CNN head Jeff Bewkes defends funding of Trump ‘murder play’ promises ‘fair and balanced’ network
While attending a shareholder meeting, National Center for Public Policy Research Vice President David Almasi on Thursday confronted exec Jeff Bewkes about CNN’s financial support for the Public Theater in New York, the troupe producing the bloody murder of Julius Caesar made to look like Donald Trump.
Bank of America and Delta Airlines have pulled funding, but apparently CNN is refusing to abandon the brutal portrayal of murdering a Trump-look-alike, as detailed in a great Newsbusters report.
“So a couple of facts of what our involvement is…We don’t support the plays or the productions of the public theater and we are not providing individual support of the production.”
Bewkes submitted this claim: “The point of the play is one that has been debated for probably 400 years. It’s not one that advocates…the killing of Caesar…. But again, we don’t fund this. We are certainly not going to drop our support of public theater.”
Bewkes also swore that CNN will try to be fair going forward:”We are trying to keep it balanced and fair…. I understand you’re thinking we haven’t succeeded, but we are trying.”
While confronting the CEO, Almasi highlighted the Media Research Center’s efforts to hold corporate sponsors of hateful speech accountable:
The Media Research Center is going to begin alerting the advertisers of news programs that peddle “smear, hate and political extremism” and pressure them to defend their continued support. Are you concerned about advertisers leaving CNN?
Last week, CNN covered the play, noting that the play “stirs debate” offering up intricate details describing this evil, Emperor Trump and ends with an excuse on interpretation of the play rather than the portrayal of the execution.
“Julius Caesar can be read as a warning parable to those who try to fight for democracy by undemocratic means,” the play’s director, Oskar Eustis said in a statement promoting the performance. “To fight the tyrant does not mean imitating him.”
photo donkeyhotey
