Across The Media Universe: A Pox On All Their Houses Edition
Fox News has a history of inappropriate on-air mistakes that are neither fair, nor balanced. This type of disrespect for people of color should no longer be tolerated. I am personally offended by the network's complete disregard for accuracy in reporting and lackluster on-air apology.Readers may remember that the Fox News Channel's Democratic debate this fall is being boycotted by most of the contenders due to what they see as the channel's lack of fairness.
Pole Positioning: We've had "Senior Moments." We've had "Tagamet Moments." Now, in 2007, we've got people having "Imus Moments." Night-time talker slash morning-show gabber Joe Scarborough is in hot water for the following exchange with Craig Crawford on his "Morning Joe" telecast last week:
SCARBOROUGH: Have you seen Fred Thompson's wife?
CRAWFORD: Oh, yeah.
SCARBOROUGH: You think she thinks she works the pole?
MSNBC is standing by their host, saying that the conversation was a continuation of an earlier theme about how women are beginning to use stripper's poles in aerobic workouts. But his banter with Crawford is still being characterized by some as "lecherous." Which is it? Who knows: Maybe there's a 22-year old that can be blamed for this, too.
CNN Anchor of Yesterday Laments CNN of Today: Former CNN-er Bernard Shaw (He was in Iraq back in the day!) is no fan of the current state of the network. In a conversation with the Chicago Sun-Times, Shaw observed:
I'm very, very disappointed with the way the news management at my favorite network has gone. CNN has fine women and men working there… But CNN continues to ape many of the on-air mannerisms of the Fox News Network, and I don't like that.He singled out Lou Dobbs as one of the "fine men" of the network. (So he likes Dobbs, but not opinionated anchors? That's...confusing.) Anyway, when handing out accolades, how could Shaw have neglected to mention CNN American Morning co-host Kiran Chetry's deft handling of the Spelling Bee winner on Friday?