WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar apologized after celebrating the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has been “really good for (CNN) ratings.” Kilar made the initial remarks during the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference.
“It turns out that pandemic is a pretty big part of the news cycle, and that’s not going away anytime soon,” Kilar said.
“If you take a look at the ratings and the performance, it’s going well. And I think it’s going well because, A, the team at CNN is doing a fantastic job. And B, it turns out that the pandemic and the way that we can help inform and contextualize the pandemic, it turns out it’s really good for ratings,” he added.
WarnerMedia is the parent company of CNN.
After his comments received criticism, Kilar tried to walk them back, claiming, ” I would like nothing more than for this pandemic to be well behind us.”
Kilar’s hope that the pandemic is “not going away anytime soon” provides an insight into the agenda of networks like CNN when it comes to COVID-19 reporting.
Does CNN campaign against lockdown restrictions and mask mandates being lifted in the name of public safety, or is it more likely that a selfish motivation for maintaining high ratings is the real reason behind this editorial stance?
CNN recently enjoyed its best ever February in terms of overall viewers while also taking first place among viewers 25-54, the key demographic most valued by advertisers.
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Poster Comment:
"From a political drama standpoint", no less (he says). Click to hear the video partway down the text. 'Kilar' -- funny name, it can't help but bring to mind Netanyahu's bragging right after 9/11 that it was going to be great for Israel.
I don't know if ppl are irked at him for the wrong reasons (fake pandemic is their religion, they don't like it being treated with less than full reverence) or the right ones (righteous anger at news industry complicity), but it's good to see 'em making him eat those smug words.