CNN is facing heavy backlash this week after it was revealed that media credentials for every Black-owned media entity had been denied for the upcoming presidential debate tonight.
The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a leading voice for Black-owned media, revealed that it had contacted CNN but was denied.
In an email, CNN informed the senior editor that “due to the high volume of requests and space and security constraints,” they were “unable to accommodate any additional credential requests.”
The NNPA was offered to receive transcripts and photos from the debate.
The Atlanta Voice, a pillar of the Black community for over six decades and the recent host of an exclusive one-on-one interview with Vice President Kamala Harris was among those denied credentials. This decision will undoubtedly affect Atlanta’s Black community, considering the debate is being held at CNN Studios in Midtown Atlanta.
This is the same @CNN who stole a picture from @theatlantavoice and we had to force them to give credit to AV & the photographer. CNN didn’t offer compensation after all of that so the fact that CNN didn’t even follow up with these Black media outlets says a lot (see last tweet) pic.twitter.com/jW9DV2XX7c
— Dawn (@_dawnmontgomery) June 26, 2024
EBONY was also refused credentials.
Approximately 800 representatives from various media outlets—including international publications—will be in attendance, which makes the fact that not even one Black-owned media organization has not been granted access all the more shocking.
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is calling for CNN to grant access to at least 10 Black news outlets.
“This afternoon, we learned that CNN has credentialed 800 members of the media for the first presidential debate of the election cycle. Not one represents a Black-owned media outlet. CNN’s exclusion of Black-owned media represents an egregious oversight and is totally unacceptable,” New York Rep. Gregory Meeks said. “CNN must immediately credential Black-owned media outlets ahead of tomorrow night’s debate. Failure to do so is a choice, an offense to Black Americans, and cannot stand. We are calling on CNN to credential a minimum of 10 Black-owned media outlets for tomorrow’s debate.”
Hey @emkuhn, can you explain to me why @CNN has not issued ANY credentials for tomorrow night’s debate to ANY Black-owned media outlets? Why has CNN denied every Black newspaper in ATLANTA? This is despicable. The treatment of Black-owned media is pathetic. @NABJ @NNPA_BlackPress https://t.co/qsWXWs6oWA
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) June 26, 2024
Black voices have been historically silenced in the world of politics, but to hand out 800 credentials and not even think to bestow just one badge to a Black media outlet speaks volumes and is also a stain on the current administration’s claims the Black voice and Black family has been centered throughout these past four years.
The Biden-Harris administration recently boasted about the advances it has made for equity and opportunity for Black Americans nationwide, but clearly, CNN has some catching up to do.
