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How is this “Fair & Balanced”?

October 21, 2010 By 18 Comments

I am fixing to break one of my cardinal rules and open myself up to a potential political debate.  But several things have been brewing lately that led up to this moment, so please oblige me this one post and feel free to join in the discussion by leaving your comments below.  My purpose for this blog post is not to involve my political leanings one way or the other, instead I want to bring up some questions about fairness and accountability in the news industry…

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I walked in my office this morning and started my day by opening up Google Reader so I get up to speed on the news of the day.  One headline jumped out at me right off the bat, Juan Williams fired by NPR over Muslim Comment.  Okay, in case you might have missed it, here’s what he said,

“But when I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.” – Juan Williams

Granted, Juan is probably not aware of the fact that not all Muslims like to blow up planes. I have some friends that are Muslim and none of them have ever tried to set me on fire or blow up their underwear when I am around.  One Muslim friend and I always joke with one another that it’s those sneaky Methodists you really have to worry about because they always look like they are up to something.  Of course we say this jokingly, but all kidding aside, I believe that Tolerance is a quality we should all possess.  Okay, moving on…

So Juan Williams got fired for saying what he said but Bill O’Reilly was recently made out to be a hero by his legion of fans for saying the following on a recent episode of ‘The View’ explaining why he and his people were opposed to the Mosque in New York being built near ground zero…

“Because Muslims killed us on 9/11.” – Bill O’Reilly

O’Reilly left a key word out of his statement, and that was the word “extremist”…

Now, let me state for the record, I could care less about The View, but, hearing O’Reilly say this got me to thinking about Rick Sanchez, a CNN anchor who was recently fired for saying that Jon Stewart was a “bigot” and that CNN was ran by Jews. Yep, he got fired for that.  How are these different?

Also, let’s not forget about the time that Golden Boy Glenn Beck, who scares the crap out of me personally, said this about Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears…

“He looks like a skinhead to me…” – Glenn Beck
– This said in reference to someone’s photograph he didn’t even know, Brian Urlacher.

And, just like O’Reilly, Beck was allowed to make good on his comment the following night by wearing a Chicago Bears jersey.  Of course this is just one of the many crazy things that Glenn Beck has thrown out there, and as far as I know he never gets into any trouble for his crazy ramblings.

My Questions for You…

  • How is it “Fair and Balanced” to not hold Fox hosts accountable when other networks do?
  • Do you think that Beck & O’Reilly’s ratings give them immunity in the eyes of NewsCorp?

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  • http://www.myspace.com/johnrezas John Rezas

    Juan Williams did not deserve to be fired. I canceled my NPR membership and will now boycott them completely. Congress needs to defund NPR.

    • http://www.cottonrohrscheib.com Cotton Rohrscheib

      It’s going to be interesting to see how many people cancel their NPR Memberships as a fallout to this.

  • http://twitter.com/williamsbk Benjamin Williams

    NPR employed Williams, Williams said something that caused NPR to fire him.
    FoxNews employs O’Reilly, said said something, FoxNews did nothing (to my knowledge).

    I really don’t understand your question; “How is it “Fair and Balanced” to not hold Fox hosts accountable when other networks do?” because they are different companies with different standards. I once worked for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., if I took a personal cell phone call while on “the floor” I would be fired, I know people who got in trouble for texting. However when I go to some non Wal-Mart stores, I am ignored by the worker(s) because they are on their phones or they answer a text. I was even checked out by a clerk who was on their cell phone the entire time the transaction took place. I was upset, but different stores have different standards.

    Back to NPR verses FoxNews. Each has an audience, and that audience (in one way or another) pays the network for shows they want to see. O’Reilly’s audience expects him to say certain things and they pay FoxNews to hear it. NPR does the same thing. When the anchors/actors deviate from the script the audience expects; bad things happen.

    Back to your quote: “Free Speech means Free Speech”. It would seem, by this example, that FoxNews is more of a believer in Free Speech than NPR is; as O’Reilly is still employed.

    • http://www.cottonrohrscheib.com Cotton Rohrscheib

      That’s a very good point about Fox News, what I am curious about though is this, what does it take to get fired from Fox News? If Beck and O’Reilly haven’t approached that line in the sand how far will they let it go?

      If Fox isn’t going to reign in their own people why should CNN and NPR?? I am in favor of letting them all speak their own minds if they want. As long as facts aren’t distorted, I think Americans are mature enough to know the difference between news and spin these days.

  • http://KnowtheNetwork.com Keith

    Some media outlets Fox included clearly have people that make a living and gain viewership by dealing in the realm of opinions. I think that is fine. Op/Eds are needed from all sides to critique and analyze the news of the day.

    What bothers me about this story is that I personally don’t find Juan’s comments to be outrageous but the key issue is does the fact he has opinions make him less of a journalist?

    All journalists have opinions and leanings but they set them aside when it comes to being a professional journalist. NPR is going to far on this issue by dismissing a respected member of their organization for sharing his personal opinions. I love NPR and I’ll continue to listen.

    For more excellent information take a look at @jeffjarvis tweets this morning.

    • http://www.cottonrohrscheib.com Cotton Rohrscheib

      I look at journalists as trusted sources for getting my news. It’s for this reason that I have specific newspapers that I read as well as network news stations that I watch or listen to. NPR is one that I have came to trust and enjoy. Granted there is occasional spin placed on a story, but who doesn’t do that?? Fortunately a vast majority of us have the common sense to know the difference between news and opinion, or spin.

      Lou Dobbs banked the entire latter part of his career on his position against illegal immigration. It appeared that CNN gave him full reign on his show to come down tough on immigration and elected officials and to fire up the base. Well, he did that, some might even say he possibly helped fire up the Tea Party folks before they even knew they were the Tea Party. Ironically, he was employing at least 2 illegal workers at his ranch for several years. There might even be more out there to this story that we don’t know about but the point I am trying to make is this, CNN gave him full reign to fire people up on his show, and for several years that worked for them. CNN never fired Dobbs, he just went to them and asked out of his contract so he could pursue other interests… In fact, it was reported that CNN really didn’t want to let Dobbs out because his show was actually picking up some traction for the network, despite the fact that his views were somewhat to the right of the entire franchise he was employed by. I think he still has a show on CNN Radio, I might be wrong… All of that to say this, it’s all about the ratings.

      I have to give Amy B. the “Angelic Revelation of the Day” trophy today for something she pointed out, we don’t know what arrangement Williams might have had w/ NPR as to what “lines in the sand” he could cross. He may have knowingly crossed these lines.

      Obviously the lines across network news are clearly blurred according to the corporate mentality that runs each network. CNN obviously has lines up regarding name calling, we learned that w/ Rick Sanchez firing. Fox obviously gives their people a lot more rope to spread their agenda and to get people fired up, and right now according the network news ratings, that seems to be the approach that is working the best. Maybe NPR should be the ones to step out and explain themselves next. I would be interested to see what they have to say in regards to journalistic expression.

      • http://www.thebeedot.com Amy B.

        I also wish NPR would make a statement. If they were smart, they would have already. A statement could stop all the speculation and keep this story from churning.

        NPR will probably still be my main news source, regardless of what happens. You actually get smarter when you listen to NPR. Whenever I watch some TV news channels, I can almost hear the funeral dirge being played for my dwindling IQ points.

        • http://www.myspace.com/johnrezas John Rezas

          Did NPRs articles and programming calling Tea Party people by that terribly offensive “teabagger” name really make you smarter? Is that good journalism. In the past few years NPR has been caught distorting the truth, failing to cover important stories (ACORN, Black Panther voter intimidation dismissed, and numerous other stories). How does that make you smarter?

          In 2003, NPR’s own official ombudsman, Jeffrey Dvorkin, admitted a liberal bias in NPR’s talk programming. He cited the interview that Terry Gross conducted with Bill O’Rielly as proof. Gross made it clear that she was an Al Franken supporter. She tossed out here journalistic integrity.

          How does any of that make anybody smarter?

          I’m not trying to be mean. I listened to NPR for twenty years before I reach this breaking point since President Obama was elected. And, now we see that there is a connection between George Sorros and NPR. He’s funding them, and they tow his line. This is just like MSNBC championing the PotUS and progressive liberalism while all the time they are owned and run by GE. Jeff Immelt is the CEO of GE and an adviser to Barack Obama.

          Journalism is dead. And, NPR and MSNBC helped kill it.

          • http://www.cottonrohrscheib.com Cotton Rohrscheib

            I don’t think you can give NPR full credit for the teabagging comment, I think Anderson Cooper beat them to the punch on that one, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/15/anderson-cooper-its-hard_n_187318.html. In all honesty, that was probably going to eventually be said at some point by someone.

            I keep going back to this, no matter where we chose to get our news these days, we have to be able to discern truth from fiction, or political spin. Each network has their own political agenda, that’s just what we as a society have allowed to happen.

            On the topic of the tea party, I am not for sure that they would have near the popularity that they do right now if it wasn’t for Fox News. Period.

          • http://www.myspace.com/johnrezas John Rezas

            I think that it was Janeane Garofalo on MSNBC that first used the “teabagger” name against the Tea Party. All that means is that MSNBC, CNN, and NPR have become shills for the current Democrat led administration. How is THAT any different from when people accused Fox news of being in Bush’s back pocket? Is it a matter of if you cannot beat them, then join them? That is painfully sad for NPR, CNN, and MSNBC.

            And, again, I was an MSNBC watcher for eight years. Their behavior on the air since November 2008 has just become unacceptable, and unwatchable. Terrible hardly describes the MSNBC prime time lineup.

            And, I think that the Tea Party is riding so high because of the abuse heaped upon them by NPR, CNN, and MSNBC. You have to know that the more you oppress a movement the stronger it will become. If they ignored the Tea Party, THEN they would never have taken hold.

            The worst is the false accusations of racism. Andrew Breitbart offered hundreds of thousands of dollars for proof of racism, and nobody ever collected on it. In fact, all the distortions come from progressive liberals that are now in a PANIC, A PANIC, because the November midterm elections are less than two weeks away and the conservatives are about to take like 100 seats in the House and maybe 30 seats in the Senate. Tea Party candidates are moving into position to take power and make Barack Obama a lame duck president.

            I blame MSNBC, CNN, and NPR for that!

          • http://www.thebeedot.com Amy B.

            You’re obviously very worked-up and confrontational on this issue, so I’m not really going to engage with you on this. Sorry.

            But I will say that I am smart enough to know that the phrase you were looking for is actually “toe the line,” not “tow the line.” Funnily enough, I learned that from an NPR piece on idiomatic etymology that I remember from years ago.

          • http://www.myspace.com/johnrezas John Rezas

            Come on! Typos? Really? That is all you have to address? You stuck it out there that NPR made you smarter. Can you tell me how it did that for you when NPR failed to cover important stories, lied, fires people that disagree or offend NPR by appearing on Fox News? Firing Juan Williams has exposed all of NPR’s blatant political bias and pandering to the Democrat administration.

  • http://www.thebeedot.com Amy B.

    None of these people work for the public, so what we think is fair doesn’t matter one bit. These guys all work for different businesses. And what is not taken into account here, and what we may not ever know, is what policies are put in place by their employers. Some news outlets have very strict rules about what their staff — not just journalists, but all staff — can say, whether they can support politicians or political organizations, etc. Likewise, some outlets may go so far as to encourage sensationalism and scandal outside of the workplace.

    When these guys get hired, they have to sign contracts just like anybody else. They have to work within the bounds of those contracts, and must face discipline if they don’t, just like anyone else. Many times employees feel like their accomplishments or stature make them exempt from the conditions of contracts they signed, and for many (like O’Reilly and Beck), that may very well be the case. Some businesses may consider ratings and revenue to be more important than the rules. But other businesses may enforce policies in a more equitable manner.

    It may not be what he said, but that he said anything at all, that got Williams in trouble. Without knowing the details of his employment contract with NPR, we’ll never know.

    And as a Methodist, I would like to confirm that yes, we are always up to something.

    • http://www.cottonrohrscheib.com Cotton Rohrscheib

      You get the Angelic Revelation Award again today!! You are absolutely right, we have no idea what sort of journalistic freedom NPR allows w/ their hosts. The limits on personal opinions and journalistic expression are certainly blurred across several of the networks, what you say while employed by one might get you fired from another one. Very good point Amy.

    • Anonymous

      Considering NPR the memo that was released earlier this month concerning the Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert rallies & NPR social media policies, we do have a bit of a hint as to the ‘journalistic freedom’ that NPR grants it’s employees. Which is to say “not much at all”.
      I’d have to assume that their policies regarding interviews for broadcast & print would have to be at least as restrictive as their social media policies, but i can’t be buggered to read it ATM.(http://www.npr.org/about/aboutnpr/ethics/)

  • http://www.myspace.com/johnrezas John Rezas

    Juan Williams may have a legal case against NPR. He was on Fox News today discussing that. Keep in mind that even MSNBC has called Juan Williams’ firing a wrong thing to have done to such a man. You know that NPR is extremely WRONG when both Fox News and MSNBC agree that Juan Williams did not deserve to be fired.

    And, just so you guys know, since I watch ALL news outlets equally, Fox News has hired on a lot of NPR analysts and news contributors that routinely appear on The Factor, Hannity, and the weekend news shows. Mara Liason is a regular Fox News contributor. She is on Fox News every week.

    Also, you will see far, far MORE points of view on Fox News then you will see on CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NPR, NBC, CBS, and PBS combined. People like Bob Beckel and Ed Randel and Alan Colms, and on, and on, and on, appear on Fox almost daily.

    The Factor has Democrat political strategists and party leaders on almost every night. Lamont Hill is on almost every Fox News show except Glenn Beck. Hill even appears on the 3AM show “Red Eye.” In fact, Beck’s show is the ONLY Fox News show that does NOT have Democrats, Liberals, and non-conservatives on the show every day (except as targets, and he’s not always wrong either).

    I hate to admit this, but Fox News truly has become “Fair and Balanced” since President Obama took office. Is Fox News conservative? I would say yes, but they are totally unafraid of bringing in liberals and moderates and letting them have their say. Fox News exposed the Black Panther voter intimidation case that was dismissed when nobody else would. Fox News (Glenn Beck) exposed ACORN and helped bring down that corrupt organization.

    Seriously, I hated Fox News for a long time. But, Juan Williams and Mara Liason got me to watch them on Fox News. It opened my eyes, because before that I simply towed the line that MSNBC and NPR and just about every other liberal news outlet was saying. I parroted them to friends in discussions when they defended Fox News. Then I started watching and saw how the lies from MSNBC, etc. became obvious. MSNBC has totally stopped any and all truly journalistic programs. They have become what Fox News used to be during the Bush administration. Now, NPR is following down that same path.

    And, the real kicker here is that Fox News is the true ratings juggernaut. MSNBC is in the crapper. NPR is fading fast. CNN is a laughing stock. CNN fires Sanchez, a good move, but hires on Elliot Spitzer? Come on!

    • http://www.cottonrohrscheib.com Cotton Rohrscheib

      I could not agree more on the Elliot Spitzer thing, who in the world thought that was a good idea? That time slot should be given to someone else immediately. I also see your point on Fox News being “Fair and Balanced” by giving their personalities free reign to express their opinions. I think that the other networks could learn a lesson from them. Will I start watching Fox News now? NO, Glenn Beck scares me.

      • http://www.myspace.com/johnrezas John Rezas

        Thankfully, Beck is one guy with one show on at 5PM when most people are at work or eating dinner. As for CNN and Spitzer, I want Campbell Brown back. Despite her poor ratings, she went up against “Papa Bear” Bill O’Rielly (I love you Stephen Colbert). She was a far more interesting and unbiased person than O’Rielly or Olbermann. I used to love watching Olbermann. Now, I see him as a mouthpiece for the PotUS. It makes me sick. He lost any integrity that he had before 2008. Olbermann sold his soul.

        I know that it seems like I am pounding on President Obama. That’s not really my issue. I like the PotUS as a man and a person. I voted for him despite my doubts. I am a swing voter. A moderate. An independent. I hate all political parties. There are no politicians that I truly respect, at least not living ones. I see President Obama as only slightly better than Bush or McCain or Clinton.

        “Listen, I’m a politician, which means I’m a cheat and a liar. And, when I’m not kissing babies, I’m stealing their lollipops.” Jeffrey Pelt (Richard Jordan) from The Hunt for Red October (1990)

        That has become my central political belief and ideology.

        I don’t like being lied to. I don’t like the news services getting into bed with politicians and screwing the American people up the back side. I hated it when Fox News was doing it. I hate it when NPR does it. Juan Williams was not fired simply because he appeared on Fox News. He was fired because liberals don’t like it when people say that Islam produces terrorists and extremists bent on killing “The Great Satan” (as we are seen by Iranian leadership, Al-Qieda, Palestinian terrorist groups, the Taliban, etc.) and tearing down the USA.

        How could anybody NOT be nervous on a plane, even without a clearly identifiable Muslim nearby. I hate flying because ANYBODY might hijack a plane these days. Not just because of some ordinary Muslim passengers, but because planes have been hijacked for at least forty years now. Was DB Cooper a terrorist?

        Firing Juan Williams has opened up a can of worms that will haunt NPR for years, and it will add power and energy to the Tea Part as well as the conservatives in general. Right now, as we speak, conservatives are courting Juan Williams and making big offers. How do you think it makes him feel that the liberals that he supported and often championed have dumped him in the gutter while the conservatives that he supposedly opposed are openly embracing him and telling him to keep doing what he always has done?