CNN roasted for glowing coverage of Chinese Communist Party’s anniversary: 'This is Xi-N-N'

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Media top headlines June 30

CNN and MSNBC's ratings collapsing, Ilhan Omar telling CNN she doesn't regret equating US and Israel with the Taliban, and an MSNBC legal analyst praising Attorney General Garland for personally scooping ice cream for DOJ employees round out today's top media headlines

That’s what Xi said: CNN is once again being dubbed the "China News Network" after publishing a glowing report on the upcoming 100-year anniversary of China’s Communist Party that set Twitter ablaze on Wednesday. 

"The Chinese Communist Party is about to turn 100 but Xi will be the real star," CNN International tweeted to accompany a link to a story about an upcoming celebration that will feature fireworks and a speech by China’s leader Xi Jinping. 

CNN ACCUSED OF RUNNING CHINESE PROPAGANDA AFTER BOOSTING COUNTRY'S COVID VACCINATION RATES PROVIDED BY CHINA

"It's likely that large parts of the day's events will focus on Xi, arguably the country's most powerful leader since Mao, and his vision for the country," CNN’s Ben Westcott wrote in the piece. 

The tweet was roasted with critics attacking CNN for glorifying the Communist Party. 

"Not sure what there is to celebrate. In the last 100 years, the CCP has murdered and stolen from millions of people. Xi is committing genocide in Xinjiang, annihilating One Country Two Systems in Hong Kong, and threatening war in Taiwan, to name a few of Xi's crimes," Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., responded. 

"Praising, or even normalizing the CCP is one of the most evil things that our media does regularly. It’s nothing short of evil to report ‘news’ this way," one critic added, while another asked, "Why is an American news station celebrating the CCP and praising Xi?!"

NewsBusters executive editor Tim Graham called out CNN’s in-house media pundit Brian Stelter. 

"Dear @brianstelter -- doesn't your network condemn sucking up to dictatorships? Wasn't that what Trump always did wrong? Didn't you say journalists rally against regimes that shut down dissenting newspapers?" Graham wrote.

CNN ACCUSED OF ‘LITERALLY PUBLISHING CHINESE PROPAGANDA’

Earlier this month, CNN was mocked for publishing a report that boasted of China’s coronavirus vaccination rates … according to data provided by China. The liberal network raised eyebrows with the headline, "China's about to administer its billionth coronavirus shot. Yes, you read that right."

Both reports were tied to a newsletter rolled out by CNN this month called "Meanwhile in China," which is described in the editor's note at the top of the articles as "a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country's rise and how it impacts the world."

Many others criticized CNN's latest China coverage: 

CNN is no stranger to criticism over its handling of China. 

In April 2020, in the early months of the pandemic, CNN ran an article about China People's Liberation Army (PLA) supposedly having a foothold in the spread of the coronavirus in a branch of its military, running the headline, "China's PLA Navy is controlling coronavirus and aircraft carrier's deployment proves it, report says."

However, that report came from the Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times.

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Following the intense backlash, CNN updated the piece with a new headline, "Chinese state media claims country's navy is not affected by coronavirus." In addition, the article included this editor's note: "This story has been updated to include Pentagon reaction and recent developments in the Western Pacific."

Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.