CNN needs to be done with calling Trump’s election lies the “Big Lie,” its new boss has told staffers. Newly installed CEO Chris Licht told producers on a Tuesday conference call that he would prefer anchors stop referring to the former president’s baseless claims about a “stolen” 2020 election as “the Big Lie,” according to Mediaite. Instead, Licht reportedly said, shows should opt for terms like the “Trump election lie” or “election lies” to avoid appearing partisan. The guidance was not presented as a mandate, Mediaite noted, but staffers reportedly felt the directive was clear. “It’s worrisome that we’re being told how to talk about one of the worst things that ever happened to American democracy,” one insider told Mediaite. “We have to call lies lies, whether they’re small lies or big lies. Is there any lie bigger than that lie?” The shift comes as Licht works to push CNN toward a more hard news-focused approach—an effort that has thus far included reducing the overuse of “Breaking News” banners and relying less on panel discussions featuring partisan pundits.
