Abc Suspends Reporter For Remarks

The Guardian ^ | 10/25/2001

[Merovingian]

NEW YORK (AP) - ABC News has suspended news correspondent Carole Simpson for two weeks with pay after she spread false information about an anthrax investigation while speaking at a luncheon.

Appearing before the International Women's Media Foundation in New York on Oct. 16, Simpson said colleague Cokie Roberts had received a suspicious letter from Trenton, N.J., USA Today reported Thursday.

Trenton is the suspected origin of suspicious letters sent to media organizations and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. In fact, although ABC was investigating a suspicious letter in its Washington bureau, it did not originate from Trenton. The letter proved to be harmless.

ABC executives were also upset that Simpson, speaking before a roomful of reporters, revealed details about the infant who contracted anthrax after a visit to ABC, including that the baby's mother worked for her.

Simpson, in a statement issued Thursday, said she regretted the mistake.

``My goal as a journalist is to always try to get it right,'' she said. ``When any of us in this profession makes a mistake, it's important to say so.''

An ABC News spokesman declined to comment, saying ABC doesn't discuss personnel issues.

Simpson is the anchor of ``World News Tonight'' on Sundays and files reports for various ABC News broadcasts.

[Merovingian]

This is the brilliant one who had the audacity to ask Clinton "How does it feel to be talking with one like myself who has achieved in spite of my background..."Paraphrasing

This is one big mouthed unprofessional glory seeker..

[DrDavid]

This is one big mouthed unprofessional glory seeker..

Who else does ABC employ for news readers?

Which leads to other questions, "How did John Stossel get into ABC? and has the person who hired him be fired?"

[boomop1]

She must lack self esteem and like clinton she is a lying bitc*.

[thtr]

If ABC starts suspending their employees just because they pass false information then soon there will be no one left to do the suspending.

[WillVoteForFood]

Two week suspension WITH pay. I believe most would call that VACATION.

[Merovingian]

Low self esteem, for sure, with an over compensation in attempting to appear important.....She should never have been hired, and should be fired for unprofessional behavior.

[doug from upland]

Carole is getting punished more than OJ.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

``My goal as a journalist is to always try to get it right,'' she said.

A goal she consistently fails to reach.

[freefly]

Let's see:
Barefaced lie=2weeks off with pay.
OOOOOOH! THAT will set an example!
/sarcasm-off
Since they make it up as they go so often anyway,
I'm surprised that they bothered to make the gesture.

[DouglasKC]

Two week suspension WITH pay. I believe most would call that VACATION.

LOL!! I know...I would love to be suspended with pay everytime I screw up at work. In fact, it might tend to make me purposely screw up.

[Merovingian]

A goal she consistently fails to reach.

100% of the time....And what's this about suspension WITH PAY!!!!!

[ahariail]

I have a friend who is working as part of the relief effort in NYC who told me nearly two weeks ago that he had personal knowledge that Cokie Roberts had been targeted, but that for some reason ABC was keeping it quiet. I don't think he had any reason to be making it up. Ms Roberts may have requested this because she did not want to be in the middle of the anthrax publicity storm.

I suspect that the reporter may have been disciplined for "spilling the beans", not for being inaccurate.

[Merovingian]

My first thought was that simpson was revealing something in her need to show she had some inside dope...Makes her REAL important!

Just got this: US State Dept Employee working in postal facility in Sterling VA positive for Anthrax All DC State Dept Mail Handlers to take Antibiotics Mail at Sterling PO comes from Brentwood PO

[lelio]

Well did Cookie receive a letter or not? ABC doesn't say. Nothing to see here folks, move along.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

How did John Stossel get into ABC?

Two answers.

Stossel started as a consumer reporter. His research led him to find out that the government is the biggest enemy of the consumer.

He was hired many years ago, when ABC was the most conservative of the (then) 4 major TV news sources -- Bret Hume worked for ABC around that time, as you may remember.

[timestax]

yikes!

[culpeper]

They should just caption all the news. Why pay some liberal prima dona millions to read on TV? Silly I think..

[DrDavid]

Most of ABC's news readers are partisans and highered as partisans like Cokie Roberts and George Stephanopolis. It is just amazing to me that John Stossel is still there.

I like John, he is very good. It still doesn't make up for how bad the rest are.