CNN called out for anti-Trump chyron during program touted as 'news'

CNN was called out for displaying an onscreen headline that showed bias against President Donald Trump — and during a program time touted as "news" rather than opinion, debate, or commentary.

The headline — also known as a "chyron" — read, "SOON: SENATE TO EMBARRASS TRUMP WITH 'EMERGENCY' VOTE." It appeared more than once Thursday during "CNN Right Now," which airs at 1 p.m. ET hour and was hosted by Dana Bash. "CNN Right Now" is slotted under CNN's "News" category.

The Senate — with the help of 12 Republicans — voted to block Trump's border-emergency declaration.

Curtis Houck, managing editor of NewsBusters, called out the "EMBARRASS TRUMP" headline with a quip that "CNN wants you to take them seriously as a news organization."

The Hill's media reporter Joe Concha took issue with the headline as well:

"These chyrons would be fine, or at least par-for-the-course, on a cable news opinion show," Concha noted in his tweet. "This was presented during a news program. And said chyrons are never snarky when involving the other party."

Interestingly the "EMBARRASS TRUMP" onscreen headline appeared at the beginning of the program, and then again at the 26-minute mark of the below video — before quickly getting replaced by a headline that read, "SOON: SENATE TO REBUKE TRUMP OVER HIS 'EMERGENCY.'"

Here's video of Thursday's "CNN Right Now" program:

More of the same

CNN with increasing regularity has been criticized for espousing opinion — particularly anti-Trump opinion — mixed with its news coverage. As it happens, a number of other programs under the cable network's "news" category feature opinion and commentary — most notably Don Lemon on "CNN Tonight," Chris Cuomo on "Cuomo Prime Time," and Anderson Cooper on "Anderson Cooper 360."

Trump himself famously referred to CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta as "fake news" during a news conference prior to his 2017 inauguration.

Talk-show host Larry King last year said CNN isn't a news network any longer and has become a "Trump" network: "They do pundits," the interviewing icon said.

Fox News contributor Deroy Murdock said recently that CNN "should be honest and simply admit what the whole country already knows: They are liberal commenters, not objective reporters. That's perfectly fine, so long as their audience, such as it is, enjoys some truth in advertising."