All Blog Posts from Public Eye

Sometimes the decisions made in any newsroom or media organization about coverage are straightforward, making it easy to have an opinion. Then, there are times when the issues and questions involved make it difficult to know just what to think. This one falls in the second category. This week I received an e-mail from someone within CBS News who wondered why we had not addressed the fact that CBS broadcasts have not reported on the vicious beating last weekend of two of its employees – Dick Jefferson and Ryan Smith (the Web site did run this story on the attack and you can read it for all the details). Here are parts of the e-mail, name omitted:

Vaughn, I'm surprised PE hasn’t done anything with CBS News’ curious handling of a story involving two of its staffers.

You probably read the email from Dick Jefferson and Ryan Smith circulated yesterday in which they thanked CBS for its help, and CBS News folks for their kind words and thoughts.

Dick and Ryan and several friends were vacationing in the Caribbean last week when the two were attacked in what's been called a “gay-bashing incident.” CBS airlifted them to Miami where both underwent at least one surgery, both had serious head injuries, Ryan perhaps some brain injury and is still in the hospital.

“GMA” did a full piece on the story the other morning, and CBSNews.com has run an item or two.

But even though Dick is a senior producer at the CBS “Weekend News” and Ryan a PS at “48 Hours,” no TV news broadcast at CBS has told the story of their attack, of the brutal crime that happened now a week ago.

Maybe there is no story there to tell, but it is curious that news about two of our own staffers gets coverage elsewhere but not at home.

The inferences here are pretty strong. Does the fact that CBS broadcasts have not reported on this incident say something bigger about the network? Is CBS ignoring this story because of the “gay-bashing” element? Because this involves sensitive issues, I spoke with several senior-ranked individuals within the network and, along with some of my thoughts, here’s a quick look at the thinking involved.

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