Ashleigh Banfield Lashes out at Own Network [Attacks Savage, NBC Distances Themselves from Comments]

Reuters Wire ^ | April 28, 2003 | Andrew Grossman

[ewing]

NBC News correspondant Ashleigh Banfield has ripped television news networks, including her own, for their 'glorious' coverage of the Iraq war and lack of focus on international news overall.

In a speech Thursday at Kansas State University, she also attacked NBC News for hiring right wing radio talk show host Michael Savage to do a show on MSNBC. Savage recently called Banfield a 'slut' after her reports portraying the radical Arab point of view.

Banfield, who first won notoriety for her coverage from the World Trade Center on 9/11, might be in some trouble for her comments.

In a statement issued in Friday, NBC News said, 'Ms. Banfield does not speak for NBC News. We are deeply disappointed and troubled by her remarks, and will review her comments with her. In the meantime we want to emphasize how proud we are of the journalism produced by NBC News and of the men and women who worked around the clock, even risking their lives, to bring this story to the American public.'

[ewing]

I'm not saying that Savage is politically correct or that he sould be the standard bearer at the GOP convention, but his anti-war rants are rivaling Phil Henrie for pure 'comedy gold'

[verity]

"I gave up on him when he said liberal reporters covering the middle east should be shot for treason."

What's the problem?

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I guess Ashleigh never learned about capitalism. Her pMSNBC show failed because it wasn't generating enough revenue to justify the costs. NBC News is a for-profit organization owned by GE.

If she wants an outlet for her brand of "journalism" not tainted by the need to generate an audience or turn a profit, she should go to work for CUBA-TV.

[JimRed]

He's the Right's Michael Moore.

In style, maybe. In substance, no comparison. What lies has Savage promoted as fact? What truth has Moore ever told?

His tone frequently sets my teeth on edge, but his facts and analysis are generally on the money.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

Have you posted here previously, using another screen name?

[William Terrell]

The whole article

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Banfield Lashes Out at Own Network

By Andrew Grossman

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC News correspondent Ashleigh Banfield has ripped television news networks, including her own, for their "glorious" coverage of the Iraqi war and a lack of focus on international news overall.

In a speech Thursday at Kansas State University, she also attacked NBC News for hiring right-wing radio talk-show host Michael Savage to do a show on MSNBC. Savage recently called Banfield a "slut" after her reports portraying the radical Arab point of view.

Banfield, who won her first notoriety for her coverage from the World Trade Center on 9/11, might be in some trouble for her comments. In a statement issued on Friday, NBC News said, "Ms. Banfield does not speak for NBC News. We are deeply disappointed and troubled by her remarks, and will review her comments with her. In the meantime, we want to emphasize how proud we are of the journalism produced by NBC News and of the men and women who worked around the clock, even risking their lives, to bring this story to the American public."

War coverage is an especially sensitive subject inside NBC News, whose embedded reporter David Bloom died in Iraq.

Her comments, coincidentally, came on the same day that Greg Dyke, director general of the BBC, ripped American radio and TV networks for their "shocking," and "gung-ho" coverage of the Iraqi war, according to British newspaper reports.

Banfield, who hosted an unsuccessful talk show on MSNBC last year and is now reporting for both MSNBC and NBC News, criticized the networks for showing a bloodless war that gave a skewed picture which glossed over the horrors of battle. She did not report from Iraq during the war, but has been stationed overseas in the past.

"It was a glorious and wonderful picture that had a lot of people watching and a lot of advertisers excited about cable news," she said at the college's annual Landon Lecture in Manhattan. "But it wasn't journalism because I'm not so sure we in America are hesitant to do this again, to fight another war ... because it looked like a glorious and courageous and so successfully terrific endeavor."

What was wrong with the coverage?

"You did not see where those bullets landed. You didn't see what happened when the mortars landed. A puff of smoke is not what a mortar looks like when it explodes, believe me," Banfield said.

She ripped NBC for putting Savage on the air saying, "He was so taken aback by my daring to speak to martyrs ... for being prepared to sacrifice themselves, he chose to label me a slut on the air, and that's not all, as a porn star and an accessory to the murder of Jewish children. These are the ramifications for simply bringing the message in the Arab world."

Banfield said it was vital to present the Arabs' viewpoint because of a lack of understanding among them and Americans in what has driven them to such violence.

She blamed the networks for failing to air enough international news except after 9/11 and during wars and pointed to the lack of stories emanating from Afghanistan these days as an example of the networks' lack of focus overseas.

She said NBC was preparing to close its Kabul bureau, a statement that NBC News denied.

"If we had paid more attention to Afghanistan in the '80s, we might not have had 9/11," she said.

In the past week, she noted, cable networks with an eye on their declining ratings since the war has wound down have devoted extensive coverage to the Laci Peterson murder case and less to the chaotic situation in Iraq.

But Banfield also exonerated the networks to some degree by blaming viewers for being more interested in titillating crime stories than vital international news.

"It's critical to our security that you be interested in this," Banfield urged the audience. "Because when you are interested, I can respond. If I put this on the air right now, you'll turn it off and we'll lose our numbers as we're finding out now."

Banfield also criticized Fox News Channel for merging entertainment value with news, saying the network has risen to the top by targeting conservative viewers. "Fox has taken so many viewers away from CNN and MSNBC because of their agenda and because of their target marketing of cable news viewers. I'm afraid there's not a really big place in cable for news," she said.

She added that networks like MSNBC have tried to compete by aping Fox's format. "You can see the big hires on other networks, right-wing hires to try and chase after this effect," she added.

Fox declined to comment on Banfield's comments.

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[Continental Op]

attack of the rhinos!!!!!!!!!

[mhking]

Ashleigh must not want a job anymore.

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[Rummyfan]

Savage's rants are great. Sometimes he goes a little too far - but doesn't the other side of the aisle do that consistently? Just read what Ms Banfield said in her talk.

[thinking]

I guess Ashleigh never learned about capitalism. Her pMSNBC show failed because it wasn't generating enough revenue to justify the costs. NBC News is a for-profit organization owned by GE.

<![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]>

Ashleigh is from socialist Canada, grow up on handouts from the tax payer........

[Crowcreek]

Just what do all you middle-of the-road 'Republicans' think will happen when you drive a stake thru' Savage? Inherit his popularity?

The force that drives his ratings is the only thing keeping the Republican party on the map.

[Hatteras]

"Banfield, who first won notoriety for her coverage from the World Trade Center on 9/11..."

She won notoriety with me alright. Interviewing victims as they emerged from the rubble she asked one victim a very poignant question as she cinched those wretched glasses back up on her beak...What did you see in there? Did you have to step over any bodies?

Give her the crook!

[rintense]

I like Joe. I became a fan of his during the 2000 election. I sent him an email of support and he sent me a letter saying how much he appreciated it, especially from someone out of state.

[tkathy]

Savage is more obnoxious than Begala if that's possible.

[Blue Screen of Death]

In a just and fair world, Ashleigh will be doing commercials for Lady Clairol by Fall.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

Big Barbee, a quick question.

What was the screen name you used here last month, when denouncing Savage with the same phraseology?

[Crowcreek]

Several million dedicated listners would disagree with you -- I think You may be the blowhard. And the moron.

Maybe you just have a hard time u n d e r s t a n d i n g Savage . . .

He is fairly smart.