MRC President Brent Bozell Calls for Comcast to Investigate NBC’s Fraud in Trayvon Martin Case

April 3, 2012 - The Washington Post has reported that NBC will be investigating who at NBC was responsible for dishonestly airing a doctored 9-1-1 conversation between George Zimmerman to make it look like Zimmerman's intent was racially motivated. Media Research Center President Brent Bozell stated this is not enough.

"This is a massive breach of the public trust. NBC is guilty of dishonestly fanning the flames of racial hatred in America by doctoring tapes. NBC cannot be trusted with the investigation. It's like Nixon investigating the Watergate tapes. NBC is guilty of deliberately lying to the viewing public, and NBC is going to be in charge of investigating itself? NBC’s parent company Comcast needs to investigate the intentional editing of George Zimmerman’s 9-1-1 call. Comcast needs to come clean. Everyone involved needs to be held accountable."

Bozell pointed out that NBC has all but admitted the wrongdoing.  “MSNBC.com also published a distorted transcript, but when the distortion was exposed, MSNBC merely changed the article and never acknowledged, or apologized for the stunt. But that was better than NBC's Today Show, which has never corrected the story, never mind acknowledging the wrongdoing or apologizing for it."

Bozell was unequivocal. "NBC is guilty of journalistic malpractice, and until it makes the appropriate amends it has forfeited its status as a ‘news’ operation."

The events leading up to Trayvon Martin’s death still remain unclear and passing judgment on it -- in either direction -- is unacceptable, said Bozell.  “We do not know the facts. It’s despicable, but expected that the likes of Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and Maxine Waters would deliberately sow seeds of racial animosity. But it's utterly reprehensible that NBC would give oxygen to this ugly narrative by doctoring tapes and presenting it as 'news.'”



To schedule an interview with MRC President Brent Bozell or another MRC spokesperson, please contact Colleen Sullivan - csullivan@crcpublicrelations.com or Hayley McConnell - hmcconnell@crcpublicrelations.com or call (703) 683-5004.