The deadly coronavirus has been recognized as a global emergency by just about every major health institution, and the White House is responding accordingly.
President Trump assembled a task force to research and halt the spread of this deadly virus. Instead of covering the work of the scientists, researchers, and doctors chosen to combat this illness, CNN instead decided to complain about the demographics of the task force itself.
It’s just too white, according to CNN.
If you or a loved one contracted coronavirus, the last thing you are likely to be concerned with is the skin tone or race of the person working day and night to save your life.
The headline read:
“Coronavirus Task Force Another Example of Trump Administration’s Lack of Diversity.”
CNN shared a photo of the task force, and pointed out the researchers and medical team are all white. They also shared an image of the team combatting Ebola, which had a similar outbreak in 2014. This task force was put together under then-President Barack Obama, and did include three people of color. However, two of them — the President himself and Susan Rice — are not medical researchers or scientists, and were not working on counter-acting the disease itself.
After the announcement of the newly created Presidential task force, CNN’s “news analyst’ response was:
“Who are these experts? They’re largely the same sorts of white men (and a couple women on the sidelines) who’ve dominated the Trump administration from the very beginning.”
CNN approved of the more diverse Ebola team, though:
“By contrast, former President Barack Obama’s circle of advisers in the face of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was hardly so monochromatic. Neither was it so abysmal in terms of gender diversity. (Of course, to contextualize, Obama’s administration, on the whole, was far more diverse than Trump’s.)”
Despite the complaints, CNN failed to mention what factors they used to determine the Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus is unqualified or unable to assist in some way. The only issue seems to be the race of the team workers.
Using any criterion other than skill and competency to add researchers to a team combating a deadly virus is an approach that is not likely to result in success. Instead of letting viewers know that the task force had swung into motion and was joining the fight against the illness, CNN instead filled their coverage with complaints about the workers chosen to help.
By focusing on the wrong issues, CNN lost a chance to report on real news and to connect with their own viewers on a deeper level.
eadlines around the world, with publications and newstations covering the science behind the disease, how it spreads, how it has impacted different nations and the toll it has taken on individuals and families. CNN chose to focus on President Trump — and shine a negative light on his efforts to assist in the fight against this dangerous and sometimes deadly disease.
Once again, the media’s true agenda is laid on plainly for all to see.
