CNN conservative commentator Scott Jennings sparked a fiery exchange during a recent panel discussion when he argued that the American public’s loss of trust in mainstream media is not the fault of conservatives, but rather the media’s own bias.
Jennings pushed back against author Jeff Jarvis, who claimed conservatives are undermining confidence in journalism. “What the ‘right wing’ has taken advantage of is finally, the American people saying ‘enough is enough,’” Jennings said. “They’re tired of feeling like the mass media screams out one viewpoint versus another. They’re tired of institutions favoring one party. They’re tired of narratives over factual stories.”
To make his point, Jennings referenced the recent resignation of 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens. Owens stepped down following criticism over controversial edits made to Vice President Kamala Harris’ pre-election interview, which reportedly cut moments that cast her in a negative light.
“If I had any advice for 60 Minutes or anybody else, it would be: just cover the news, be fair, and stop putting your finger on the scale, especially during campaigns,” Jennings said.
Jarvis, however, argued that Jennings was promoting what he called an “old media myth” — the idea that news outlets can truly remain in the middle politically. He pointed to legendary CBS anchor Walter Cronkite, suggesting his reporting was not as balanced as history remembers.
Jennings quickly fired back: “People back in those days trusted the media, did they not?” Jarvis disagreed, but Jennings cited Gallup polling that shows trust in U.S. media has steadily declined for years and recently hit historic lows.
As tensions rose, CNN host Abby Phillips intervened, suggesting much of the distrust stems from rhetoric on the political right. Jennings, visibly surprised, challenged her directly: “I’m sorry, you think it’s driven by the rhetoric and not the performance?”
Phillips doubled down: “Absolutely.”
The exchange left Jennings pressing his core argument: if media outlets want to rebuild trust, they must change their product — not blame critics. But the debate only intensified as broader issues about media coverage and election politics entered the discussion…
