CNN plans climate change town hall after staffer reveals plan to sell climate 'fear' in leaked recording "Technical director told Project Veritas climate change will be 'next COVID thing' for CNN"
"CNN is set to host a live town hall with senior Biden administration officials this weekend on the topic of climate change, weeks after a network employee told an undercover journalist the network planned to push "fear" about the issue.
"The town hall, moderated by CNN anchor Dana Bash, will focus on "The Climate Crisis" and will air on Friday night to mark this year's celebration of Earth Day, the network announced.
"The participants include Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, all of whom will be asked about Biden's campaign promise to remake American climate policy.
"Earlier this month, right-wing guerilla news outlet Project Veritas published a series of explosive conversations between one of its reporters and a CNN technical director named Charles Chester. In one of the conversations, Chester revealed that following the "COVID fatigue" from CNN's coverage of the pandemic, the network will "start focusing mainly on climate.' " . . .
""Our focus was to get Trump out of office," Chester said. "Without saying it, that's what it was, right? So our next thing is going to be for climate change awareness."
" 'Do you think it's going to be just like a lot of like fear for the climate?" the undercover journalist asked.
" 'Yeah. Fear sells," Chester responded.
" 'Who decides that?" the journalist asked.
" 'The head of the network," Chester answered.
" 'Who's that? Is that Zucker?" she followed, referring to CNN President Jeff Zucker.
" 'Zucker, yeah," Chester replied.
"In another exchange, Chester repeated that climate change is "going to be the next COVID thing for CNN" that "we're going to hone in on.' " . . .
Chester: “It's going to be our [CNN’s] focus. Like our focus was to get Trump out of office, right? Without saying it, that's what it was, right? So, our next thing is going to be for climate change awareness.” "Chester: “We would always show shots of him [Biden] jogging and that [he’s] healthy, you know, and him in aviator shades. Like you paint him as a young geriatric.”
"Chester went on to say that COVID-19 media coverage should be coming to an end in the near future. He added that CNN is already preparing its shift in coverage to push and promote climate change fear."
“ 'I think there's a COVID fatigue. So, like whenever a new story comes up, they're [CNN’s] going to latch onto it. They've already announced in our office that once the public is -- will be open to it -- we're going to start focusing mainly on climate,” Chester said.
"Chester: “It's going to be our [CNN’s] focus. Like our focus was to get Trump out of office, right? Without saying it, that's what it was, right? So, our next thing is going to be climate change awareness.”
"Veritas Journalist: “What does that look like?”
"Chester: “I don't know. I'm not sure. I have a feeling that it’s going to be like, constantly showing videos of decline in ice, and weather warming up, and like the effects it’s having on the economy--' ” . . .