New York Times bans reporters from CNN's Don Lemon, MSNBC's Maddow shows for being 'too partisan:' report

The New York Times is said to be cracking down on its reporters appearing on cable news shows it considers to be "too partisan," according to a new report.  (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

The New York Times is cracking down on its own reporters, stopping them from appearing on certain primetime cable news shows seen as being "too partisan," according to a new report.
Vanity Fair published the explosive report, which alleged MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell, as well as CNN anchor Don Lemon, made the newspaper's no-go list.
The magazine began its report by alleging the Times' financial editor David Enrich had initially accepted an invitation to appear on "The Rachel Maddow Show" May 20 to discuss a report involving President Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner's transactions with Deutsche Bank, but had to ultimately turn down the appearance after he informed the communications department.
Vanity Fair's report is based on information from sources inside the "Gray Lady," according to the magazine.
"The Times was wary of how viewers might perceive a down-the-middle journalist like Enrich talking politics with a mega-ideological host like Maddow," Vanity Fair's media correspondent Joe Pompeo wrote.
Sources told the magazine the Times' executive editor Dean Baquet Baquet expressed concerns certain primetime shows are becoming more opinionated and that reporters who appear on their shows would be "perceived as being aligned" with the show's politics.
“He thinks it’s a real issue,” one source said, another adding “Their view is that, intentionally or not, it affiliates the Times reporter with a bias.”
Both MSNBC and CNN have hired several prominent New York Times reporters as contributors in recent years, but it is unclear from the Vanity Fair report if they would be discouraged from appearing on shows deemed "too partisan."