Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Veteran CNN journalist Fuzz Hogan remained defiant as the controversial report was at the center of a high stakes defamation trial was scrutinized by attorneys for the plaintiff, Zachary Young.
Young, a U.S. Navy veteran, alleges that CNN defamed him in a November 2021 report that first aired on “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” suggesting he illegally profited from desperate people who were trying to flee Afghanistan after the The Biden administration military retirement, implying that he was involved in “black market” transactions and, as a result, ruined his professional reputation.
Hogan, who at the time of the report was a senior editor at CNN, testified that the story he approved did not mention the term “black market.” But he later said he thought the description was “accurate” in the context of the chaos unfolding in Afghanistan and denied there was a “negative connotation” to the term.
CNN journalist Fuzz Hogan denied there was a “negative connotation” to the term “black market” to describe the financial dealings of U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young in a report that aired on “The Lead with Jake Tapper.” . (CNN/Screenshot)
He stated that he was unaware of the on-air apology given in March 2022, months after the report aired, by CNN anchor Pamela Brown, who had replaced “The Lead” host Jake Tapper.
“In November, we published a story about Afghans desperate to flee the country who faced high payments that were out of reach of the average Afghan. The story included an introduction and a banner throughout the story that referenced a ‘black market.’ “The use of the term ‘black market’ in the story was a mistake. The story included information about Zachary Young,” Brown told viewers in March 2022.
“We had no intention of suggesting that Mr. Young participated in the black market,” he continued. “We regret the error and apologize to Mr. Young.”
Fuzz Hogan, a longtime CNN journalist, said he was not aware that the network apologized for its reporting on Zachary Young, but insisted that the apology was not necessary. (Fox News Digital/Law & Crime)
After watching the clip in court, Hogan said he disagreed that CNN should have apologized, which he repeatedly referred to as a “correction.”
“I didn’t think the correction was necessary,” Hogan said, later adding that he stands by the on-air report and called CNN’s online report “pretty good.”
Young lawyer Joe Delich brought up internal CNN communications that Hogan had with digital editor Tom Lumley, who criticized correspondent Alex Marquardt’s reporting on the story as “not poetry by any means.”
“I just want to post something to calm the drama. I also think it’s kind of a good story,” Lumley wrote. “We should have gone ahead and informed him more. Or he should have done it.”
“Correct,” Hogan responded to Lumley. “He feels like a good character, but we’re only ¾ of the way to the big thing.”
When asked if he approved of the publication of the story he considered to be only “three-quarters the size”, Hogan replied: “Every story can be longer.”
He went on to say that he was not concerned that “The Lead” report was issued too soon or that it was incomplete.
CNN DEFAMATION TRIAL: JUDGE IMPOSES FINE FOR PERSONAL BEATS AFTER CHAOS BREAKS OUT IN COURT
Hogan said he disagreed with CNN’s decision to air an apology, which was given by fill-in anchor Pamela Brown. (Screenshot/CNN)
Delich also showed communications showing Hogan calling Young a “shit,” something Hogan possessed on the witness stand. Delich later emphasized the context of the exchange during his questioning of the CNN journalist, which Hogan confirmed was in response to comments Young made to potential clients accusing him of overpromising protected status for those stranded in Afghanistan. Hogan denied that CNN’s reporting was intended to harm Young.
Later, when asked directly if he would change anything about CNN’s reporting on Young, Hogan responded, “no.”
After CNN aired the controversial report, Hogan was promoted as one of the network’s heads of standards and practices. According to his LinkedIn page, Hogan says he is “responsible for ensuring CNN’s reporting on television and online meets the network’s standards for accuracy, fairness and balance.”
Hogan called US Navy veteran Zachary Young a “shithole” in internal CNN communications leading up to the controversial on-air report. (Jessica Costescu)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Hogan was the first CNN staff member to testify. Marquardt, the correspondent who led the CNN segment focused on the defamation case, is expected to testify Monday.
The trial will be broadcast live Fox News Digital.
