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After 10 Years of Investigating the Penn State Scandal, Here Is What the Case Taught Me About the Modern Media
Mediaite ^ | November 8, 2021 | John Ziegler

Posted on 11/13/2021 2:43:48 PM PST by TBP

For most of the past decade, I have been, almost entirely on my own, deeply investigating the entire case, to the point where it is not an exaggeration to say I know more about it than anyone, including Sandusky himself. What I have found has been the most shocking, depressing, and excruciating experience of my already eventful career, because I eventually became, very much against my own self-interest, completely convinced that, believe it or not, the media got this story catastrophically wrong and that those convicted at Penn State, including Sandusky himself, should not have been.

This column is not about trying to convince anyone of this conclusion. I have co-hosted a podcast called, “With the Benefit of Hindsight,” which features at least 25 hours of often mind-blowing, raw and exclusive interviews with many of the primary figures in the case, including two of the administrators who went to jail (the podcast was inspired in part by author Malcom Gladwell writing a chapter in his best-selling book, “Talking to Strangers,” which largely focused on my work).

My purpose here is to document some of the important things I have learned about the news media throughout this ordeal. Here are those lessons, many of which have served me well in evaluating both the Trump and Covid media eras, and may be more significant and relevant than even the massive injustice which I am positive occurred in this Greek tragedy.

(Excerpt) Read more at mediaite.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: media; pennstate
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I'm actually somewhat surprised that Mediaite published this. It's a pretty telling indictment of how the drive-by media operates.
1 posted on 11/13/2021 2:43:48 PM PST by TBP
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To: TBP

The MSM is evil. No other word describes them better.


2 posted on 11/13/2021 2:51:15 PM PST by alternatives? (The only reason to have an army is to defend your borders,)
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To: TBP

Pedaphilie U.


3 posted on 11/13/2021 2:59:54 PM PST by ealgeone
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To: TBP

He doesn’t really get into details about why these guys were wrongly accused. I guess you have to buy the book...? Yes, the media are screwed up. That’s why I only read a few things about this case and forgot about it. I remember saying positive things about Paterno on a writing forum in like 2008 or 2009. When I read about the kid-diddling later I felt like a chump.

As a catholic kid growing up in the 50s/60s I heard a lot about J Paterno. He was like a saint or something to various people we associated with going to church and catholic school.

And because of this I don’t have a lot of trouble believing that there were chickenhawks involved.

But I don’t know for sure. The article instills a lot of doubt but provides no alibis.


4 posted on 11/13/2021 3:01:24 PM PST by Scarlett156 (11/11/2021 Thank you, veterans! )
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To: Scarlett156

> He doesn’t really get into details about why these guys were wrongly accused. <

Maybe the author is trying to right a serious wrong. Or maybe he’s just trying to rehabilitate the tarnished reputation of Joe Paterno.

Take yer pick. But as for me, I’m voting for the latter.


5 posted on 11/13/2021 3:06:46 PM PST by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: Scarlett156

He’s written many articles about why they were wrongly accused, and he’s got a podcast that discusses it. That’s not really the point of this particular article.


6 posted on 11/13/2021 3:08:09 PM PST by TBP (Decent people cannot fathom the amoral cruelty of the Biden regime.)
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To: ealgeone

Take a look at Ziegler’s evidence.

I have family members who went there.


7 posted on 11/13/2021 3:08:49 PM PST by TBP (Decent people cannot fathom the amoral cruelty of the Biden regime.)
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To: alternatives?

First off, the author ckearly states that this is an opinion piece. Secondly, mediaite has been trashed on thus site many times for publishing severely slanted pieces. Although it sounds good, I take it with an appropriate grain of salt.


8 posted on 11/13/2021 3:09:46 PM PST by No Party Affiliation
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To: Leaning Right

His presentation seems a little melodramatic. If I had some big piece of evidence that exonerated the bad actors, I would say something like, “I have this evidence that shows these men were wrongly accused - here it is - and if you want to know the story of how I found all this out, buy my book.”


9 posted on 11/13/2021 3:10:18 PM PST by Scarlett156 (11/11/2021 Thank you, veterans! )
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To: TBP

Not saying he’s wrong.


10 posted on 11/13/2021 3:12:24 PM PST by Scarlett156 (11/11/2021 Thank you, veterans! )
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To: TBP

Corbett was the Attorney General who started the case and then as Governor he was on the Board of Directors of Penn State where he became judge and jury.

Paterno got a raw deal due to Corbett, the former in house legal counsel for Waste Management Inc.


11 posted on 11/13/2021 3:16:30 PM PST by tired&retired (Blessings )
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To: Scarlett156

Is he claiming all the victims are lying?

If so, he should lay that card on the table.

That takes one sentence.


12 posted on 11/13/2021 3:18:41 PM PST by cgbg (A kleptocracy--if they can keep it. Think of it as the Cantillon Effect in action.)
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To: TBP

I taught at Penn State for years.

There are few people that I put on a pedestal relating to integrity. But Joe Paterno was one of them.

He may have been guilty of Old Age and mental capacities slipping, but there is no way he would cover up anything. He was as honest and ethical as they come.


13 posted on 11/13/2021 3:20:49 PM PST by tired&retired (Blessings )
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To: TBP

I agree with his summation of how the media operate today, but if he feels the case was misrepresented I wish he had been more specific as to why.


14 posted on 11/13/2021 3:24:39 PM PST by Sans-Culotte (11/3-11/4/2020 - The USA became a banana republic.)
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To: TBP

They flat out lie; they have their narrative and they go with it. Any reporter who files the truth is fired.


15 posted on 11/13/2021 3:33:50 PM PST by SkyDancer (Let's Go Brandon!)
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To: tired&retired

Paterno knew, **** him.

If I knew a guy was raping kids in the shower, I’d take a pipe to his head.


16 posted on 11/13/2021 3:34:32 PM PST by EEGator
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To: cgbg

That’s what I mean. He’s really pimping the drama and it seems a bit dishonest.


17 posted on 11/13/2021 3:37:21 PM PST by Scarlett156 (11/11/2021 Thank you, veterans! )
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To: Scarlett156
Or you buy and read this book if you really cared.
ML/NJ
18 posted on 11/13/2021 3:47:02 PM PST by ml/nj ("If the Representatives of the People betray their Constituents ..." Federalist #28; READ IT!)
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To: TBP

John Ziegler is a grade A, Never Trumper, but I must say he knows this saga like no one else. The average payout per “Sandusky kid” was $3.2 million dollars, with zero investigation as to the veracity of the claim (outside of living/working in the county). IMO, a rudimentary investigation to the claims would have eliminated 80% of the kids. As to the remaining 20%, who knows. John is right. It was a media feeding frenzy and the rush to settle was the overriding factor.


19 posted on 11/13/2021 3:48:39 PM PST by JonPreston (Q: Never have so many, been so wrong, so often)
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To: ealgeone

They don’t call it Happy Valley for nothing.


20 posted on 11/13/2021 3:48:46 PM PST by Ouderkirk (The democRATS are not looking to govern, they intend to RULE.)
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