, television networks, without bells and whistles, could boil down their coverage of a day’s events in four minutes. That’s because their analysis is so thin. It’s all surface.

When you assiduously avoid looking into WHO REALLY RUNS THINGS, the well runs dry quickly. When you avoid detailing the role of mega-banks and mega-corporations and groups like the Trilateral Commission and CFR and Bilderberg, and when you never define Globalism and reveal its true agenda; when you discover nothing of value about the CIA; when you never broach the subject of American Empire; when you refuse to examine the horrendous effects of the medical system; when you fail to expose the ongoing collaboration between establishment Democrats and Republicans, and the influence of lobbyists (e.g., Israeli fronts); when you intentionally remain blind to the destruction of the American Republic and the Constitution; when you ultimately side with National Security and the Surveillance State; when you manage to sidestep actual ongoing environmental pollution flowing poisonously from a number of sources; when you refuse to reveal the full effects of open borders; when you never connect the dots and instead rely on limited hangouts…

What are you left with? What do you do, for 24 hours of every single day?

Mainly, you wait for “big events,” and then you launch wall to wall coverage for as long as your viewers can stand it. The Gulf War; the first black president; the worst president and the worst human being in history (Trump).

You develop bloated panel shows, during which pundits babble across each other like meth addicts in a rubber room.

You call “the news” The Situation Room, as if you’re breaking vital stories every 30 seconds.

You plow the same ground over and over, until not even weeds can grow in the soil.

You fill your basket with the eggs of the “progressive agenda.” You go all in.

You fake stories.

You do a bizarre version of affirmative action with your on-air talent, as if this will result in “fairer” coverage.

And day by day, the public realizes you’re crazy.

You can’t hide, because you aren’t just laying on three fake newscasts a day; you’re ON all the time.

You’re hoping against hope for a new terror attack or a natural disaster, so you can flood the airwaves with live reports, but in the meantime, you’ll stick with 24/7 Trump, because he’s “the most interesting man in the world.” He’s creating your ratings, such as they are. You’re the tabloid at the checkout counter in the supermarket, and he’s always on the cover. You love him. You need him. It doesn’t matter whether he’s done what you say he’s done. That’s never been the issue. Without his presence, you’d be raking leaves outside a nursing home. You’re the self-appointed Pope, and he’s Satan, and that means dollars.

As a bonus, you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing, on behalf of Globalism and the “interdependent world.” The risk of Trump speaking words of Nationalism against Globalism (whether or not he meant them) is too great to go unchallenged. The international system (aka technocracy) that has been under construction since the dawn of the 20th century must not be derailed.

So whether it’s the way Trump sips water from a bottle, or scratches his nose, or treats one of your so-called reporters, you’re the National Enquirer blowing it up into a scandal of the moment. You’re leaking leaks from pipes that don’t even exist. Maybe he has a love child; look into that. Maybe he has another wife he never divorced. Maybe he’s an alien from Venus.

Keep those ad revenues flowing, no matter what. Face it, you’ve got nothing else going for you. Connect Trump to the latest news from Tibet if you have to. Or Madagascar. Or Tierra del Fuego. He caused the cold snap across America, because he didn’t sign the Paris Climate Accords.

You’re CNN, “the most trusted name in news.”

Ride that horse all the way to the end of the road.

If you end up shithole broke, somebody will bail you out. Warts and all, you’re too big to fail. Not just because of your work against Trump, but because The News, as the public knows it, must survive.

Otherwise, the people will find out what’s really going on in this world and who runs things. And that must never happen.

That’s the prime situation in The Situation Room.

Who could have guessed, say, 15 years ago, that the following exchange would occur on CNN, in March of 2014?

As reported by New York Magazine, CNN host Don Lemon, discussing the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, said: “People are saying to me, why aren’t you talking about the possibility — and I’m just putting it out there — that something odd happened to this plane, something beyond our understanding? What if it was something fully that we don’t really understand? A lot of people have been asking about that, about black holes and on, and on, and on, and all of these conspiracy theories…That’s what people are saying. I know it’s preposterous — but is it preposterous, you think, Mary?”

To which, Mary Schiavo, ex-Department of Transportation inspector general, replied: “Well, it is. A small black hole would suck in our entire universe so we know it’s not that.”

Maybe it WAS a black hole, and we all disappeared, and resurfaced in an alternate universe, where we got the CNN we know today.

Let’s look at Jeff Zucker, CNN’s boss.

In April 2017, Zucker baldly told the New York Times, “The idea that politics is sport is undeniable, and we understood that and approached it that way.” The “it” was certainly the 2016 presidential campaign.

Zucker always has understood political news in this corrupt fashion—and in the process, he helped elect a US president and a California governor.

Zucker was the man who launched The Apprentice, starring Donald Trump, at NBC, in 2004.

In other words, Zucker happened to play a major role in electing Donald Trump. There is no getting around it.

Washington Post, October 2, 2016: “Looking for someone specific to hold responsible for the improbable rise of Donald Trump?” “Although there are many options, you could do worse than to take a hard look at Jeff Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide.” “It was Zucker, after all, who as the new head of NBC Entertainment gave Trump his start in reality TV with ‘The Apprentice’ and then milked the real estate developer’s uncanny knack for success for all it was worth in ratings and profits.” “And it succeeded wildly — boosting the network’s ratings, as well as Zucker’s [and Trump’s] meteoric career. In turn, under Zucker, the show gave rise to ‘Celebrity Apprentice,’ another Trump extravaganza. And, in turn, Zucker became the head of NBC overall.” “The show [The Apprentice] was built as a virtually nonstop advertisement for the Trump empire and lifestyle…” “The executive [Jeff Zucker] rode the Trump steed hard. When the reality-TV star was preparing to marry Melania Knauss in 2005, Zucker wanted to broadcast the wedding live. (Trump, uncharacteristically, declined.)” “But make no mistake: There would be no Trump-the-politician without Trump-the-TV-star. One begot the other.”

POLITICS IS TELEVISION, AND TELEVISION IS POLITICS.

If you’re looking for a person who embodies that fake version of reality most purely, you need look no further than Jeff Zucker.

Despite his network’s present hatred of Trump, Zucker would give Trump his own show right now if he wanted one.

For ratings and ad revenues.

Consider another event, one which I’ve analyzed in great detail. It took place on NBC in 2003, when Zucker was the head of the network’s entertainment division. The Tonight Show, with Jeno Leno, was a prime piece of that division then. What Leno pulled off in 2003 had to have the OK from Zucker, because it was a highly unusual move, a distinctly unethical move.

An actor wanted to launch a political career and become a governor. The whole news division of a major network surrendered itself, for one ratings-busting night, to a talk show.

This is how Arnold Schwarzenegger won the California governor’s race. It all came down to his famous appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he announced that he was going to run.

The Arnold interview was a global event. It was pre-hyped to the sky, and after three red hot six-minute segments, with a studio audience screaming in approval, the election was virtually over.

POLITICS IS TELEVISION. TELEVISION IS POLITICS.

Here are a few of CNN’s “black-hole” gaffes, just refresh your memory—

Because Trump was attacking CNN and other media as fake, CNN claimed THAT was making life more physically dangerous for journalists in war zones and at home. Wow. I guess the takeaway is: don’t criticize mainstream news, keep your mouth shut and stay hypnotized…

Independent journalist, James O’Keefe, released two undercover sting videos which revealed CNN medical producer, John Bonifield, remarking that the whole Trump-Russia scandal is “mostly bullshit right now, like, we don’t have any giant proof”; and Van Jones, CNN political commentator, stating that “the Russia thing is just a big nothing burger.” Of course, CNN relentlessly pursues the Trump-Russia story as if God and a choir of angels have certified it as the truest, most important event of our time.

June 2017: CNN dumped Reza Aslan, the host of their network documentary series called Believer. Why? Because Aslan tweeted, “This piece of shit [Donald Trump] is not just an embarrassment to America and a stain on the presidency. He’s an embarrassment to humankind.”

October 2016: CNN contributor Donna Brazile was dumped, because she passed along questions that would be asked in an upcoming presidential debate, sponsored by CNN. Brazile passed those questions to the Hillary Clinton camp.

CNN reporter-dunce Chris Cuomo, during the 2016 election campaign, preposterously told the viewing audience that accessing Wikileaks’ treasure trove of John Podesta emails was a crime—for any member of the public. Only “the media” were permitted to perform that delicate operation and then decide what to report. Put a picture of Cuomo on your wall and pray to it every night.

On June 13, 2015, CNN host Fredricka Whitfield talked about the attack on the Dallas police headquarters. She said the shooter, James Boulware, was “courageous and brave, if not crazy.” Who’s crazy, Fredricka?

The 2016 Milwaukee riots. CNN aired a woman named Sherelle Smith telling the rioters, “Don’t bring that violence here.” She was calling for peace. Well, not exactly. The network failed to broadcast the rest of Smith’s advice: “Burning down shit ain’t going to help nobody! Y’all burning down shit we need in our community. Take that shit to the suburbs! Burn that shit down!”

CNN: the most trusted name in news.

CODA:

The pack of losers at CNN are always trying to save their operation. They obviously need to hire Jerry Springer as news director. The network is already a reality show; they just don’t know how to put one on. They require help.

Publishing fake news and airing talk-show hosts who spout venom doesn’t make it. It doesn’t go far enough. On camera, they need women breaking into the studio claiming their babies were fathered by CNN journalists; they need burly security guards tackling the intruders and bringing them to the floor. They need live audiences who hoot and holler and boo and applaud.

CNN is a reality show. But it doesn’t go far enough. If the network’s boss Jeff Zucker applied his talents, he could stage flame-outs and scandals that would rock the house. Go big. Go wild. Hire a few dyed in the wool terrorists and put them on in prime time and let them talk. Bring Glenn Beck back, build him a studio that looks like a chapel with stain glass windows, and let him tell the audience what God wants him to do. Lure Scott Pelley and Megyn Kelly to CNN and team them together in a show called The Sadism Hour. Set up Michael Moore in a Burger King for 24 hours straight every weekend and have him talk non-stop (while he eats and slurps) about why he hates Donald Trump. How about an investment show hosted by George Soros called How to Kill the West?

About the Author

Jon Rappoport is the author of three explosive collections, THE MATRIX REVEALED, EXIT FROM THE MATRIX, and POWER OUTSIDE THE MATRIX, Jon was a candidate for a US Congressional seat in the 29thDistrict of California. He maintains a consulting practice for private clients, the purpose of which is the expansion of personal creative power. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, he has worked as an investigative reporter for 30 years, writing articles on politics, medicine, and health for CBS Healthwatch, LA Weekly, Spin Magazine, Stern, and other newspapers and magazines in the US and Europe. Jon has delivered lectures and seminars on global politics, health, logic, and creative power to audiences around the world. You can sign up for his free emails at NoMoreFakeNews.com or OutsideTheRealityMachine.

(To read about Jon’s mega-collection, Exit From The Matrix, click here.)