NBC has completed its investigation into the mishandling of the police dispatcher’s conversation with George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin case. And the process ends with a finding of error, plus an apology. Here is the statement just issued by the network:
During our investigation it became evident that there was an error made in the production process that we deeply regret. We will be taking the necessary steps to prevent this from happening in the future and apologize to our viewers.
So you understand what the "error made in the production process" really was, let's go back to the two versions of the conversation. Here is what actually was on the 911 call:
Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. Or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.
Dispatcher: OK, and this guy — is he black, white or Hispanic?
Zimmerman: He looks black.
And here is how NBC News reported it:
Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.
While I'm loath to assign motivation to the editing, since I can't get into the editor's head, it's pretty egregious. The way the conversation is rendered in the version NBC aired, it gives the impression that Zimmerman made a racist observation about Martin apropos of nothing, when that was not the case.
Ann Althouse is a little less reticent about it:
That is the most outrageous, truly evil editing I've ever seen.
And when you have Mother Jones calling you out, you've really stepped in it. Cue Kevin Drum:
This is now fated to be Exhibit A in conservative charges of mainstream media bias for about the next century or so. And who can blame them? What a cockup.While I don't think this is Exhibit A (the Dan Rather/Mary Mapes scandal will always take the top spot), NBC deserves whatever blowback it gets.
And one other thing -- you may have noticed that while NBC has apologized to its viewers, it hasn't apologized to George Zimmerman.
5 comments:
Just a few weeks ago, editorial heads (or associate editorial heads) rolled at ESPN when an insensitive term was used to describe overnight sensation Jeremy Lin.
Now there's another sensational case and a clear example of malfeasance - if not outright libel and provacation - on the part of the so-called gatekeepers. What will the penalties be? Those who committed and permitted this abuse should be dismissed in a high-profile manner. At the very least, Spike Lee should tweet their names and addresses.
Honestly, I never even heard the NBC edited version. Probably because I get most of my news from uber-liberal NPR :)
Mother Jones certainly has a particular point of view, but they also do some of the best investigative reporting out there.
How do you see them reporting on the elections? Unbiased, I am sure.
Brian: with Mother Jones, the reader already knows he's getting a slant.
first rate investigative reporting is plus at that point.
NBC, on the other hand, presents itself as unbiased, reliable news.
there is your difference.
Brian, in my limited experience with MJ, what you are saying rings true. I've seen a lot of work from Kevin Drum over the years in different contexts, so I found his reaction very instructive.
Gino, precisely the distinction.
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