Ignoring Washington’s Role in Yemen Carnage, 60 Minutes Paints US as Savior
60 Minutes did not once mention the direct role the United States played in creating, perpetuating and prolonging a crisis that’s left over 10,000 civilians dead.
What Got Left Out—and Right-Spun—at VP Debate
The vice presidential debate provided a stark picture of just how distorted corporate media’s priorities are compared to issues of actual consequence in people’s lives. Issues such as abortion, poverty, LGBTQ rights and climate change were never asked about.
The Trump Campaign: Bad for America, but Good for CBS
A broadcaster cheers on the electoral “circus” (“bring it on, Donald, go ahead, keep going”) that he acknowledges “may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS,”
Holding a ‘Go Donald!’ Media Accountable for ‘Normalizing Extremism’
Reporters can’t ignore public figures, but is there daylight between covering news of a person and providing them a near-constant, legitimizing megaphone?
60 Minutes Stands With Secret Keepers Against Those Who Expose Them
Elite journalists all too often have a tendency to identify not with those who expose official secrets but with those who persecute those who expose them
Turning Fake ISIS Plots Into Real ISIS Scares
The AP published a thrilling account of how the FBI, in concert with Moldovan authorities, “disrupted” a smuggling ring that was supposedly trying to sell “nuclear material” to ISIS and other terror organizations over a five-year span. The tale made news across the English-speaking world. There was only one problem: At no point did the multiple iterations of the AP’s reporting indicate that anyone belonging to or connected to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (aka ISIL or Daesh) had any contact with the smugglers.
Inspecting Media’s Claim That Iran Should Trust Inspectors
CBS’s discussion would have been more satisfying if someone had acknowledged the reality that it would be foolish for Iran to accept unlimited inspections at any location on its territory, because the United States has in the past used inspections as a cover for espionage that facilitated military attacks.
It’s Simple, Face the Nation: Iran Doesn’t Trust US Inspectors—and Shouldn’t
Face the Nation’s discussion of the Iran deal would have been more satisfying if anyone had acknowledged the reality that it would be foolish for Iran to accept unlimited inspections anywhere on its territory.
Soundbites July/August 2015
‘American Life,’ From GOP to CIA Bob Schieffer kicked off his final show as host of CBS’s Face the Nation (5/31/15) with a clip of what he said on his first show 24 years ago: “Our aim is going to be very simple here, to find interesting people from all segments of American life who […]
Zero for 40 at Predicting Attacks: Why Do Media Still Take FBI Terror Warnings Seriously?
A casual search reveals the FBI and DHS are a pitiful 0 for 40 warning of terror attacks—some of which were specifically about 4th of July threats, none of which materialized in any way.
At CBS, CIA + GOP = ‘All Segments of American Life’
The idea that the establishment’s favorite right-wing presidential candidate and the head of the CIA qualify as “interesting people from all segments of American life” can only make sense in the insular world of Beltway journalism.
‘Venezuelan Bomb Plot’ a Figment of FBI’s—and US Media’s—Imagination
Accurate headlines would not leave casual readers with the impression that Venezuela was interested in getting a nuclear bomb, or in trying to nuke New York.
How Did TV News Talk About Torture in Coverage of the Torture Report?
A new FAIR study (Media Advisory, 1/7/15) finds that torture supporters outnumbered critics of torture nearly 2-to-1 in TV news coverage of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on CIA torture. While those who authorized and carried out torture were well-represented, like George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and several CIA officials, victims of torture […]
Torture Enablers Spin Unreleased Senate Report
The Senate’s report on CIA torture will be released in a matter of days, so why the need to give defenders of torture a platform to excuse themselves in advance?
Wrong-on-Iraq Pundit Gives Lessons in Media Accountability
There are reporters at outlets like the Washington Post who raised real questions about Rolling Stone’s story about rape at the University of Virginia. And then are also those like National Review editor Rich Lowry,
CBS Finds Ferguson ‘Pipe Bombs’
Sensationalized stories feed the perception that protesters are prone to use violence, and that harsh crackdowns are necessary in order to keep the peace. This is true even when, as is the case in Ferguson, protests are overwhelmingly nonviolent.
Will Bob Schieffer Move Toward the Center?
Bob Schieffer is right that “a lot of people” think the Democrats should move to the “center”–especially journalists and pundits, who have been saying this for at least 30 years. There’s no reason to think it’s especially good advice, but that doesn’t seem to matter.
CBS Covers Liberia’s Ebola Crisis—Without Liberian Voices
CBS presented a very moving and dramatic account of the fight against ebola in Liberia. But no Liberians spoke in the piece.
Never Too Late to Tell Old Iraq Lies
Perhaps it is fitting that George W. Bush would say, “When you say something as president, you better mean it”–and then say something so demonstrably false.
When ‘Washington Is Broken’ Isn’t the Story
The United States does not have a surgeon general because Washington works–for the gun lobby.
