CBS Chairman: "We May Have Erred (by Dangling Enticements) in Pursuit of Jessica Lynch Interview"

AP Breaking News ^

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Jul 20, 2003

CBS May Have Erred in Pursuit of Lynch Interview, Executive Says By Lynn Elber The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) - CBS may have erred in raising the possibility of a TV movie while trying to win a news interview with former prisoner of war Jessica Lynch, CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves said Sunday. "Maybe that went over the line. That was not respecting, possibly, the sanctity of CBS News," Moonves told a meeting of the Television Critics Association.

Pfc. Lynch, who has yet to publicly tell the story of her capture in southern Iraq and subsequent rescue from an Iraqi hospital by Marines, has been wooed by CBS and other networks. CBS initially defended its approach.

In a letter to Lynch's family that became public last month, CBS News senior vice president Betsy West proposed a two-hour documentary and noted the opportunities offered by sister units of Viacom-owned CBS, including MTV networks and publisher Simon & Schuster.

CBS Entertainment executives, the proposal said, "tell us this would be the highest priority for the CBS movie division."

The correspondence became public after it was obtained by The New York Times.

Moonves said that "probably, if we had to do it all over again, a movie of the week never would have been mentioned in Betsy's letter."

He said the expansion of media conglomerates creates the environment for potential missteps.

"As these companies become more and more vertically integrated, you know, sometimes you do go over the line," Moonves said.

CBS has abandoned the idea of a TV movie about Lynch, who was scheduled to be released Tuesday from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., after treatment for broken bones and other injuries.

NBC "is already down the road with a movie without the rights," Moonves said. An NBC movie on Lynch, unauthorized thus far, is scheduled to start filming in August.

"We're not going to do 'The Amy Fisher Story' where there are three (TV movies) on at once," Moonves said. He was referring to the network feeding frenzy over Fisher, who as a teenager shot her lover's wife.

AP-ES-07-20-03 2013EDT

This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAFYSAQDID.html

Go Back To The Story

[Keith in Iowa]

>>CBS may have erred...

And the Pope is a wee bit Catholic...

[YaYa123]

"That was not respecting, possibly, the sanctity of CBS News" What's wrong with that sentence, and what does it mean? It means CBS got outted by The New York Times or we would never be getting this semi, sort of, we'll never do it again, apology.

But what's really laughable is CBS thinking, or pretending they do, or wanting us to believe, that CBS is some kind of holier than thou, and with ethics yet, journalistic icon.

And this takes the cake! "the expansion of media conglomerates creates the environment for potential missteps"I take this as a slap at FOXNews and NBC who really have expanded. CBS expanded? I don't think so.

[contessa machiaveli]

i'm not particularly interested in what jessica lynch has to say. as far as i'm concerned every one of our troops is a hero, and unfortunately many haven't made it home alive to be interviewed.
i don't have to put a face on this war, it's enough to read every single day about the loss of someone's son or daughter.

[goodnesswins]

CBS = Commie Bull ...well, you know....I agree with another poster....I'm not interested in HER story that much....SHE made IT HOME!!! I'd like to hear more about THOSE WHO HAVE NOT MADE IT HOME!!!

[OldFriend]

Ohhhhhh, the media conglomerates made CBS do it! OOOOKKKAAAYYYYYYY

[OldFriend]

Received a post card of thank you from the Lynch family for my letter of support. In the card they ask for prayers for all our troops and their families.

[YaYa123]

How sweet of the Lynch family....I'm glad they have (obviously), advisors who are helping them though this maze of media attention, and how to handle it.

I wish people didn't think interest in Corporal Lynch takes away from other soldiers, and the sacrifices they're making. Jessica has an active duty brother, and I'm sure many military friends of her own. These people don't begrudge Jessica the attention she's getting, who would? Especially if it keeps the public focused on the young people who are brave enough to serve in the military.

But we all know the media, CBS especially, would love to dirty her up, that's why she needs professional PR guidance so she doesn't make a misstep that could be used against her.

[OldFriend]

The Washington Post was the source of all the phoney information regarding her capture. They pushed the story about her firing her weapon until it was out of ammunition.....that she'd been shot.....etc.

The media had an agenda but that agenda has changed.

[Wondervixen]

You guys aren't interested in hearing it & I can pretty well tell you that, from the perspective of the kind of people Jessica is from (within 45 miles of her hometown), she's probably not interested in TELLING it.

People from this region aren't the nitwits the people from Southern California are. There, everyone thinks they are an undiscovered star. Here, people get lives, and Jessica is just that way. Her own MTV show??? CBS/Viacom, go pick on the bimbo friends of the girl accusing Kobe Bryant of rape that Rita Cosby inerviewed last night...THERE'S the kind of airheads that'll take your idiot bait!

[goodnesswins]

THAT thought DID occur to me....that Jessica had NO NEED to blab about it.....thanks for the confirmation.

[Susannah]

Good point regarding Jessica.

Not all Southern Californians are "nitwits." Many of those soldiers are from California. Shoshawna Johnson was covered by the local media as she was honored in her church. Shoshawna made a small speech stating that she was not a heroe, but those who risked their lives to save her were AND those who died for freedom were.

Many fallen, injured, and some returning soldiers were covered quite well by the local reporters.

[an amused spectator]

Mainstream Media Shenanigans bump

[Timesink]

This is the nascent Mainstream Media Shenanigans ping list. Please freepmail me to be added or dropped.
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[ladyinred]

It takes the YELLOWCAKE!

[ladyinred]

CBS has no credibility to begin with. They are just whores to the democrats pure and simple. Most of the media is.