CNN fires TV journalist Chris Cuomo for breach of journalistic ethics

American TV journalist Chris Cuomo has been fired from CNN in the wake of revelations that he had helped his brother former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo while he faced multiple accusations of sexual harassment doing so in ways of which CNN management had not previously been aware of and breaching the traditional ethics of journalismThe news outlet which suspended Chris Cuomo earlier this week said it would continue its investigation into the work he did for his sibling reports varietycomThe outlet also said it had retained an outside law firm to conduct its review citing additional information that has come to lightIt intends to continue to investigate its former employees behaviour despite its decisionIt goes without saying that these decisions are not easy and there are a lot of complex factors involved Jeff Zucker WarnerMedias chairman of news and sports said in a memo to CNN staffers on SaturdayCuomo who in the past has readily acknowledged he felt his family ties were stronger than his journalism callings reiterated some of that in a new statementThis is not how I want my time at CNN to end but I have already told you why and how I helped my brother Cuomo wrote in a statement on his official TwitterSo let me now say as disappointing as this is I could not be more proud of the team at Cuomo Prime Time and the work we did as CNNs 1 show in the most competitive time slot I owe them all and will miss that group of special people who did really important workCuomos profile at CNN rose with a sharpelbowed leanin demeanor that he used both in front of the camera and behind itHis broader rise was also emblematic of a new tone the outlet once seen as a plainvanilla dispenser of news took on under Zucker who became president in 2013Consider that the slot used for Cuomos show Cuomo Prime Time was once the home to Larry Kings genial celebrity interviewsCuomo joined CNN from ABC News in 2013 and was set as a coanchor of New Day a morning program that executives billed as a counterpart to TodayAs the news cycle grew more frenzied however CNN jettisoned the original concept and set Cuomo in front of retooled effort that had him grilling Trump administration officials and newsmakers in segments that often ran so long that the network pushed back commercial breaks to accommodate them I like being uncomfortable I like making other people uncomfortable Cuomo told Variety in 2018 the year the network moved him up to primetimeBut he became a public target at CNN tooCuomo was accosted at a weekend party in 2019 baited by conservative provocateurs who captured him arguing with someone yelling at him and then posted the video onlineFox News Channel has used his ties to his brother a longtime Democrat to poke fun at him in many of its programsCNN stuck with Cuomo throughout the harassment and ridicule even after a former ABC News producer Shelley Ross penned a New York Times opinion piece in September in which she accused Cuomo of touching her inappropriately in the pastCuomo said the interaction was not sexual in nature and noted that he had apologised for itA decision to allow Chris Cuomo to interview Andrew Cuomo at the height of concern in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 proved to be a shortterm winning strategy even though most news organisations take pains to keep journalists from covering activities that may include friends or relativesThe brothers teasing back and forth cheered viewers The idea proved illconceived months later however when the former Governor was accused of harassment by multiple women and the conversations between the siblings seemed to give the politician a softball roostThe decision to fire Cuomo leaves CNN with a big hole to fill While his program Cuomo Prime Time was regularly beaten in the ratings by its two main timeslot rivals Fox News Channels Sean Hannity and Rachel Maddows aThe Rachel Maddow Show it is CNNs most popular programMichael Smerconish a popular talkshow host who leads a Saturdaymorning program on CNN is slated to take the reins of the 9 pm hour next week but Zucker CNNs leader will no doubt be working to devise a set of new options for the slotIn TVnews circles people have begun to speculate that CNN could move Don Lemon its 10 pm host an hour earlier and try something new later in the evening Brianna Keilar who has been coanchoring CNNs New Day morning show and displayed a combative style similar to Cuomos has become a favourite of Zuckers in recent months according to people familiar with the networkCNN has protected Cuomo for months after The Washington Post disclosed he had helped his brotherExecutives felt the anchor was the victim of unique circumstances caught between the duties of his job and his love for a sibling who also happened to be a senior state government official But even CNN bosses lost their patience earlier this weekOn Tuesday CNN announced that it was suspending Cuomo indefinitely pending further evaluation after a passage of messages and communications released by the New York State Attorney General revealed that Chris Cuomo was actively involved in tracking down leads about stories that might affect his brothers political statusCuomo also spoke regularly with his brothers senior staffers during this periodAlso Read Where canvases assert Ambedkarite artists engage with Namdeo Dhasalrsquos Golpitha in new showThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever