CNN host Brian Stelter drew immediate backlash recently, after a scathing review of conservative talk-radio host Mark Levin’s new book, which he accused of anti-media sentiment.
Stelter, who bemoaned the book’s message as an attack against the mainstream media, refuted initial reports of his remarks, claiming to have merely “reported” that the book is “full of hate-the-media rhetoric.”
I didn’t “bash” @marklevinshow‘s book, I reported that it’s #1 on Amazon and it’s full of hate-the-media rhetoric https://t.co/a2Whp3mjDu
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) May 20, 2019
Levin, himself, disagreed with Stelter, who he accused of being “unstable and obsessed,” and credited the CNN journalist with “contributing to the demise of the media’s credibility.”
Later, levin suggested Stelter “makes my book’s point, and is too dumb to know it!”
Sadly, CNN’s Brian Stelter is unstable & obsessed, and does a great disservice to press
freedom and the public. He has no professional journalistic standards and is incapable of changing course. He’s contributing to the demise of the media’s credibility. https://t.co/hAvbyUgE73— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) May 20, 2019
CNN’s Stelter makes my book’s point and is too dumb to know it!https://t.co/25WiL597lm
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) May 20, 2019
Much of the social media commentary was not on Stelter’s side, with many users overwhelmingly slamming the CNN journalist, as well as the rest of the mainstream media.
Brian, the media that you speak of spent 2 years trying to convince the American people that the President of the United States was a Nazi Russian Spy.
You and your colleagues knowingly spread HOAXES and PROPAGANDA, tell me again why anyone should be PRO-Media… https://t.co/4qh0P4YVJw
— Carpe Donktum🔹 (@CarpeDonktum) May 20, 2019
Can’t handle the truth .
— terri howard (@lavendernana1) May 20, 2019
You forgot to mention that the hate and contempt for the media is very well deserved
— Ben Jammin 🇺🇸 (@xBenJamminx) May 20, 2019
It’s hate-what-the-media-has-become truth.
— Joel Goldenberg (@JoelGoldenberg1) May 20, 2019
It’s full of why the media truly is the “enemy of the people.”
I hope you enjoy reading it is much as the rest of us.@brianstelter @marklevin— Mark Hulderman (@MarkHulderman) May 20, 2019
I hate the media, and I don’t need a book to remind me of that.
— Eleanor (@EleanorRoth8) May 20, 2019