CNN besmirched itself with the Chris Cuomo scandal

The New Republic

"It can be said plainly that Chris Cuomo only has himself to blame," Alex Shepherd says of the scandal embroiling the CNN anchor in attempting to help brother former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo defend against sexual harassment accusations. "Family is complicated, but the journalistic ethics here are not. Aiding his brother’s crisis management team to the extent that he did is a clear breach of professional standards, one that would make it impossible for Chris to cover any sexual misconduct story in the future—and one that would call into question his political coverage writ large. But CNN must swallow a heaping helping of blame, as well. The network besmirched itself and its other journalists by waiting six months to yank Chris Cuomo off the air for an offense that would have brought a swift end to almost any other journalist’s career. The network willfully set aside journalistic standards in March 2020, when Chris was repeatedly allowed to interview his brother on air during prime time. It’s hardly a surprise that Chris Cuomo continued flouting the rules after CNN permitted that original ethical breach. Putting family first and job second was CNN’s policy during the spring of 2020, after all."