Posted on 04/07/2012 11:33:59 AM PDT by Qbert
The New York Times, which hasn’t been reporting on NBC News editing George Zimmerman’s 911 call to make him sound like a racist, is finally doing so. Brian Stelter writes:
NBC News has fired a producer who was involved in the production of a misleading segment about the Trayvon Martin case in Florida.
The person was fired on Thursday, according to two people with direct knowledge of the disciplinary action who declined to be identified discussing internal company matters. They also declined to name the fired producer. A spokeswoman for NBC News declined to comment.
The action came in the wake of an internal investigation by NBC News into the production of the segment, which strung together audio clips in such a way that made George Zimmerman’s shooting of Mr. Martin sound racially motivated…
On April 4, the network news division said in a statement that it deeply regretted the “error made in the production process.”
“We will be taking the necessary steps to prevent this from happening in the future and apologize to our viewers,” the network said.
It did not specify what steps it would take. But one day later it dismissed a Miami-based producer who had worked at NBC for several years.
The people with direct knowledge of the firing characterized the misleading edit as a mistake, not a purposeful act.
So. For weeks, NBC News has eagerly joined in and put George Zimmerman and everyone around him on trial — even people who have nothing to do with him, like the McClain family — but now NBC is protecting the identity of whoever faked evidence against Zimmerman.
Note that this isn’t NBC officially announcing the firing. All they’ve said is that it was an “error” and it supposedly won’t happen again. They haven’t said who did it or why, or how the company is responding. Now the NYT is reporting that whoever did it has been fired, but oddly enough, this person still doesn’t have a name. And we find out about it from similarly anonymous sources, contacted by a newspaper that hasn’t even been reporting on it up until now.
I wonder how tough it is to find out the names of all the NBC News producers who were fired on April 5, 2012? Pretty tough, probably. Good job keeping a lid on this, NBC.
And these anonymous sources are actually sticking with the whoopsie defense. It was an accident. “D’oh! I seem to have edited out the three seconds of your conversation that make it clear you’re responding to a police dispatcher’s question, rather than volunteering a racist motive. Silly me!” Well, if it was an accident, why was this unnamed person fired? If it was an accident, what’s the thinking behind this clumsy attempt at a cover-up that makes people skeptical that it was an accident?
MSNBC went to battle stations when James O’Keefe committed a misdemeanor. They called it “Watergate Jr.” But when one of their own manufactures evidence in a racially charged shooting that’s become a nationwide scandal? Crickets. Guess they don’t want to step on Al Sharpton’s toes.
Nothing to see here, America. Let it be known that NBC News won’t smear you and then close ranks to cover up their wrongdoing. Unless it’ll help their ratings.
At least ABC News is breathing a sigh of relief. Their stupid irresponsibility in this case is long forgotten. Whew.
For the cause! (raised fist)
And we are supposed to believe them when they don’t even Identify the person. It is not past the MSM to make something up now is it.
"And we are supposed to believe them when they don’t even Identify the person. It is not past the MSM to make something up now is it."
Yep. I think it's becoming apparent that not only did NBC purposely edit the tape, but there is no "fired producer"...
I tend to agree.
Exactly. As long as he/she is anonymous they don’t actually have to fire it.
Williams has really been the face of the leftist media ever since I first saw him on syndicated NBC newscasting in the early 2000s. Another pseudo-Catholic, too.
Zimmerman could sue for damages, but that is a ways away.
not “a million”
millions!!!
I suspect the “fired” producer will be re-assigned/re-cycled. The Zimmerman smear was a ‘vast’ NBC conspiracy, not a “mistake” of one individual.
How can anyone believe anyone was fired when NBC is making the claim. NBC has NO credibility. ZERO credibility. To be believed, they must give a name. The person should be interviewed by others in the press and forced to confess and apologize for his/her/its outrage.
Perhaps this is nothing but theater, yet another lie, and they didn’t really fire anyone.
“OK,and this (Brian Williams) guy – is he black,white or Hispanic?”
Frankly, I seriously doubt anyone was fired.
I think this is nothing but a BS smokescreen.
To cover up network-wide dishonesty.
But that’s just my opinion. Call me cynical.
Indeed - his family should retain the attorney that represented Richard Jewell, who was smeared by the networks after the Atlanta Olympic bombing.
And as discovery progresses in the case, NBC will have to reveal the name of the producer, who should then be joined as a co-defendant in the suit.
And I’d add Comcast and GE as parent companies of NBC for good measure.
Or they "fired" somebody who was going to retire anyway, and agreed to fall on the sword in exchange for a sweet retirement package.
Yes, but what would become of (C)Rock Center? (snicker)
Trust but verify.
This paragon of ethics and honesty has given us no reason to trust anything they say.
If they can manipulate a quote into a lie, they can certainly falsely claim to have done something.
The producers, writers and editors, in both NBC and NYT need to be brought up on criminal charges. The talking heads on NBC and any other “news” outfit, TV and/or radio, that repeated that propaganda need to be brought up on conspiracy in furtherance of whatever criminal charges are brought against the primary perps.
Freedom of speech was never meant to cover straight up lies. And, this is a case of shouting fire in a theater.
Being employed by a “journalist” outfit should not ever resolve anyone from issues of basic integrity and honesty. If we keep letting them get away with this, we’re going to loose the entire concept of free press in the eventual lash-back.
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