Media top headlines September 20
In media news today, a Slate journalist allegedly sent a draft of a story to Fusion GPS about a possible link between Trump and a Russian bank, media pundits get mocked for trying to make news out of 'dud' Capitol Hill rally, and the New York Times comes under fire for describing Iranian nuclear scientist as a 'lover of poetry'
CNN's leftwing media guru Brian Stelter managed to talk about the controversial tweets from rapper superstar Nicki Minaj on his so-called media show while avoiding the explosive viral spat she had with MSNBC host Joy Reid.
The biggest media news story of the week was the feud that emerged between Minaj and Reid, who blasted the hip-hop artist on her show for expressing vaccine hesitancy to her massive Twitter following. Minaj fired back hurling several insults at the "ReidOut" host. Reid attempted to defuse tensions on-air the next day.
On Sunday's installment of "Reliable Sources," Stelter managed to address Minaj's tweets but tip-toed around Reid's involvement and instead condemned the rapper for using "do your own research" rhetoric, which he called the "four little words that are hurting America's pandemic response."
"This ‘go at it alone,’ ‘doing your own research.’ It seems so innocent, but it can have serious consequences," Stelter warned viewers.
Reid, who frequently makes controversial statements both on-air and on Twitter, is rarely the subject of conversation on Stelter's media program, which has not talked about her since 2018, according to Grabien transcripts.
In fact, despite being CNN's arch liberal cable news rival, MSNBC receives little mention on "Reliable Sources," making just 20 transcript appearances so far this year versus the whopping 563 mentions Fox News has gotten per Grabien.
Stelter has become a serial avoider of controversies that portray his liberal allies in the media in a negative light when it comes to coverage on his media-centric show.
Over the summer, Stelter failed to mention CNN's awkward return of the network's disgraced legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, the departure of "The View" co-host Meghan McCain," the uproar over New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay calling the sight of American flags "disturbing," and the collapsed media narrative during the 2020 election that President Trump ordered the clearing of peaceful protesters at Lafayette Square for a photo op in front of a church that was set on fire by rioters.
CNN'S BRIAN STELTER AVOIDS LINCOLN PROJECT TURMOIL ON HIS 'RELIABLE SOURCES' MEDIA SHOW
Stelter glossed over the Washington Post's major correction of its January report that accused Trump urging Georgia election officials to "find the fraud," the major MSNBC leadership shakeup, Toobin's firing from The New Yorker following his Zoom call masturbation scandal, the ousting of MSNBC contributor Jon Meacham after it was revealed that he was moonlighting as a speechwriter for the Biden campaign and the scandals that plagued 2020 media darlings The Lincoln Project.
Last year, Stelter skipped Glenn Greenwald's dramatic exit from The Intercept after the founding editor accused his colleagues of censoring his story critical of Joe Biden and ignored Twitter caving in its standoff with The New York Post over its reporting of the Hunter Biden story.
Stelter similarly ignored the controversy surrounding presidential debate moderator and C-SPAN host Steve Scully, who alleged that his Twitter account was hacked after it appeared that he was reaching out to Trump foe Anthony Scaramucci. Stelter only acknowledged the controversy after Scully admitted that he lied about the hack.
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In 2019, Stelter completely avoided the revelation that ABC News had spiked an investigation into convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Stelter, who is widely regarded as the media's "hall monitor," also spent much of the year downplaying the journalistic ethics violations made by his CNN colleague Chris Cuomo, who was repeatedly swept up in the scandals plaguing his brother, former New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.