CNN’s parent company promises to defend journalistic independence

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) used Wednesday’s Judiciary Committee hearing on the pending AT&T-Time Warner merger to press CNN’s parent company about media independence under the next president.

“The president-elect has said that his Department of Justice will enforce a different standard of law depending on what kind of coverage he receives,” Blumenthal said.

{mosads}“For a public official to use the blunt, heavy instrument of law enforcement to try to silence or change coverage in the news department of any company is for me, absolutely abhorrent. Would you agree?” he asked AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson and Time Warner CEO Jeffrey Bewkes.

Both said they believe the Department of Justice will analyze the merger on the facts.

Blumenthal also pushed the executives to pledge that CNN’s news coverage would remain independent.

“We have always vigorously defended that for decades. We intend to continue to defend it,” Bewkes said.

In October, Trump said the proposed $85 billion merger is “a deal we will not approve in my administration because it’s too much concentration of power in the hands of too few.” 

While the Connecticut Democrat said he agrees with Trump about the concentration of power, he disagreed with Trump’s attacks of CNN.

“It is perfectly appropriate for a public official or a candidate to comment on the merits of antitrust enforcement,” Blumenthal said. “But to threaten more vigorous or adverse enforcement against a particular company because he doesn’t like the news coverage is a threat to the First Amendment.”

During the campaign, Trump repeatedly denied journalists credentials to his rallies and threatened or advocated for lawsuits against media outlets. He also said that as president, he would “open up libel laws.”