Posted on 04/08/2006 10:02:16 PM PDT by LdSentinal
Here's what now passes for "news gathering" at the NBC television network in the brave, and still relatively new, world of 24/7 electronic news broadcasting: Last weekend, a crew working for the NBC News magazine program "Dateline" showed up in Martinsville, Va. for the NASCAR stock car races. With the crew were some "Muslim-looking men" - whatever that means - as part of a "Dateline" effort to show how people in this country would react to "Muslims" in their midst.
In a recent statement, NBC News said it was pursuing the issue because it was "intrigued by the results of a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll and other articles regarding increasing anti-Muslim sentiments in the United States."
So, what happened at Martinsville Speedway?
Nothing. To the everlasting credit of the NASCAR Nation, not a curse word was uttered, not a punch was thrown, not a thing happened.
If you're a born-and-bred Southerner like me, you know in your deep-fried bones that's not the result the "Dateline" crew was hoping it would get.
No, you can bet the "Dateline" crew was expecting one thing, and one thing only: They were convinced they'd come away from Martinsville Speedway with video of their "Muslim" marks being beaten by a bunch of tire-iron-wielding, gap-toothed, trailer-dwelling, drunken mouth-breathers in wife-beater T-shirts.
Despite all its high-minded posturing that it simply was intrigued by a poll, NBC News was doing nothing more in Martinsville than looking for a video clip that would confirm its own prejudices. The "Dateline" crew was looking not to report the news, but to create some news.
Elsewhere in its statement on the "Dateline" story, NBC said, "It's very early in our newsgathering process, but be assured we will be visiting a number of locations across the country and are confident that our reporting team is pursuing this story in a fair manner."
Fair enough, as far as "pursuing this story" goes.
But, of course, the proof of NBC's "fair manner" won't be made manifest in its pursuit of the story.
The proof of the network's stated commitment to fairness will be in its editing and presentation of the "Dateline" piece, if it ever makes it to the airwaves.
It will be interesting to see if the "Dateline" segment producers are willing to air footage of their "Muslims" in Martinsville. It's not likely to be particularly exciting. According to Ramsey Poston, managing director of corporate communications for NASCAR, as quoted in the online version of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, the crew and the men "walked around, and no one bothered them."
It also will be interesting to see where else the "Dateline" crew decides to take its "Muslim" men. Will they, for instance, be willing to take the men to a polo match, a Mercedes-Benz dealership or any other supposedly "upscale" location, and air, unedited, the footage they gather?
Will they be willing to take the men, unannounced, into their own neighborhoods, and air that footage unedited?
It's too bad the "Dateline" crew didn't take a little time to poke around in the NBC newsroom before embarking on this story. It wouldn't have taken them long to realize the wrongheadedness of their apparently ill-hidden preconceptions regarding NASCAR fans.
As it happens, Brian Williams, anchor of the network's nightly newscast - and hardly a part of the demographic the "Dateline" crew clearly expected to find in Martinsville - is a deep-dyed NASCAR fan.
Here's Williams responding to a question during an interview by NBC's Lester Holt about his affinity for NASCAR: "I will watch anything go around in a circle. ... I love the car racing. ... I just have always loved it. I love the smell of it, the sound of it."
So do a lot of people.
And here's a news flash: That doesn't automatically make them simple-minded bigots.
"You Provide the Prose, I'll Provide the War" - Charles Foster Kane
And of course, "You provide the pictures and I'll provide the war." --William Randolph Hearst
I hope they parade them through a few fag bars!
That Kane guy and that Hearst fella sure had a lot in common! :-)
Did somebody call me????
I wonder if they thought to have their Muslims stroll through NBC News headquarters.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
"I wonder if they thought to have their Muslims stroll through NBC News headquarters."
Wow, Simple and clean, you're good.
Nothing. To the everlasting credit of the NASCAR Nation, not a curse word was uttered, not a punch was thrown, not a thing happened.
Someone did not do their homework.
Next time, show up wearing tee-shirts that say......
"We love Kurt Bush!"........
or.............
"We hate Dale Jr!"
LOL
NBC TRIED....PEOPLE DIDN'T DIE!!!
What NBC did was not report the news. They set out to create something they could call "news" then use to "sell soap".
You forgot the missing teeth part.
I heard that twice at work.
They both know, now, that I have all my teeth.
Nothing
But
Commies
They hate America, pure and simple. It was "rednecks" who built America and keep Her free and they just can't stand it.
Thanks Ld, for mining the gold from a small town newspaper.
I know a few, perhaps we should attempt to stroll into NBC with our film crew and see if they are allowed entrance or will NBC's security guards racially profile them and stop them?
Knowing the bigots at NBC, I bet they get no further than the lobby.
As with most liberals, they assign behaviors to conservatives that they themselves harbor. I believe it highly likely that "muslim-looking" men would meet stiff opposition at NBC studios.
Your link doesn't work.
We're not supposed to believe the "Muslim Terrorist" stereotype...but we are supposed to believe the "Bigoted American" stereotype.
NBC should dress a bunch of guys in Confederate tee shirts and follow them to Yale/Hollywood/San Francisco and record the open minded, tolerant reactions of the lefties living there.
NBC = race-baiting.
A 500 pound woman ( or I guess a man could do it ) in a burka walking around at liberal gatherings ( peace protests, NBC company picnic ) with a video camera inside the burka recording the reactions.
Burka-cam.
We need someone with the balls, equipment, and time to do exactly that, a la Michael Moore. It would not be difficult. That could just be the start. How about send a bunch of minority homeless types into George Soros' or Barbara Striesand's neighborhood. Really, the possibilities are endless.
I don't care who you are, that there's funny.
What's really stupid about this, of course, is that NBC has a CONTRACT with NASCAR to televise races. Those races bring in a hefty amount of advertising revenue for NBC. So, in their effort to belittle their OWN VIEWING AUDIENCE as racists, the liberal race-baiters at NBC try to invent a story that doesn't exist.
Thank you, NASCAR fans, from someone who cares little for the sport, for not taking the bait.
Thanks. Who runs these newspapers? Geographically challenged idiots? I assumed it was Athens, GA but I had to finally go to the "contact us" icon to find out what state it was in. Great website, but they should tell you where they are for pete's sake.
yup to #28 , however ,... I wuz hopin' NBC would deploy their FAKE MUZZIES...
... to P Diddy's big ol' Hamptons party [!!?!!]
... or just stoll around some of those Hamptons lanes when Bubba is visiting [HEHEHE]
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Being Souther bred, born and raised, I could have told them that Southern folk (real Southern folk) are tolerant. You leave them alone and they will leave you alone.
"a bunch of tire-iron-wielding, gap-toothed, trailer-dwelling, drunken mouth-breathers in wife-beater T-shirts."
...not that theres anything wrong with that! (Leave my family out of this!!)(I guess it could be my 30th high school reunion....and most went to college..HAHAHAH)
WTF? I don't wear wife beater t-shirts!
Maybe it has something to do with NBC losing the TV contract for NASCAR?!
Is that so?? Hmmm. The plot gets thicker.
Hey, NASCAR. I hope the words "Food Lion" ring a bell with you.
Even better.
Have a woman dressed in a very conservative manner wearing a somewhat large crucifix come into NBC's headquarters to apply for a job -- with a hidden camera to record what happens.
>>NBC is a POS outfit and should be flushed at the earliest oppertunity.<<
I think people need to recognize the company that's BEHIND the management of NBC, namely General Electric, who owns NBC. GE's management tolerates this kind of irresponsible behavior, failing to provide meaningful punishment of those who engage in it.
What cynical commercial or political purpose does GE's tolerance of such misbehavior serve? Answer that, and you will understand why it continues unabated.
They forgot to add Confederate Flag waving.
They lost their contract with NASCAR? When? If so, is Fox gonna do the whole season?
Heck, if NBC hasn't lost the contract, they ought to for a stunt like this!
The "Muslims" will, in all likelihood, be fine---but that damn news crew had better watch out. Of course, it might really improve their perspective if they were to have a tire-iron wrapped around their heads!
You really have to wonder what goes through these wingnuts minds when they dream up stunts like this. It's like a scientist with a faulty hypothesis who tries the same experiment again and again, always hoping for the right outcome, despite demonstrable failure in every previous attempt. If NBC wants to see bigotry and hatred, they should look no further than the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
>>
We need someone with the balls, equipment, and time to do exactly that, a la Michael Moore. It would not be difficult. That could just be the start. How about send a bunch of minority homeless types into George Soros' or Barbara Striesand's neighborhood. Really, the possibilities are endless.
<<
I'll volunteer. I'd love to see Hillary's face, surrounded by really "bulky" muslims.
That idiot Wilbon on PTI was acting like their was a story not NBC trying to create one. He should stick to sports. Of course his handlers in the NAACP would love for him to go on an anti-Bush rant on t.v.
I hope you are serious and not just making noise.
LOL! That would be fun!
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