26 March 2021: Opinion - CNN's Cuomo Coverage Reeks of "Unaccountable Elitism"

Opinion: CNN’s Chris Cuomo got special treatment from New York, confirming worst suspicions about media elites

Eric Wemple, the media columnist for the Washington Post recognizes the damage CNN has accrued from permitting the inherent conflicts of interest involving their evening Prime Time broadcast host Chris Cuomo and his brother, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, fester without restraint.

The ethical pitfall in this relationship, it turns out, was deeper than just brother interviewing brother. As reported by the Times Union of Albany and The Post on Wednesday, Chris Cuomo received special treatment from the state for the coronavirus: “The CNN anchor was swabbed by a top New York Department of Health doctor, who visited his Hamptons home to collect samples from him and his family, the people with knowledge of the matter said,” reports The Post. Chris Cuomo announced on March 31 that he had tested positive for the coronavirus....

The Erik Wemple Blog has asked CNN about the treatment Chris Cuomo received, among other questions. Spokesman Matt Dornic issued this statement to outlets: “We generally do not get involved in the medical decisions of our employees. However, it is not surprising that in the earliest days of a once-in-a-century global pandemic, when Chris was showing symptoms and was concerned about possible spread, he turned to anyone he could for advice and assistance, as any human being would.”

Instead of addressing the ethical questions raised by the arrangement, CNN appears to be crediting the resourcefulness of its well-positioned anchor....

Now there’s another layer to the ethical morass: As Chris Cuomo was promoting his brother’s leadership on CNN, he was receiving services derived from that relationship. We’ve asked CNN about the degree to which he disclosed the situation publicly and within the network.

After receiving his positive test result, Cuomo said on his show, “I’m hesitant to talk about me because who cares?” Actually, a lot of people care about the activities of CNN’s prime-time hosts — especially when they reek of unaccountable elitism forced into the light of day via investigative reporting.