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 [1] or Hayley McConnell -
hmcconnell@crcpublicrelations.com [2] or call (703) 683-5004.