The rivalry between CNN and Fox News is well known. Both networks don’t hesitate to take shots at each other, but after the deaths of cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski, local Ukrainian producer Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova, and correspondent Benjamin Hall, the rivalry was put aside.
According to the Wall Street Journal, CNN chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward and Fox News foreign correspondent Trey Yingst worked together, calling morgues and hospitals to locate Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova.
Ward and Yingst worked out of a Kyiv hotel suite, acting as a makeshift CNN newsroom, where they also contacted Ukrainian military officials and relaid information about Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova’s last known whereabouts.
“We should compete aggressively against each other in terms of stories but shouldn’t compete when it comes to safety,” David Rohde, a former New York Times war correspondent, stated to The Journal.
The two correspondents also had help from other competing networks like NBC and the British outlet Sky News, who had security personnel offering to help locate Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova.
Eventually, the Fox News security team received a tip letting them know they had identified the bodies.
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
