CNN chief: Alex Jones interview worthy, but NBC mishandled
NEW YORK (AP) — Some top people at CNN have come to Megyn Kelly's defense in the wake of criticism she's received for interviewing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, but say NBC News hasn't done itself any favors.
NBC's handling of the interview, scheduled to air on Kelly's newsmagazine at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday, has given fuel to the backlash against her, said Jeff Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide, on Thursday.
Kelly has been attacked for interviewing the "Infowars" host, primarily because he has questioned whether the shooting that killed 26 people at Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 was a hoax.
The CNN leaders criticized NBC News for the brief clip, or "tease," that it released of Kelly interviewing Jones to promote the interview, saying it left open the question of whether Kelly would challenge him enough.