Wednesday, March 09, 2011

The NPR 'scandal'

Makes sense that NPR should bow its head in shame over this. Everybody knows that there has NEVER been even the slightest hint of racism at Tea Party events, right?

Why is it no problem to have Fox Noise repeatedly lying and distorting, year after year, but an NPR executive speaks the truth and heads roll?

Murdoch-world triumphs again. This is very dangerous.

7 comments:

Liz Schwartz said...

It's not that there aren't racists in the Tea Party, it's Ron Schiller's characterizing the entire Tea Party as racist that got him and NPR in trouble. More broadly, NPR prides itself on objective reporting (there is of course no such thing), and Schiller's remarks challenge NPR's image of itself. IMO, that's what really got him and Vivian Schiller fired.

On an entirely different subject, whatcha think about my latest post, as a techie?

Barry in Portland said...

Schiller was speaking EXPLICITLY off the record and he's a fund-raiser, with no connection to NPR Editorial policies, who was trying to be agreeable to potential donors.

What really bugs me is the media coverage of this. James O'Keefe's videos have been REPEATEDLY exposed as fraudulent and misleading, yet this is immediately taken at face-value.

bikelovejones said...

The biggest lesson here is this: don't speak with ANYONE without first vetting them AND the organizations they claim to represent. Assume that, in spite of claims to the contrary, all conversations of this nature are now being recorded, either overtly or covertly; and act accordingly.

Rant all you want about how the world is going to hell in Rupert's handbasket. Ranting won't change the reality; and frankly I'm surprised that this guy from NPR didn't do his homework more thoroughly.

In today's instant information universe, there is no longer any such thing as "off the record".

Unknown said...

Did you catch this morning's report on this story? Whatcha think?

Barry in Portland said...

After listenting to news any day, I'm depressed. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese are scrambling to live until tomorrow, and our pantry is low on coffee. The contrast is too much.

Plus, thinking about Pi day, I am uneasy about BOTH repeating decimals and, especially, non-repeating decimals. WTF is up with that?

Also, did I mention that Mitch McConnell makes me livid?

Your turn.

Barry in Portland said...

See also:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/14/956201/-No-shocker:-OKeefes-NPR-video-is-a-lie?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29

Unknown said...

What I have trouble dealing with is the juxtaposition of the news coming out of Japan and the total inanity of pretty much everything else on TV. Example: last night, after catching the last few minutes of a special report on Japan, the new hour brings us "America's Next Great Restaurant," or something like that. Seriously? I mean, my gears just don't shift that fast, even if I cared about a program with a name as idiotic as "America's Next Great Restaurant."

I've been more distracted than usual and have trouble concentrating on work. I keep thinking about what's happening over there and my chest clenches.

Oh, and Mike Huckabee is a moron.

But what's REALLY bugging me is you haven't said anything about MY latest blog post. Because, when all is said and done, it's all about ME.