Ex-CNN Producer Slams Network's Coverage of Minnesota Riots
Former CNN producer Steve Krakauer criticized his former network for not covering the violent protesters in Minnesota after its reporters were chased away by the crowd, calling it “a glaring omission.”
Krakauer wrote in his Fourth Watch newsletter that CNN “perhaps more than any other media outlet” had been covering the “social justice protests (and riots)” that have taken place since Daunte Wright’s death.
However, when its own reporters were assaulted and chased away from the fifth night of protests in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, the outlet refused to cover it.
The incident occurred Wednesday after reporter Miguel Marquez appeared on Anderson Cooper’s 8 p.m. show.
Following the on-air appearance, someone threw a water bottle at one of the crew member’s heads and knocked him to the ground, as shown in a video captured by Washington Examiner reporter Nic Rowan.
“After making sure the crew member is ok, you can hear Marquez tell one of the protesters, ‘Tell the crowd to chill out. We are CNN, we are reporters, we are covering what’s here,'” Krakauer wrote.
Shortly after, the crowd chased the CNN team away and yelled “get the f*** out of here” as they left.
WARNING: The following video contains vulgar language that some viewers may find offensive.
Protesters just chased the entire CNN crew away from the police precinct. pic.twitter.com/r6TGmnBxIH
— Nic Rowan (@NicXTempore) April 15, 2021
Marquez later tweeted that his team was fine, but Krakauer said the incident was still “news.”
“Because obviously the crowd was not all peaceful. And video shows an angry crowd — angry at the media — so much so that Marquez could not even do his job,” Krakauer wrote.
“Video, of course, that is compelling and news-worthy. And yet, never made it to the air.”
Marquez instead told Anderson Cooper during his Thursday show that the protesters “are clearly preparing for a night of making a very emphatic point here to the police of the changes they want to see to the entire system.”
“Yes, perhaps his crew member getting assaulted was just a ‘very emphatic point’ being made?” Krakauer said.
“The lack of coverage by CNN of the story is a glaring omission — and it hurts all peaceful protesters if those who are being violent are ignored.”
This is not the first time that the crowd has turned on CNN, according to Fourth Watch.
A protester ranted to CNN reporter Sara Sidner Monday night that the press “makes [the situation] worse.”
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