ABC's Halperin: Press Is Liberally Biased, Needs Reform [Another stunning admission of the truth!]

NewsBusters ^ | Matthew Sheffield

[RatherBiased.com]

The national press corps is justifiably looked upon with suspicion by conservatives and in dire need of reform if it wishes to regain their confidence, especially since that's a sound business strategy.

Those are the words of ABC News political director Mark Halperin who on last night's "O'Reilly Factor" provided a resounding endorsement of the idea that the elite American media needs to stop being liberally biased. (Video available in WMV or Real. MP3 audio also available, transcript is after the jump.)

In a followup to an Oct. 19 internet posting in which he sarcastically implied

that reporters take their cues from Democrats and liberal activists, Halperin stated that the press should use the 2006 elections as an opportunity to regain the public trust:

"In this country, we've got these old news organizations, the major networks, ABC, where you [O'Reilly] used to work, the New York Times, the Washington Post. These organizations have been around a long time, and for 40 years conservatives have looked with suspicion at them. I think we've got a chance in these last two weeks to prove to conservatives that we understand their grievances, we're going to try to do better, but these organizations still have incredible sway, and conservatives are certain that we're going to be out to get them. We've got to fix that."

Halperin also commended the Fox News Channel business model as being inclusive of all Americans:

"I think everybody in the old media better be [...] saying, 'Are we being fair to everybody involved in the American political process?' Even if you don't believe the argument, Bill, that we make, in 'The Way to Win,' that there are some examples over the years that are pretty significant, of showing why conservatives are aggrieved, even if you're a liberal and you don't believe that, believe that half the country feels that way. And as an economic model, if you want to thrive like Fox News Channel, you want to have a future, you better make sure conservatives find your product appealing if you're going to do the right thing. You got to do it."

[Ciexyz]

we don't believe anything from the MSM except the sports news.

Hell, after their spin on global warming and Hurricane Katrina, even their weather news is biased!

[Ciexyz]

I gave up cable TV two years ago when it went above fifty bucks a month -- too expensive and it was all commercials anyway. I relied on my TV with the rabbit ears to get a few channels, but that finally died. Then I bought a five inch B&W mini for the kitchen just to get the news, but switch it off when the commedians come on at 1130 PM and start making anti-Bush jokes.

[L.N. Smithee]

Shorthand title is "Commisar".

Don't turn around (uh-oh! yeah yeah!)
Der Kommisar's in town (uh-oh!)

I miss Falco.

[isom35]

someone please tell Jane Hall of Fox News Watch.

[tcrlaf]

bump

[VOA]

Having Halperin "expose" liberal bias in the MSM...
is like having Joe Kennedy run the Securities and Exchange Commission.

He knows about all the tricks because he's used 'em!

My guess: Halperin knows that ABCNews, like a lot of MSM, is gonna'
die, unless they change.
I wouldn't give him the time of day. And neither should folks like
Glenn Beck, O'Reilly and the like.

More trash on Halperin:

KEYWORD: MARKHALPERIN
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=markhalperin

The ABC's of Media Bias-The radical roots of ABC Political Director Mark Halperin
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1244681/posts


ABC NEWS SPARES 'BIAS' BOSS IN MEMO FLAP (urged 'ABC staffers to hold Bush more "accountable"')
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1240939/posts

[Rocky]

Halperin? You mean this guy?

Halperin Memo Dated Friday October 8, 2004

It goes without saying that the stakes are getting very high for the country and the campaigns - and our responsibilities become quite grave.

I do not want to set off (sp?) and endless colloquy that none of us have time for today - nor do I want to stifle one. Please respond if you feel you can advance the discussion.

The New York Times (Nagourney/Stevenson) and Howard Fineman on the web both make the same point today: the current Bush attacks on Kerry involve distortions and taking things out of context in a way that goes beyond what Kerry has done.

Kerry distorts, takes out of context, and mistakes all the time, but these are not central to his efforts to win.

We have a responsibility to hold both sides accountable to the public interest, but that doesn't mean we reflexively and artificially hold both sides "equally" accountable when the facts don't warrant that.

I'm sure many of you have this week felt the stepped up Bush efforts to complain about our coverage. This is all part of their efforts to get away with as much as possible with the stepped up, renewed efforts to win the election by destroying Senator Kerry at least partly through distortions.

It's up to Kerry to defend himself, of course. But as one of the few news organizations with the skill and strength to help voters evaluate what the candidates are saying to serve the public interest. Now is the time for all of us to step up and do that right.

From: http://www.drudgereport.com/mh.htm

[liberallarry]

If they called themselves by their true names, shills for the Democrat party, there would be nothing wrong but since they parade under the false banner of objectivity there is PLENTY wrong with them

Everyone parades under the false banner of objectivity :)

the only thing left is a decent death

The opposition will never die...and no matter who has power or what his ideology is there will always be an opposition.

There is a tiny handful of conservatives given voice on tv

I don't watch TV so I have to take your word for it...but anyone who gets his news exclusively from TV in our times deserves what he gets.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Given that the Treason Media is willing to try and foist ridiculously false stories such as the Bush National Guard memos on the credulous the problem is far beyond lack of objectivity. It has become outright LYING. Not content with warping the news to its ideology the Treason Media has now taken an entirely different tack- making up news out of whole cloth. There is a TINY percentage of reporters and editors who call themselves conservative. The rest gleefully buy into whatever crap the Left is pushing at the moment. They don't even try and hide it.

Since when has the media had the role of "opposition" the the National Security interests? That is NOT and never has been its role. It became the Treason Media when it actively stepped into advocating and defending the Enemy against US actions. Those who have participated in undermining our Nation's security should be jailed starting with the NYtimes.

You cannot grasp the depth of the attack upon American interests and beliefs if you watch NO tv. Watching the smarmy charades of the talking heads is extremely productive when what they are attempting is analyzed.

[liberallarry]

I'm sorry but I feel you've gone off the deep end.

I followed the arguments on the Bush National Guard memos very closely on Free Republic. I feel the memos were phoney and were too quickly accepted by those in the MSN who wanted to believe them. None-the-less I continue to believe Bush was a draft dodger who remained in the National Guard only as long as it was necessary and fun.

On a larger scale our differences on this point illustrate perfectly the reality of political opinions. I happen to agree with you that many on the liberal Left act in ways absolutely antithetical to American interests and that they do so because they believe American policy, and perhaps even American culture, to be the root of all evil. But very, very few are treasonous. They are not putting the interests of foreigners over our own. Rather, they are, from my point of view, simply deluded - and are sincerely trying to make America a better place. Much as Chamberlain and Daladier were not treasonous in the run-up to WWII.

Nor do I believe that everything Bush has done - or that conservatives advocate - in the foreign policy arena is reasonable, sensible, practical, doable, productive.

Criticism is essential and must be allowed. Messy and frustrating as it is, it remains the best way, the right way.

As for liberal TV, you're way off base on this one too. Talk radio is just as available, just as omnipresent, and has just as large an audience.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Criticism is not the problem. Outright sabotage and lying are the problems.

The NG memos were so egregiously ludicrous that they would have fooled no real journalists. They were not just forgeries or mediocre forgeries but ludicrously obvious forgeries. This was a deliberate attempt to interfere in the electoral process using fraud.

What the NYtimes has done is not the equivalent of Chamberlain but rather Lord Haw Haw.

Talk radio does not have the same audience (Rush has 20 million listeners a week not per night) and is not intended to be news as CBS etc pretends to be. If Dan Rather had a talk show I would still believe him to be a fool but would have no criticisms such as are occasioned by the pretense he is a journalist.

[VaBthang4]

Go away dummy.

[Fiddlstix]

Go away dummy.

You have a very nice, very informative profile page. Obviously you're a very intelligent person.
It took a lot of work on your part to make that page. You have gone to the trouble to provide all FReepers with a very fine source of information on your page.

My FRiend, I believe it is beneath your dignity to call me a dummy or a dumbass over some cartoon and link I posted.

I'm sorry you think I'm a dummy. I certainly don't think you're a dummy.

[Teflonic]

tag