NEW YORK — CNN's decision to give former President Donald Trump a live town hall was a harsh lesson for the TV news business.
The live free-for-all on May 10 — which ultimately led to the demise of the network's last Chief Executive Chris Licht — showed the dangers of putting a presidential candidate known for dispensing misinformation in a format where fact-checking is a challenge.
Trump was able to spray numerous falsehoods and denials, making it impossible for anchor Kaitlan Collins to correct him. Criticism of the event was torrential, and some CNN viewers turned away from the network for days afterward.
