CNN excludes Black American media from 2024 presidential debate in Atlanta, but approved accreditations of journalists from other countries

Foreign journalists, whose readers are less likely to vote in the upcoming election, were briefed and granted media credentials for this week’s presidential debate hosted by CNN, but not black media outlets.

According to a source familiar with the accreditation process, approximately 600 national and international media outlets received media accreditations for the June 27 event, but none of them are Black-owned.

Despite hosting a presidential debate within a 3-mile radius of black-owned or -run media outlets in Atlanta, CNN did not invite local publications that cater to black audiences to the event.

Thursday’s debate will take place at CNN’s Midtown Atlanta studios, just steps from the offices of Atlanta Voice and Atlanta Black Star, two black publications based in the same city. However, neither publication received a press release or other communication regarding media access to the debate that could help determine the outcome of this year’s presidential election.

“It was disrespectful. I thought it was very tacky to not invite the Black newspaper. I thought it was just cheap and typical of CNN,” Donnel Suggs, editor-in-chief of the Atlanta Voice, said in a telephone interview.

According to an email from CNN, media members had until June 7 to request their credentials to attend and cover the event, but Atlanta Voice and Atlanta Black Star were unaware of the deadline until editors from both publications individually contacted a CNN representative last week, who said the mainstream outlet was “unable to respond to any requests for additional accreditation” after the deadline.

Suggs finds it impertinent that CNN did not consider Atlanta Voice for an invitation or send correspondence about the event to the Black publication.

“(CNN) never contacted me and said, ‘Hey, June 7th, you better have this thing.’ » If they had told me that, we would have done it, wouldn’t we? So, right, it’s messed up,” Suggs said.

A scan of Atlanta Black Star inboxes showed no emails from CNN or a representative regarding the debate. A follow-up email to CNN’s Dylan Geerlings seeking clarification on the deadline and how Atlanta Black Star would be notified of it went unanswered.

EBONY editors told Atlanta Black Star that they also sent a request but never received a response.

Representatives of Joe Biden’s campaign have also pushed for black publications to be present, given the impact of black voters in the election and the obstacles black publications face.

Black-owned media outlets face significantly fewer financial resources than mainstream media outlets, leading to disparities in staffing and other aspects and limiting the growth and visibility of these platforms.

CNN has now proposed adding Atlanta Black Star and Atlanta Voice to its distribution list for debate transcripts and photos. The Biden campaign will hold a press briefing for Black publications before Thursday’s debate.