Why Hasn’t Brian Ross of ABC News Been Fired?

Townhall.com ^ | July 23, 2012 | Daniel J. Mitchell

[Kaslin]

I try not to spend too much time complaining about media bias, mostly because it doesn’t do any good.

But I have had a couple of posts about the topic, usually when there’s a hopelessly outrageous example on an issue I care about.

• That’s why I complained about an ABC report about Mitt Romney and tax havens.
• It’s why I groused about a Reuters report that presumed Obama’s spending plans created jobs.
• And it’s why I nailed the Washington Post for using “slash” to describe a tiny reduction in the growth of spending.

I’ve also had a few posts where I hit the media for mistakes that probably don’t represent overt bias, but instead reflect no knowledge of economics and/or a cloistered worldview.

• This New York Times report about government freebies being costless.
• This distorted story, also from the New York Times, about tax reform and loopholes.
• A report from the EU Observer about which Greek political parties are against bailouts.
• And this story from the Associated Press about Social Security’s finances.

Now we can add another example to the list. But it definitely belongs in the first group, because this is clear, blatant, and deliberate bias. I’m talking, of course, about ABC News and its reprehensible decision to smear a member of the Tea Party simply because he had the same name as the Colorado killer.

The obvious question to ask is why the reporter who did the smear, Brian Ross, hasn’t been fired. But not just Brian Ross. The axe should fall on anyone involved in the ideologically biased and legally reckless decision to speculate that a 52-year old Hispanic Tea Party member was responsible for the Colorado shooting

Here’s a good cartoon from the Hope-n-Change website, which has an amusing collection of anti-Obama cartoons. This does capture the mentality of the establishment media.

P.S. Here’s another cartoon about media bias that is definitely worth sharing.

P.P.S. I get irked whenever anybody refers to the big networks and newspapers as the “mainstream press.” That’s a horribly misguided term, considering how far left they are. The Tea Party is much closer to the mainstream than those clowns. That’s why they should be called the “establishment press.”

 

[Vigilanteman]

You're probably and sadly right about what they teach journalists these days. In my era, a rant unsupported by facts or sources would most likely earn you a failing grade on an assignment, whether it came from the right or from the left.

You look at the broadcasts of even Dan Rather from that era and he had to at least pretend to be fair. Within 20 years, he was able to drop all pretense.

As for “thrusting themselves into a vortex of a public controversy”, the phrase made us chuckle back when I took the course in 1980. That's why I clearly remember it to this day. I can't remember the name of the case, but those were the exact words which the judge used in dismissing the case brought by a private dentist who had his letter to the editor published.

[Darksheare]

*shrugs*
Depends on the judge, and proving that there was material harm done by the false comment, or proving malicious intent may be a sticky point.

[Norseman]

From the article: “P.P.S. I get irked whenever anybody refers to the big networks and newspapers as the “mainstream press.” That’s a horribly misguided term, considering how far left they are. The Tea Party is much closer to the mainstream than those clowns. That’s why they should be called the ‘establishment press.’”

He makes a good point, though I don’t think “establishment press” is the right alternative. It would be helpful to have a term that clearly identifies the source as left-wing, and that often distorts facts to serve an unstated agenda.

Certainly, ABC and MSNBC should no longer be considered “mainstream” and “establishment” is too kind. Maybe just start referring to them as the “Ross Media” and the point will be made, plus Ross’s contribution to the effort will never be forgotten.

E.g., “ABC and other similar Ross Media outlets continue to pursue the Bain Capital story while ignoring the deteriorating employment situation.”

“MSNBC, considered a typical Ross Media news source, continues to hire commentators with questionable backgrounds such as....”

“You get your news from Jon Stewart? Even though he’s an acknowledged member of the Ross Media? Interesting.”

Or, from our perspective, “Here’s another misleading story making the rounds of the Ross Media today.”

I can see where an annual “Ross Award” could be a much-awaited announcement, along the lines of WI Senator Proxmire’s old Golden Fleece Award for the dumbest DC spending program of the year. Though perhaps it would be better to give one monthly, or weekly? Certainly there’s no lack of worthy recipients.

[Kaslin]

I use Lame Stream Media (LSM), State Run Media SRM, or Drive By Media (DBM

[Humbug]

P.P.S. I get irked whenever anybody refers to the big networks and newspapers as the “mainstream press.” That’s a horribly misguided term, considering how far left they are.

I've taken it to mean not that they supposedly represent the middle, but that what they report floods into the mainstream of society. In other words, you have to go out of your way to avoid the mainstream press, whereas the opposite is true for non-mainstream media.

Personally I am partial to the term "left-controlled media" or even "democrat-controlled media". No room for misinterpretation there.

[ozzymandus]

I sent ABC an e-mail complaint about Brian Ross. They replied that I should complain to my local ABC affiliate. My local ABC affiliate did not hire Brian Ross.