Posted on 11/28/2005 9:24:49 PM PST by Congressman Billybob
Fox News Watch is a Sunday program about journalism. This weekend, it demonstrated how not to be a journalist. The star of this dreadful segment was Neil Gabler.
Much of the discussion was on the coverage of the Iraq War. Gabler has frequently demonstrated his bias to the left on this program. This time, he was over the top.
Twice in the course of this discussion he yelled, not merely said,
“Iraq is a DISASTER. Get it? EVERYBODY gets it now.”
Therefore, anyone who disagreed with his conclusion, whether a spokesman for the Administration, or even anyone on the program including the token conservative on the program, Cal Thomas, is wrong.
Gabler also denigrated the actual progress in Iraq by saying,
“The good news is they painted some schools. The bad news is, anybody who teaches there is going to get blown up.”
There have been two instances of shootings of school teachers in Iraq. That is about equal to the teacher shootings in an average year in the Los Angeles Unified School District. But perspective does not seem to be Gabler’s long suit.
Host Jim Burns tried to bring Gabler back to responsibility by saying,
“You put both of those [stories] out there and let everybody decide how to weigh them.”
Gaebler responded,
“Oh COME ON. It’s already BEEN weighed. That would be irresponsible for the press to say [that]. WE KNOW that Iraq is a DISASTER.” [All emphases are in the original.]
Later in the program, in defending Jon Stewart as “the best journalist in America,” Gabler said what we need is “journalism of truth.” Set aside the question of whether Stewart can be labeled as dealing in truth, rather than humor. Apply Gabler’s comment to Gabler. Neal ironically condemned his own comments on this very program.
(I could not locate on the Fox News website either a video or transcript of this program. However, the quotes are accurate from a TiVo of the program.)
Truth does not consist of the conclusion without facts, advanced by the journalist who shouts the loudest. If Gabler’s comment were accurate, all the news media could close their Iraq bureaus and bring their reporters home. Why risk the lives of real reporters to the bombs of the “insurgents,” who are actually terrorists and now are threatening to murder four more civilians, one of them an American? Why do that when a “media writer,” Neal Gabler, in his office in the US, can provide the conclusions without risk?
Because of his obvious, public violation of the standards of journalism, Neal Gabler should apologize to the others on this program and to its viewers, on the next program. If he does not, Gabler should be dismissed and replaced with another journalist who has a better idea of how journalism should be conducted.
John_Armor@aya.yale.edu
John / Billybob
What an idiot. I get all my Iraqi news from Micheal Yon - he's the only reporter over there with the cajones to leave the hotel & the honor to report the truth.
The terrorists are being degraded and pushed back, Syrian supply lines are cut, Al Queda is desperate and making huge political mistakes [Jordan], Shia and Kurds are cooperating well and showing restraint and discipline, the Iraqi's have voted for an interim government and a Constition with more elections on the 15th, Saddam is on trial.
The only serious problem is aid coming in from Iran. I'm betting that once Iraq stabilizes, both Syria and Iran will be forced to reform or perish.
Gabler is always introduced as a "Media Writer" so what is a
media writer, and who does he work for?
I wouldn't call Cal Thomas the token conservative on the show. Jim Pinkerton is pretty reliably right of center.
All leftists are totalitarians at heart.
They long for a total monopoly on the dissemination of information, and any disagreements with their sage wisdom send them into a frothing rage.
Great essay as usual.
Jane is the designated liberal. Neil is the token barking moonbat (who destroys his own credibility just by being himself).
It seems the formula for drawing the most viewers is to have as much controversy as possible, not that I enjoy waiting for the nutcases to end their rants.
Gabler on News Watch is like Juan Williams on Special Report or Chris Wallace's panel. Unfortunately Brit Hume isn't on News Watch to smack Gabler down like he does to Williams.
Hear that FOX?
Instead all I see on the weekend lineup are hours and hours of The Lineup. What the hell is up with that?
Guess we know why they liked Gabler; he was a reliable leftist. I think at the time, however, Medved had not yet showed his conservative colors. Maybe he had not yet even realized he was a conservative.
(steely)
Guess we know why they liked Gabler; he was a reliable leftist. I think at the time, however, Medved had not yet showed his conservative colors. Maybe he had not yet even realized he was a conservative.
(steely)
Calling Cal Thomas a "token Conservative" is an insult to Cal Thomas.
I heard Gabler's rant, too; however, it's not something that is worth recording in my view.
Hi John.
I saw the show on Sunday and had the same reaction to Neil's comments on Iraq. Of course, I was shouting back at the TV pointing out his excesses to him.
I tried to keep it simple and effective--using words no longer than four letters, with a couple of "-ing"s thrown in. I was surprised how easily I was able to describe his ancestry, never having met the man in person.
He won my "turkey of the week" award.
Sorry for double post.
Can anyone find a video of this? I'd like to see it.
Perfect? No, but when has it ever been done better.
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