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Cattledog

(6,366 posts)
Tue Jan 30, 2018, 07:29 PM Jan 2018

Atlanta news anchor fired after secretly trying to revive alt-right-based reports.

ATLANTA

The CBS television station in Atlanta has fired its evening anchor, Ben Swann, three days after the station discovered he had tried to revive a controversial news segment without their knowledge.

The station’s general manager Lyle Banks released a brief press release Monday about Swann’s termination.

“Ben Swann is no longer an employee of WGCL-TV, effective immediately. We thank Ben for his contributions and wish him well,” the statement said.

Swann’s Reality Check reports over the years have often veered into alt-right conspiracy theories. His last one focused on PizzaGate a year ago and led to his first suspension and the removal of his Truth in Media website and most of his social media platforms.

Swann recently began raising funds to bring back his Reality Check stories using the cyber currency Dash. He posted a video Thursday night teasing a big announcement on Tuesday, January 30.

When WGCL leaders found out about the video Friday morning, management suspended him, officials said. On Monday, the station fired him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=9nJsufPZj_4

His Reality Check operation preceded his hiring at the station in 2015. Echoing right-wing conspiracy sites, Swann has questioned everything from the origins of ISIS to the veracity of the Sandy Hook elementary school shootings to whether Russia was actually involved in the DNC email hacks.

His Truth in Media site was connected with the Republican Liberty Caucus at one point. Before joining the station, he worked for Russia Today, an international television network funded by the Russian government.

In 2013, Swann appeared on conpsiracy theorist Alex Jones’ InfoWars:



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Atlanta news anchor fired after secretly trying to revive alt-right-based reports. (Original Post) Cattledog Jan 2018 OP
With his background why in the hell did CBS hire him at all????? marble falls Jan 2018 #1
CBS Atlanta... DAMANgoldberg Jan 2018 #2

DAMANgoldberg

(1,278 posts)
2. CBS Atlanta...
Tue Jan 30, 2018, 08:26 PM
Jan 2018

is a serious afterthought in news ratings for market #9 being Atlanta. As a person that grew up in NE AL with the cable system at the time offering WSB 2, WAGA 5, and WXIA 11 stations 110 miles to the east, along with Birmingham & Huntsville stations, now-WGCL 46 has always been just there. WSB has been dominant (Monica (Kaufman) Pierson and John Pruitt era), and the other 2 network stations weren't chopped liver.

CBS Atlanta has always been seeking attention for most of the wrong reasons. Sharon Reed excluded, this continues.

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