CNN’s Brian Stelter roasted for failed attempt to defend corporate media from DeSantis’ criticism

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Media top headlines October 26

In media news today, a Washington Post columnist knocks CNN over its coverage of Joe Rogan, President Biden jokes to school children about avoiding questions from reporters, and Terry McAuliffe got 'agitated' when asked about his panicking campaign by Axios

CNN’s low-rated, in-house media pundit Brian Stelter is having a rough day.

First, ratings were released for Sunday’s edition of Stelter’s "Reliable Sources," which averaged only 698,000 viewers for its fourth smallest turnout of the year. Stelter also struggled among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults age 25-54, averaging only 108,000 viewers in the crucial category. 

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TV Land’s 10:48 a.m. ET repeat of "The Golden Girls" even managed to outdraw Stelter’s struggling program in the key demo. 

CNN’s Brian Stelter attempted to jab Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, but it didn’t go so well. 

The tiny audience that tuned in was treated to Los Angeles Times columnist Jackie Calmes declaring that journalists need to stop covering the country's two political parties equally because the modern Republicans don't "really care if government works well."

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Shortly after Stelter’s dismal viewership was announced, the CNN pundit was roasted on Twitter for an attempted swipe at Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The Republican governor told a reporter on Monday, "We all know corporate media lies, OK. They do not tell the truth. Assume what they tell you is false and then figure out why they are telling you a false narrative." 

Stelter, who is often mocked for defending liberal media at all costs, objected to DeSantis’ claim and took to Twitter with a tweet that quickly backfired. 

"GOP's anti-media streak summarized: Governor of one of the biggest states in the USA says citizens should ‘assume’ news outlets are lying to them," Stelter wrote. 

The message was swiftly roasted, with followers pointing out everything from podcasting giant Joe Rogan’s accusation that CNN lied to its viewers about his use of ivermectin during his recovery from COVID to the liberal network’s glowing coverage of former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo as examples of DeSantis having a point. 

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In 2020, CNN settled a $250 million defamation lawsuit with former Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann. CNN has also been widely criticized for promoting disgraced attorney Michael Avenatti; elevating Rebekah Jones, the fired Florida health official who became a media darling last year after she dubiously accused the DeSantis administration of pressuring her to fudge the state's COVID data; and pushing the Russian collusion narrative at every turn.

CNN’s low-rated "Reliable Sources" with Brian Stelter lost to TV Land’s 10:48 a.m. ET repeat of "The Golden Girls" in the key demographic.  (Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)

Many critics responded to Stelter with thoughts on his attempt to jab DeSantis. 

"After the behavior of the corporate media over the last 5 years -- an endless string of lies and deranged conspiracy theories to promote a clear agenda -- people are right to assume they're lying," journalist Glenn Greenwald responded. "When CNN gets caught in lies, it either denies it or won't even acknowledge it."

"’Border agents whipping migrants’ was a completely made up news cycle that lasted about a week. It was spread by several corporate media outlets and journalists who work for them. It didn't happen, and that's just the most recent example," pundit Stephen L. Miller wrote. 

"Imagine ever assuming CNN was reporting a story without spin. It's been reported that they bought an industrial washing machine back in 2018 that has a spin cycle setting specifically for that purpose," Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon responded. 

Sunday’s edition of Brian Stelter’s "Reliable Sources" averaged only 698,000 viewers for its fourth smallest turnout of the year.

NewsBusters’ Nicholas Fondacaro added, "You didn’t correct a guest who claimed Trump killed more people than Hitler, Stalin, and Mao combined."

"Given how even CNN handled the Joe Rogan and ivermectin story and the year of parading Andrew Cuomo around, a lot of people will think DeSantis has a point," radio host Erick Erickson wrote. 

Red State editor Joe Cunningham wrote, "I wonder where in the world he could've gotten that idea from? Are Joe Rogan and Nick Sandmann available for comment?"

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Stelter’s tweet was ultimately mocked by thousands of people, piling up nearly 5,000 negative comments and less than 500 "likes" roughly six hours after he sent it. 

Sandmann even chimed in, simply writing, "Howdy."