CNN Fails To Disclose Ethical Conflict At Center Of Beck Interview

Beck and Cupp

Tonight CNN will air an hour-long interview its employee S.E. Cupp did with Glenn Beck, who is also her boss at Beck's own news network. CNN failed to disclose this conflict of interest while promoting the special in an interview with Cupp.

CNN will air the interview on the December 20 edition of Piers Morgan Live. Cupp, a co-host on CNN's Crossfire, is also a contributor on TheBlaze TV, the conservative news network Beck founded and heads. 

CNN's New Day gave Cupp a platform to promote the special without mentioning the conflict of interest during a December 20 interview on New Day. At no point during that segment did Cupp or hosts Chris Cuomo and Kate Bolduan note that Cupp also works for Blaze TV, that Beck is her boss, or the inherent ethical conflict in having her interview Beck over the CNN airwaves.

On New Day, Cupp said that her boss is “funny, he says it how he means it,” which is “why people love Glenn.” She also acknowledged that Beck has said some “controversial things,” and concluded that the fact that he supposedly “abstains from the political process ... makes him a very honest critic but for those of us who work within the political process and would like to make it better that's a little frustrating.”

Media Matters has previously suggested some questions that a credible interview between Cupp and Beck would include.