CNN head Jeff Zucker did not mince words in his recent comments about rival Fox News, which he bluntly labeled as "state-run TV" and a "complete propaganda machine."
"It is really state-run TV. It is a pure propaganda machine, and I think does an incredible disservice to this country," Zucker said during the FT Future of News conference in New York City, according to The Wrap.
He continued, "There are a handful of really good journalists there, but I think they are lost in what is a complete propaganda machine. And the idea that it’s a news channel is really not the case at all."
Zucker took his allegations one step further on Thursday night when he added that Fox News was actually worse than the Russian government-owned media organization known as TASS.
"TASS has nothing on them," Zucker continued. "I’ll get attacked all night tonight and tomorrow night for saying this, but whatever. It’s the truth."
Fox News host Sean Hannity certainly had something to say in response to Zucker's blistering claims. Last night, he re-tweeted a story quoting Zucker's words with the partly-satirical caption: "We interrupt our 24-7 Stormy Daniels hate Trump coverage . . . CNN Fake News. Jeff, there is a reason crowds chant 'CNN Sucks.'"
You have to wonder if Hannity read the entirety of Zucker's remarks, because he also addressed the prevalence of fake news. "There is fake news. Fake News is a phenomenon, and it does exist . . . It’s come to light especially on the Facebook," Zucker said. "What [Trump] means is, news that he doesn’t like. That’s OK. We’re just reporting the facts, reporting the news."
Zucker also took a moment to laud his own leadership at CNN. "The last three years have been the best three years in the 38-year history of CNN," he said. "We’ve made CNN relevant again, and it’s part of the national and international conversation."
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