Indiana YMCA bans CNN after ‘fake news’ complaints

A YMCA in Valparaiso, Ind., decided to ban CNN from TVs in its workout area after President-elect Donald Trump characterized the news network as “fake news.”

“In order to eliminate perceived political bias associated with national news outlets, the Valparaiso Family YMCA will only be showing local news channels in the future,” the Valparaiso YMCA said in a statement. 

The move, though, rankled some. A YMCA member said CNN was a fixture on TVs in the workout room for years.  

“To me, it’s blatant censorship that I find very surprising,” member Greg Quartucci told CBS Chicago. “The timing of this was very peculiar, because I think it was basically a day or two after Mr. Trump claimed that CNN was fake news.”

{mosads}Quartucci said the facility turned CNN off shortly after Trump’s confrontation with CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta at a news conference last week after the reporter repeatedly demanded Trump let him ask a question. 

“No, not you, your organization is terrible. Quiet. Quiet. Don’t be rude.” Trump said. 

Acosta continued to attempt to ask a question while Trump tried to move on to one of the more than 250 other reporters in the room. Trump pointed at Acosta and said: “I’m not going to give you a question. You’re fake news.”

Quartucci told CBS Chicago that the YMCA management had heard some complaints about CNN and gave in without any kind of formal vote or discussion.

“It is a Christian organization. It’s all about freedom and opportunity, and what they’re doing, I personally think is against what they have on their walls and against what they have as their mission,” he said.

Donald Trump will be sworn in as the nation’s 45th president today at an inauguration ceremony scheduled to begin at around noon.