CNN Reporter Apologizes for ‘Embarrassing’ Tweet on ‘Drain of Talent’ After Harassment Scandals

“I’ve deleted my previous tweet. It was poorly worded and didn’t properly convey my intended observation,” says CNN reporter Dylan Byers

Dylan Byers
Twitter

CNN senior reporter Dylan Byers apologized (sort of) on Tuesday night after launching one of the more memorably tone-deaf takes on the current epidemic of sexual harassment allegations against big media figures.

“Beyond the pain/humiliation women have endured (which is of course the paramount issue), it’s worth taking stock of the incredible drain of talent from media/entertainment taking place right now,” he wrote.

“Never has so much talent left the industry all at once.”

 

Byers, who joined CNN in 2015 after covering media for Politico, quickly recanted his social media outburst.

“I’ve deleted my previous tweet,” he wrote Tuesday night. “It was poorly worded and didn’t properly convey my intended observation.”

The walk-back was swift — coming after just about two hours — but not swift enough to prevent a fusillade of criticism from fellow Internet blue checks and the peanut gallery who accused him of focusing his attention on accusers instead of victims.

https://twitter.com/Olivianuzzi/status/933220803449036800

https://twitter.com/E_Hellerstein/status/933164633405509632

https://twitter.com/andizeisler/status/933140976582852609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fonline%2Fcnn-reporter-slammed-for-tweet-noting-incredible-drain-of-talent-due-to-harassment-scandals%2F

https://twitter.com/leannuh_renay/status/933167695314411520

https://twitter.com/NoahHurowitz/status/933139544588812288

The week leading up to Thanksgiving has been unusually chock-full with disastrous news for powerful men in media, politics and entertainment and saw the New York Times’ Glenn Thrush suspended, CBS’s Charlie Rose fired, and Disney’s John Lasseter forced into a leave of absence.

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