CBS Notices Pro-Lifers After All

Sometimes, occasionally, shouting loud enough about outrageous behavior gets results.

In that connection, I’m pleased to report that a few hours ago, responding to vociferous criticism from many quarters of the Internet, including this blog, CBS belatedly updated an odious photo gallery from Monday’s March for Life—captioned with verbiage referring vaguely to “activists on both sides of the abortion issue, but originally displaying only photos of the tiny pro-choice counter-demonstration, without even a single photo of the March for Life—adding numerous photos of the March itself.

Although criticism of CBS’s original photo gallery ranged far and wide, the earliest whistleblower I’m aware of was the blog Wynkin, Blynken and Nod, which commented early Tuesday. I reported on W. B. Nod’s comments later that day, and my own comments (and Nod’s) were picked up by Matthew Balan of NewsBusters. Later that evening, Al Kresta posted on the story.

Yesterday, the story spread as Jill Stanek and LifeSiteNews picked up on it. Earlier today, the issue hit The Washington Times, the Washington Examiner and Get Religion.

Meanwhile, CBS’s own website was getting hammered with negative comments—and some combination of all of this was finally enough to induce the powers that be to add a number of photos depicting the March for Life itself—in all of its size, youth and energy.

As far as I know, I was among the earliest voices calling out CBS on their initial despicable coverage, and if I played a significant role in highlighting CBS’s blatant misreportage and adding pressure to take corrective action, I’m pleased.

It should be noted that the updated slideshow still gives approximately equal space to “both sides”; still, anyone can now see that the occasion was a VAST pro-life demonstration with a TINY pro-choice counter-demonstration.

While this doesn’t completely make up for the the initial slideshow valentine to the culture of death, CBS does deserve credit for taking significant corrective action. So, thanks for that, CBS.

P.S. Next year, for the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, try to get it right the first time, CBS.