Discussion on CNN and MSNBC of “Juneteenth,” the June 19 commemoration of the effective end of slavery in the United States, has exploded nearly 1,200 percent in 2020 compared with previous years.
A Washington Free Beacon analysis found 365 mentions of the term on MSNBC and 243 on CNN from June 1 through June 19 of this year, according to a Kinetiq media search. Much of it concerned the outcry over President Donald Trump’s decision to hold a political rally on the date in Tulsa, Okla., and his subsequent decision to delay it. He has since said he made the holiday “very famous.”
Hosts on CNN and MSNBC condemned Trump for his ignorance about the date and his subsequent claim he made it famous. CNN’s Brianna Keilar asked fellow anchor Don Lemon Thursday if Trump’s lack of knowledge was an example of “systemic racism,” and Lemon called the situation “laughable.” MSNBC’s Joy Reid laughed at Trump’s declaration that he made the holiday famous, quipping Thursday, “You’re welcome, black America.”
There has, however, been a clear surge of interest in the holiday in 2020 compared with its mentions during June in previous years. On June 1 through June 30 of 2012 through 2019, the term “Juneteenth” or “June teenth” only appeared on MSNBC 30 times. On CNN, it was only mentioned 17 times during the time period, all in 2018 and 2019. The Free Beacon analysis did not include reruns. – READ MORE
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