A filmmaker who is releasing a new documentary is suggesting news outlets, including CNN, may be responsible for the dynamics that culminated in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Andrew Callaghan appeared on “CNN This Morning” Monday to discuss his upcoming documentary “This Place Rules.”
“The movie’s not just about the Capitol riot and all that,” he explained.
He continued, “It’s also about like media echo chambers, you know what I mean? And like the dangers of the 24-hour news cycle, and how I think mainstream media like Fox and even CNN competes for views by running constant 24-hour news cycles based upon fear, division, outrage, and panic probably to like sell ads.”
Co-host Don Lemon pushed back, “I’m not exactly sure — first of all, I don’t agree with what you’re saying.”
“But I’m not exactly sure of how that played into people going into the Capitol and rioting on Jan. 6. There’s nothing fake about CNN,” he added.
Watch the video below:
"There's nothing fake about CNN."
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) December 19, 2022
Don Lemon was shocked to hear an HBO documentarian call out "media echo chambers" like CNN for running a "constant 24-hour news cycle based on fear, division, outrage, and panic" in order to "sell ads." pic.twitter.com/Bzl7FVfde2
Callaghan responded by noting he was not calling CNN fake news.
However, he explained, “I’m just saying ramping people up and increasing division during that period of time. Just watching people kind of fall down the rabbit hole and be pushed into action and just falling down the conspiracy rabbit hole.”
Still, Lemon pushed back as he suggested, “I think more people would consider, you know, what’s happening online and what happened with the former president and the messaging that he was putting out there and Q’Anon.”
Callaghan responded, “Oh, yeah, I definitely agree 100% with that as well.”
An HBO press release stated about his forthcoming film, “In 2020, as COVID rages, protests sweep the country, and a monumental election looms, Callaghan captures the chaos in the streets and a wide spectrum of views — with just a camera and a microphone.”
“Delving into a world of political division, white nationalist groups and conspiracy theorists, This Place Rules exposes the perfect storm in the months preceding the Capitol attack and serves as a stark warning that these forces show no sign of abating,” the release added.
The film is set to debut on HBO on Dec. 30.
