Twitter/Getty James O'Keefe (r) and Jeff Zucker
Project Veritas’s James O’Keefe live streamed a conference call by CNN’s Jeff Zucker, in which O’Keefe dialed in and then announced his presence on live video.
You can watch the video below. It’s been viewed more than 1.6 million times on Twitter, since Project Veritas shared it on December 1. O’Keefe tweeted, “We’ve been going through HUNDREDS of hours of @CNN 9am calls from the last couple months… The #CNNTapes start dropping at 7pm Eastern TONIGHT, don’t miss it.” He provided this link. The link takes you to an email box to sign up to get the tapes.
BREAKING: @Project_Veritas’ @JamesOKeefeIII just recorded and Livestreamed President Jeff Zucker’s 9am Editorial Phone Call With @CNN Senior Leadership
O’Keefe starts the video by saying, “Hey, Jeff Zucker are you there? Hey, this is James O’Keefe. We’ve been listening to your CNN calls for two months recording everything. Just wanted to ask you some questions if you have a minute. Do you still feel you’re the most trusted name in news because I have to say from what I’ve been hearing on these phone calls, I don’t know about that. We have a lot of recordings that indicate that you’re not really that independent of a journalist.”
Zucker responded, “Thank you for your comments. So everybody, in light of that, I think what we will do is we will set up a new system. We will be back with you. We will do the rest of the call a little bit later.”
O’Keefe then said he was releasing the calls at 7 p.m. on December 1.
Here’s what you need to know:
O’Keefe Claims to Have Many Tapes That Reveal the ‘Minds & Hearts’ of CNN Leaders
Samuel CorumJames O’Keefe pictured in February 2020.
O’Keefe gave additional details as the video continued.
“I unmuted myself into the conference line…this is being livestreamed and recorded for awhile. We have clips of various producers talking, the president talking, describing their motives, describing their political philosophy, describing how they don’t cover things and how certain political parties tell them to cover things a certain way. Lots of little clips that takes us into the minds and hearts of the people who inform us.”
A “brave insider gave us this information,” said O’Keefe. “…We’ve compromised the dial in.” He then told Zucker he believes people should be an informed populace. “The media has to be held to account,” he said. He claims in the video to have calls featuring CNN leaders, including Zucker, Vice President David Chalian, Stephanie Becker, and Marcus Mabry.
Project Veritas Is Controversial Because of its Editing Techniques & Undercover Stings
GettyConservative undercover journalist James O’Keefe (L) is photographed by Project Veritas Action Senior Communications Strategist Stephen Gordon during a news conference at the National Press Club September 1, 2015 in Washington, D.C.
We reached out to CNN public relations for comment and will add any in if it’s received.
According to Source Watch, Project Veritas is run by O’Keefe, who the site describes as “a right-wing provocateur known for a series of deceptive videos attacking targets like Planned Parenthood and ACORN, a community organizing group.” He’s known for his controversial undercover stings, some focusing on the mainstream media. Source Watch accuses the group of using both disguises and “deceptive editing.” CNN has been a frequent target of President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly accused the network of bias.
Who is Jeff Zucker? “Jeff Zucker was named Chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports in March, 2019. He has also served as President of CNN Worldwide since 2013,” his CNN bio reads.
“Prior to coming to CNN, Zucker spent more than two decades at NBC Universal, where he rose through the ranks to become the company’s president and CEO from 2007 to 2011. He headed up the global media and entertainment company, which included the NBC broadcast network, its news and sports divisions and all of its cable properties (including MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Bravo, Oxygen and Syfy), Universal Pictures and the Universal Theme Parks. Prior to running all of NBCU, Zucker oversaw all of the company’s television properties from 2004 to 2007 and was the president of NBC Entertainment from December 2000 until May 2004.”
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