NBC has apologized after being criticized for an editing of the tape of George Zimmerman’s 911 call — an editing that made his comments sound more incriminating and racist. The editing was substantial and the network has said that it is investigating the matter, which constitutes a serious journalist ethical question.
The “Today” Show segment played this version of the call:
Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.
However, here is the actual conversation:
Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. Or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.
Dispatcher: OK, and this guy — is he black, white or Hispanic?
Zimmerman: He looks black.
That is a considerable difference in how race was referenced in the call. One makes it sound like Zimmerman raised race when it was the dispatcher who raised race as an identification element in the call.
This does not mean that race was not a motivation or critical element in the shooting. However, as we have previously discussed, there is a growing concern over the objective reporting of the case. The NBC editing has served to reaffirm that concern for some. However, we do not know how or why the tape was edited. NBC should commit to the fullest possible disclosure on the progress of its investigation. With tensions so high, it is important for the media to present an objective and accurate account of such underlying evidence in the case.
Source: Washington Post
In late 2010 and early 2011 George Zimmerman, the Hispanic Sanford, Fla., man who shot and killed 17-year-old black teen Trayvon Martin, publicly demanded discipline in a race-related beating case for at least two of the police officers who cleared him after the Feb. 26 altercation, according to records obtained by The Daily Caller.
In a letter to Seminole County NAACP president Turner Clayton, a member of the Zimmerman family wrote that George was one of “very few” in Sanford who publicly condemned the “beating of the black homeless man Sherman Ware on Dec. 4, 2010, by the son of a Sanford police officer,” who is white.
TheDC has confirmed the identity of the Zimmerman family member who wrote the letter but is withholding that person’s specific identity out of concern for the family’s safety.
http://dailycaller.com/2012/04/04/zimmerman-demanded-discipline-in-2010-race-related-beating-for-officers-who-investigated-martin-shooting/
If I own coon dogs, am I racist? What if I trained my blood hound to track coons, would that be wrong? What does one have to say in order to be racist?
I am white, I live in Mississippi and I hunt. My boys call me coon. Am I supposed to be offended?
Wait on here kids. Zimmerman will not be charged, if charged he will be acquitted. You need to think of the homeowners insurance liability if convicted. I just can’t believe how stupid you are in wanting Zimmerman convicted.
Insurance costs go up for everyone.
Journalist, Today show. oxymoron.
eniobob
1, April 4, 2012 at 11:01 am
mespo727272
1, April 4, 2012 at 10:05 am
“it’s still important to call out a wrong where you see it, ”
YES!!!
===========================================
YES!!!!
mespo727272
1, April 4, 2012 at 10:05 am
“it’s still important to call out a wrong where you see it, ”
YES!!!
NBC FOX wanna be…..lol
Full apology. Give a list of sponsors to us on the day the fabrication was published. Employ a matrix which tells the viewer, when it is sound that something has been omitted. Same matrix when a video has been edited.
Fire the boss of the employee who did it. Ask the network where they got their information that Zimmerman was a Night Watchman, or a Neighborhood Watchman, or a Neighborhood Watch Captain, or a Neighborhood Watch Commander. If some entitly appointed him to some such duty, paid or not, they are on the hook on the civil suit which needs to be filed as soon as possible. Their job is to dig for news, not edit that which is provided to them. ABC is worse.
A minor infraction compared to The Ways of Bernays which they practice with industrial strength.
“mespo727272
1, April 4, 2012 at 9:59 am
This story is hot enough without NBC adding fuel. An apology is in order as well as an explanation. Senstionalizing people’s tragedies serves nobody’s interests except those trying to exploit them. Bad form.”
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
And here it can be revealed mespo is a quantum mechanical superposition of pot and kettle.
Arthur:
I understand your sentiment and your well-founded belief that this plays right into the hands of people who are looking for absolutely any reason to exonerate Zimmerman. And what better that alleging a media conspiracy to frame him? That said, it’s still important to call out a wrong where you see it, lest you be lumped in with those ideologues who explain every misdeed of Zimmerman as some innocuous or justifiable act. The mark of the zealot is one who refuses to see the other side’s point even as it stares him stark in the face. Conceding the obvious truth makes your credibility on the main subject stronger –not weaker– in the eyes of the disinterested observer.
This story is hot enough without NBC adding fuel. An apology is in order as well as an explanation. Senstionalizing people’s tragedies serves nobody’s interests except those trying to exploit them. Bad form.
Obviously NBC should have gotten their video from Andrew Breitbart.
It was only done on ONE show because I heard on many other news programs the WHOLE conversation. So WHAT? It is NOT like FAUX news which actually fabricates news footate to make their points. What was posted was only news to me because I don’t watch Today very often.
I watch MSNBC and I was only aware of the full, unedited version. So I had known from the very beginning that the dispatcher was the one who brought up the subject of Trayvon’s race.
See how easy it is to ruin your reputation as a trusted news source?
Wide Racial, Partisan Gaps in Reactions to Trayvon Martin Coverage
Most Republicans See ‘Too Much’ Coverage
Pew Research
4/3/12
http://www.people-press.org/2012/04/03/wide-racial-partisan-gaps-in-reactions-to-trayvon-martin-coverage/?src=rss_main
Excerpt:
OVERVIEW
The Trayvon Martin shooting is the public’s top story for the second consecutive week. But interest in the teenager’s death is deeply divided along partisan, as well as racial, lines. These differences also are apparent in reactions to news coverage of the incident: Far more Republicans (56%) than Democrats (25%) say there has been too much coverage of Martin’s death.
Too Much Coverage?
Overall, 37% of the public say that news organizations are giving too much coverage to Martin’s death; about as many (40%) say the coverage has been about right. Just 14% say the story has gotten too little coverage.
I wish I could understand the mindset that makes it OK to do this sort of thing. Certainly they couldn’t think that they would get a huge jump in ratings & ad revenue. Certainly they had to know this would be inflammatory. It boggles my tiny mind to see what would make a person do this.
At least we can stop wondering why Americans are so ill informed about the world. Its not just the lemons at FAUX News or CNN, it seems its every one of these outfits that has no standard of decency, no sense of integrity no understanding of public responsibility.
” which constitutes a serious journalist ethical question.”
Holy Smokes!
and
That journalist will be reporting about rubber dog shit exports in the Hong Kong Business Times!
He’s still a cold blooded murderer.
After an extensive investigation, some low level employee will probably be blamed for editing the tape. Isn’t that what usually happens?