Scoop: New CNN Boss Chris Licht Wants Staff to Stop Calling Trump's Election Claims 'The Big Lie'

[LenaBaby61]

WHAT liberal media?

We sure don't have one. We mostly only have a right and fascistic news media in Faux Noose.


New CNN president Chris Licht discouraged staff from using “the big lie” to refer to former President Donald Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election, Mediaite has learned.

On a Tuesday conference call with management and show executive producers, Licht was asked for his thoughts on “the big lie,” and said he preferred that staff avoid the term. He made clear this was a preference, not a mandate, but staffers have taken it as a clear directive from the new boss.He encouraged producers to instead use the terms “Trump election lie” or “election lies” in banners and graphics.

According to a source, Licht argued that using “the big lie” makes the mistake of adopting branding used by the Democratic Party, thereby weakening the objectivity of the network.

The term, which was first coined by Adolf Hitler and later used to describe Nazi propaganda efforts, was recently adopted by critics of Trump in response to his relentless promotion of the false claim he won the 2020 election.

The term has become ubiquitous on CNN. “Big lie” has been mentioned on the network 168 times this month, according to media monitoring service TVEyes.

“It’s worrisome that we’re being told how to talk about one of the worst things that ever happened to American democracy,” a CNN insider told Mediaite. “We have to call lies, lies, whether they’re small lies or big lies. Is there any lie bigger than that lie?”

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/scoop-new-cnn-boss-chris-licht-wants-staff-to-stop-calling-it-the-big-lie/

[MontanaMama]

1. Really Chris?

It was a big lie...that's the truth. Americans should be very alarmed...another truth. STFU.

[MyOwnPeace]

18. If only I knew how to put the picture

of Lilly Tomlin on her giant rocking chair, sticking out her tongue and saying "And THAT'S the truth!"

[Totally Tunsie]

49. Here 'tis...

[MyOwnPeace]

59. PERFECT!!!!!!

[halobeam]

68. hahahaaa LOVE it!!!!

[Walleye]

2. And yet they blithely repeat every catchphrase and slogan the Republican brand thinks up

[TigressDem]

12. AH, but NOW we can CALL them on it. NO TAKING SIDES, remember, "NO big lie"?

UNLESS they are labeling them as "Repuke Talking Points" and comparing them to FACTS, of course.
(OK, THEY can say R, but you get the drift.)

[agingdem]

47. Now I get it..

Licht says no more BREAKING NEWS banners..well, of course not, it's only breaking news when Trump burps, farts, and chugs a Diet Coke...right Chris???

[TigressDem]

48. Yah, tRUMP tends to break a lot of things

Elephant with 3 right feet in a China shop, going in circles and falling for no apparent reason all day long.

[rurallib]

24. hope the first time they say 'democrat' where 'democratic' should be used

their switchboard lights up like the proverbial Christmas tree

[TigressDem]

36. Good IDEA we can put up posts with the phone number and email for offender.

So whichever program it's on, the news person who said it, gets and email to REMIND them YOU ARE NOT A PARTISAN NEWS AGENCY, Remember, "NO BIG LIE"?

Then call the switchboard and say, "EXCUSE ME, NO BIG LIE, NO using Democrat instead of Democratic. Have some manners and show some class." OR ARE YOU ONLY NON-PARTISAN against DEMs?

He has set them up to HAVE to REALLY be NON-PARTISAN.

There are MORE of US and WE can be as LOUD as we need to be.

Ya' think?

[Abnredleg]

3. Trump Election Lie works for me

I’m not going to get too worked up over this as long as they keep emphasizing the fact that is indeed a lie.

[LisaM]

5. I like it better.

I think "The Big Lie" sounds generic and packs little clout. It obviously hasn't been effective with the middle, who are just blathering about gas prices.

This may actually end up being a good thing.

[Abolishinist]

26. I agree, it's a good move as far as I'm concerned.

As you say, 'the big lie' does sound generic... but when you add the former's name to 'election lie' it is quite specific.

[ProfessorGAC]

32. Thought The Same

As long as they call them lies, and they typically connect them to the orange idiot, i like it better.

[Mme. Defarge]

45. Moi aussi.

It packs more of a punch and names name.

[bottomofthehill]

53. I am with you. Let's try it the blame where it belongs.

Trumps Election Lie.

[enough]

23. Right. It's actually better if it has more than one name.

A tag phrase looses it’s power if used too much.

[questionseverything]

50. It puts the blame where it belongs, on tfg

[msfiddlestix]

63. I happen to agree..

I like that Licht suggested that "Breaking News" is overused (politely stating the obvious) to stop using it

and Trumps Election Lies works for me It's exactly what it is. Yeah it's big, about par as far as I'm concerned about as big a lie as Weapons of Mass Destruction as a pretext for an illegal and groundless war on Iraq. That went on for 18 years and provably still counting for all I know.

Yeah this was equally as much as a big lie as the reasons for the war in Iraq. I know that the direct impact on us makes it seem more devastating, and certainly was and still is.

But I digress. I agree with your comments.

[Mike_in_LA]

4. "Trump election lies"?

I'm not only ok with that, I think it's much better.

[Scrivener7]

8. I agree. That's much better. Trump Election Lie it is!

And welcome to DU!

[Mike_in_LA]

15. Thanks!

CNN doing our work for us! Lol.

[MyOwnPeace]

22. 'Bout time, dammit!!!!

[sop]

44. I like it. It's specific and to the point.

Trump has told so many big lies, it was getting confusing.

[kimbutgar]

6. I thought his guy would be good because he worked for Stephen Colbert

Sounds like Repuke light now.

[Scrivener7]

9. No! He said he prefers it to be called "Trump election lie." That's good!

It also really IS better journalism. The Big Lie doesn't actually tell us anything. The Trump election lie does.

[kimbutgar]

11. On further reflection it might be a better way to define the loser who can't admit they lost badly

[Scrivener7]

13. .

[Mz Pip]

40. I like Trump election lie better

It’s clearer, more specific.

The Big Lie could easily be misinterpreted to mean the lie that Biden won.

[msfiddlestix]

64. I disagee, He's suggesting that Trump's name is directly tied to the lie. that's not Repuke

That's a statement of fact. And we should be in support of it. imo.

[Tomconroy]

7. I like TEL too.

[TigressDem]

10. ALTHOUGH if they call it the "tRUMP Election Lie" THAT works. Make him OWN it.

BECAUSE NOW that the Jan 6 Committee is digging deeper, it's OBVIOUS to everyone, EVEN the MEDIA that tRUMP knew all along.

CNN might be trying to appear to not "side with DEMs" but it could STILL work in our favor.



HEY, Chris Licht, WE ARE GOING TO HOLD YOU TO THIS PART:


“We are truth-tellers, focused on informing, not alarming our viewers.”



IF they are doing this to be MORE FOURTH ESTATE and LESS about sensationalizing the news, then it might be a good thing.


Anyone know what "Morning Joe" on MSNBC was like?

[CentralMass]

14. Now you funny too Chris.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

25. Everybody funny ... (nt)

[dchill]

16. We all done, Chris. We all done, CNN. Bye.

[demmiblue]

17. I have no problem with "Trump election lie".

[TigressDem]

21. It's HONEST nt

[Irish_Dem]

19. US media is a propaganda machine for the GOP.

And for the other enemies of the US.

[TigressDem]

30. Maybe. BUT NOW that they have waded into "NON-Partisan" phrasing, we can play whack a mole.

Whenever they start spouting Repuke talking points, without the proper label and comparing them to the FACTS....

WE CAN SAY, "WAIT, you said, 'NO PARTISAN PHRASING' remember 'NO BIG LIE'?

SO are you ONLY NON=Partisan AGAINST DEMS?"

Because THAT sounds downright UN-American

Be honest now, Chris Licht.

Are you producing NEWS or Propaganda?

Viewers want to know.

[LenaBaby61]

37. That's the way I see it also. Hillary Clinton is right, as usual.

Hillary Clinton Slams Mainstream Media As Too Reluctant to ‘Call a Lie a Lie’ and Take on the Battle ‘Between Democracy and Authoritarianism’


https://www.mediaite.com/politics/hillary-clinton-slams-mainstream-media-as-too-reluctant-to-call-a-lie-a-lie-and-take-on-the-battle-between-democracy-and-authoritarianism/

[TigressDem]

41. OOOH THIS is good...

https://www.mediaite.com/politics/hillary-clinton-slams-mainstream-media-as-too-reluctant-to-call-a-lie-a-lie-and-take-on-the-battle-between-democracy-and-authoritarianism/

Hilary said that

Democracies need “leaders who endeavor to bring out the best in us, not the worst, who don’t play to our fears, but help us address them,”

[moondust]

20. "Big Lie" has a deeper meaning

that helps remind viewers of how serious it can be. It's not just a simple falsehood but a strategy.

See: Goebbels.

[Abnredleg]

27. A deeper meaning that is meaningless to most people

Americans don’t do history. Trump’s Election Lie is understandable.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

28. Only if you 'get it', which most US denizens will not

because the average person here knows jack about history, esp. the history of propaganda. Just sayin'.

[TigressDem]

31. Nobody will "forget" BIG LIE but nailing it TO tRUMP IS better.

WE want him to be locked up and NEVER darken the doors of the White House EVER AGAIN.

[Kid Berwyn]

38. Absolutely NAZI.

Take Sebastian Gorka. Or John Eastman.

[Kid Berwyn]

29. Of course he does.

Professional courtesy.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

33. Trump "election lie/lies" is better on all fronts.

[elias7]

34. But then how do we distinguish between 2020 and 2016?

[TigressDem]

39. ROFL Well, maybe they will get him for THAT too! nt

[Kingofalldems]

35. As long as 'lie' is involved I am okay with it.

I prefer 'Trump election lies' myself.

[Hassler]

42. Some liberal media we have. How about "medium sized" lie or "muy grande" lie?

[Scrivener7]

43. He's advocating calling it "the Trump election lie." I don't get what people's problem

is with that.

[NCLefty]

46. Great, but this isn't going to restore CNN's credibility for me.

I'll never forget all of the platforming of Rick Santorum and other vile, hateful righties that CNN did.

[brush]

51. Not hard to figure out this guy's political preference...

from that directive. It's an example of "if it's not broken, don't fix it."

But Trump election lie works too.

[Eyeball_Kid]

52. Ok, then...

How about:

The Monstrous Lie

The Election Lie

The Ubiquitous Lie

The Evil Lie

The Humongous Lie

The Soul-killing Lie

The nation-destroying lie.

… SO many choices.

[Deminpenn]

54. Trump election lie

works fine for me. Everyone will know exactly who owns this pervasive lie.

[FakeNoose]

55. They need to call it "Chump's attempted coup"

They can stop calling it the Big Lie if they want, but they can't stop calling Chump "the BIG LIAR."

[ZonkerHarris]

56. I have no problem branding Trump the lyingest liar to ever lie.

[Boomerproud]

57. I don't mind the re-branding as much as the reason behind it.

Can't tie ANYTHING to the Democrats right Chris? Wouldn't want to upset any RW now would we?

[BlueIdaho]

58. Let's just settle on

Calling him “The Traitor Donald Trump”

[Tennessee Hillbilly]

60. What Hitler said about a "big lie"

Quote from https://politicaldictionary.com/words/big-lie/

"In theory, people will more easily believe a big lie than a smaller one, because most people assume that there is evidence to support any statement of great magnitude.

The term was coined by Adolph Hitler in his autobiography, Mein Kampf. Hitler wrote that “the great masses of the people… will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one.”

Hitler claimed that if propagandists repeated a big lie often enough, people would come to accept it."

[frogmarch]

61. CNN's new boss

CNN’s New Boss Remaking Network Into Centrist Safe Space For Republicans

https://www.wonkette.com/-2657470467

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

62. In related news, the Holocast will be be called "Hitler's Holocast."

What's wrong about calling it "Trump's election lie" is that while it might have originated with him -- at the urging of Drunk Rudy, who told him to declare victory well before all the votes had been counted -- the statement is believed and repeated by the vast majority (~79%) of Republicans. To call it "Trump's election lie" suggests he is repeating only a single reason that caused him to lose, e.g., dead people voting. That's not the way it is.

In a January 2022 article in the Washington Post titled, "Do Republicans really believe Trump won the 2020 election? Our research suggests that they do," the following poll results were reported:

In a December UMass Poll, we asked those who said Biden’s presidential victory was illegitimate to select all the reasons they believed so from a list of conspiracy theories floated by those pushing the “big lie.” As you can see below, fully 83 percent say that “fraudulent ballots supporting Joe Biden were counted by election officials”; 81 percent that officials counted “absentee ballots from deceased people”; 76 percent tell us that “non-citizens and other ineligible voters were allowed to vote for Joe Biden”; 69 percent that the victory was illegitimate because “some states changed election rules in ways they should not have”; and 65 percent that election officials destroyed ballots supporting Trump.

"The big lie" is shorthand for a group of reasons which support the belief held by all but 21% of Republicans that the election was stolen and Trump is still president.

Historians will write that "the big lie" was used to attempt to overturn the 2020 election -- including the insurrection at the Capiitol -- as well as to justify all the draconian voter suppression bills that Republican state legislatures jammed through under the guise of "vote integrity." It is the foundation of the Republican plan to undo American democracy and replace it with an autocracy with themselves in perpetual power.

Joe Manchin will appear as a footnote describing his successful effort to block any attempts at voter protection.

Professing an unwavering belief in the big lie is a litmus test as to whether a Republican is a patriot and not a RINO.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

65. I am glad that I watch MSNBC

[Abolishinist]

66. You seem to be disparaging CNN over

this by 'choosing' MSNBC over them. Why, what is your problem with CNN's decision?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

67. I have never been a fan of CNN

The line up of legal experts on MSNBC is far superior to that Toobin idiot