Saturday, November 12, 2011

CBS News owes the candidates on it's Debate stage, as well as it's viewing audience an apology.

By Thaddeus S. Kaczor, Jr.

What Follows is the text of my formal complaint to CBS News over the farcical and blatantly biased 'debate' the network hosted on November 12, 2011. I suggest anyone who was as shocked, disappointed and disgusted with the outrageous and shameless promotion of 'certain' candidates, and the obvious exclusion and dismissal of others will follow the link above to register your own complaint.

I am very disappointed with the format and execution of your GOP 'Debate' this evening. The distribution and time given to each candidate was so grossly disproportionate as to go beyond mere bias into the area of 'advocacy journalism'. Edward R. Murrow is spinning in his grave to see such a sham being peddled as a debate! All you have to do is look at the distribution of questions and time allotted to each candidate to see how unfair and ridiculously biased this affair was.


Contrasting this fiasco with the recent CNBC debate on the economy is a study in extremes. CNBC was EXTREMELY fair to each candidate, allowing EACH candidate to respond to EACH topic, and using follow-up questions to elucidate and expand on their answers. By comparison, the debate on CBS obviously and purposefully AVOIDED asking certain candidates ANY questions on MOST topics. Furthermore, follow-up questions were ONLY directed at Romney, Gingrich and (occasionally) Perry and Cain, and most times were mere restatements which allowed the candidates to add nothing to their previous answers.


CBS News owes the candidates on stage who were denied a fair chance to respond to the questions given to the 'chosen few' candidates, as well as it's viewing audience an apology. We were all expecting an actual 'debate', when in reality what was aired was essentially a joint press-conference for Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. If no apology is proffered, or worse, justification for what is essentially an indefensible presentation is instead served, then greater damage to the reputation of the once 'Tiffany Network' and it's tarnished 'Crown Jewel' of a News Department will be done than has already been suffered by the mere presentation of this debacle of a debate.


I sincerely hope that you are able to look beyond the prospects of future political advertising and favors from those candidates who were 'promoted' by CBS through this program, and see the damage CBS has done to the American political system through it's attempt to unduly influence an election by showing blatant bias towards certain candidates, and against others.

1 comment:

ALl Respectful, intelligent comments welcome! A free exchange of ideas is the foundation of a healthy society!