CNN and the Liberal Media Opposed to Free Speech
By bobmnu
@bobmnu (8157)
United States
February 9, 2012 9:56am CST
It seems that a CNN Analyst was suspended because he Tweeted a couple of messages that were offensive to some in the Gay Community. I guess that if you are not talking the PC talk you are in trouble. The Liberal Media seems to have no trouble taking something totally out of context or to report a rumor as fact and expect people who question it to prove the rumor false rather that The Media having to prove the rumor correct.
It is one thing for a news reporter to bring his/her personal comments into a news story but for an analyst or commentator (one who comments and give personal views on the news) that is what is expected.
I give Fox News credit for the way they handled comments that Alan Colmes made that many found offensive, about Senator Santorum. He was admonished by his colleagues on the air but Management respected his freedom of Speech to give his thoughts on a story - not to report his thoughts as news but for his personal comments.
If the News Media fires a person every time they say something that offends one group or another what will we get for new in the future?
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/08/politics/cnn-roland-martin/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_politics
2 people like this
3 responses
@rosegardens (3032)
• United States
9 Feb 12
If he is known for this type of behavior, and has never been chastened before, why now? I fail to understand that. The content is offensive yes, but if he is known for being offensive and making quips such as those cited in the CNN article, what is the problem? Yet we glorify Howard Stern and others who made their career from being intolerable to the conservative Christian. Seems a double standard. I am offended at many things in the media, but because it is assimilated into our culture no one will pay attention to what I have to say about it. Shame. Only certain folks are allowed to have freedom of speech in this country.
1 person likes this
@topffer (42155)
• France
9 Feb 12
Every journalist has to be "politically correct" today
. I was thinking at this recently when watching some TV archives from the 70's and 80's in my country : many journalists would be fired today for what they were saying at the time. The problem is that this notion of "politically correct" is historically flexible. As long as it is not affecting or questioning the freedom of the press itself...
. I was thinking at this recently when watching some TV archives from the 70's and 80's in my country : many journalists would be fired today for what they were saying at the time. The problem is that this notion of "politically correct" is historically flexible. As long as it is not affecting or questioning the freedom of the press itself...@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
10 Feb 12
What bothers me is the people who are calling for his firing are saying that everyone knows it is offensive to Gays. We now have to know what is offensive to Gays so we don't say it. Several years ago my daughter was attending a national church conference. They had "diversity watchers" to help people understand what was offensive to Black. In different sessions they were told by different "diversity Watchers" told them to call a black person a Negro was offensive, African American was offensive to those not from Africa, Black American was not right because they were not Black, and of course Black was wrong. All they could agree on was not to call them Nigge or Negro.
If he was told to stop this then did not you would have a reason to fire him.
1 person likes this
@topffer (42155)
• France
9 Feb 12
You should better keep this argument for a journalist deserving to be defended. Read again his tweets and his apologies and you will realize that he has not even the guts to support his own opinions : "I can certainly understand how someone could come to a different conclusion than the one I meant. I'm disheartened that my words would embolden prejudice."
@megamatt (14290)
• United States
10 Feb 12
Free speech tends to go out the window when dealing with the news media more often than not. There are just going to be a lot of times where perhaps people should be a bit more mindful of what they say and who they say it about. There are a lot of hot button issues, where, I'll just roll my eyes at them, but not going to offend me all that much. Many it would offend a lot.
There are certain groups where it seems pushes the "politically correct" button more often than not. Of course, Twitter really has done many public figures no favors, as it opens them up to more exposure and sometimes they just say things to get noticed, to get a rise out of people. Obviously people tend to get jumpy about potential public relations fiascos, so the offending party gets published.
