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WWE News
WWE News: John Cena says he wants CNN to apologize to him for editing of documentary Nov 13, 2007 - 5:04:47 PM
John Cena wants CNN to apologize to him. WWE.com has published an article today where Cena asked for an apology. Excerpt:
Based on unedited coverage footage shot by WWE, CNN is clearly exposed in a manner which is highly unprofessional and gives perhaps an insight as to how CNN generally operates. It would appear as though CNN’s reputation for presenting fair and balanced reporting has taken a severe hit to its credibility.
WWE.com will be publishing an interview with Cena tonight after ECW.
WK ANALYSIS: WWE has to be careful how far they push this. If their goal is to exonerate Cena from an incomplete portrayal of how he addressed the steroid issue, there's a way to accomplish that without turning it into an anti-news media or, more specifically, an anti-CNN crusade. WWE is doing what Vince McMahon has so often asked the media not to do with him - make generalizations about the entire company based on how one person or a group of people acted. Rather than say cute lines like this "gives perhaps an insight as to how CNN generally operates," just ask for vindication and an apology for this incident and make their best case why it's deserved.
WWE has to also be careful because if they raise the stakes, CNN will fight back, and frankly, WWE's policy or its history with the timeline of instituting drug testing is not going to hold up well under such scrutiny if CNN feels challenged and thus pursues this story further. There are stones unturned and another potential documentary taking quotes from Vince McMahon's extended interview and presenting a "credibility check" on a lot of what he said.
WWE is playing "gotcha" and CNN walked right into it with an indefensible - although probably not legally slanderous - unfair edit of the Cena interview. But WWE may pay a price for raising the stakes. They may not, though, if the superiors at CNN who produced the video believe bad judgment was made. This developing story will continue to play out, and both sides have something to lose by taking it further.
Let us know your thoughts on the subject.
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