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.
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Yeah, well, there are still more pictures of the few counter-protesters than there are of the actual March. Ridiculously skewed.
I was one of those commenters. I wrote that my daughter went with a bus full of students from her high school, and that there more people ON THAT ONE BUS than there were pro-abortion protesters in their pictures.
I also suggested that their headline for the photos be “Double Plus Good!” because that would indicate exactly who would appreciate their coverage.
Perhaps CBS should be lauded here ... at least *they* covered the March at all, as opposed to the online sources of CNN & Fox News. (Entirely possible I’m mistaken, but I haven’t found *any* coverage from either website.)
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Did any of the other MSM outlets actually cover the March?
As we learned in Catholic grammar school to say: “Better late than never but better never late. Odious, despicable, outrageous but typical is the media coverage of Life events. One day, when the Berlin Wall of abortion collapses in this country, the media will stand aghast and bewhildered, wondering how such an event could ever occur. Considering the lack of fair and balanced coverage of the life issues, it will remain a mystery to the deaf, dumb, and blind media elites who have consistently failed to cover the news with any modicum of fairness. Nevertheless, CBS has taken a baby step in the right direction. Good for them.
RMMT:
Yes. I blogged about this on Tuesday. There was a lot of ignoring, but also some coverage—some of it not bad. Surprisingly, the best coverage, both before and after the March, was from MSNBC. Please see my earlier post for more on media coverage and non-coverage of the March.
Shame on CBS, CNN etc. for their pathetic attempt at journalism on the pro life march.If it had been Occupy Wall Street or Homosexual extremists numbering a few dozen people involved in the march the story and pictures of the event would have been a the head of every single news story.What a pathetic bias we endure by the Homosexual-abortionist media cliques running the major media. Then they wonder why millions of Americans ignore them and rely on the internet for news etc..
While I applaud your efforts and the begrudging response by CBS, does anyone else feel “the need to reform the media” is just as or more important than changing hearts? Did this response by CBS or even the response to PIPA/SOPA enlighten anyone? When the sewage of the “media” started we prudently changed channels or turned it off not realizing we would never raise our own teenagers that way. If that was our response to any child in trouble or off track they would quickly learn they can DO ANYTHING! And isn’t that exactly what the “media” learned from us? So it’s not surprising your friends, neighbors, strangers and even our own children are swimming in it, force feed with all it’s stench and there we are with what message was that again? Seems you may have part of the shut off valve to that sewage pipe in your mouse and keyboard. Maybe even some smart souls in the “good media” see what many are starting to see…and they are in positions already in the communications biz. One can only hope and pray.
Thanks for the heads up, Steven. I’m glad CBS finally, if belatedly, added some pictures of the actual pro-life marchers. I do appreciate the wide shot to show them in their hundreds of thousands.
Excellent job on getting the word out. And when other news outlets started reporting on CBS’ slanted coverage—I guess that hurt too much to ignore.
Cheers!
Nod
Interesting factoid—in looking back at the newly updated photo gallery, I notice that all of the original handful of pictures of the pro-choice people were taken by MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images, whereas all of the newer pro-life pictures are taken by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images.
Looks like they had to outsource a new photographer. Gee.
We sure need hawk-eyed Angels like you, Steven, to blow the whistle when your Homosexual-abortionist media cliques running the major media - as Ed M. so rightly calls them - shamelessly gives the Truth a back-out. Thak you for being the first one to throw the first Punch. But, you know what??....the tide is turning….and in God’s Own good time, the horrendous genocide of the unborn, and all the other bestialities now rampant in your country will come to and end. And we also pray that those countries - like my beloved Kenya - which are under the vice-like stranglehold of the Obama Administration will find a way to free themselves from this Evil Administration. Here we pray we shall succeed in removing from our new Constitution all the evil Clauses which, Obama, Biden, that Clinton woman and Planned Parenthood ensured were included in our Supreme Law.
America, it must be emphasized that what you do there in the USA sends ripples in the shores of our dear Motherland in the Philippines. Therefore, the show of force of pro-lifers should also serve as an awakening of our own liberal media here. We,too, the Catholic Church in the Philippines, have our own battle with liberal media. The plague there are also infecting our media entities here. They are many here supporting the contraceptive agenda. I say, bring in your tsunami to us. And if I may suggest, with that huge turnout, can you translate that into a unified action to boycott these decadent media. But you must have an alternative to them… Perhaps Fox news can fill in?....
Your signs were great! Next time try covering them in clear contact paper. I learned from experience that it’s an inexpensive way to preserve thrm through the rough weather. Thank you for all you do!
It was a year ago, maybe two… when one of the ABC news programs (20/20, Nightline) did a story on abortion protesters and when they showed video of protesters praying (not actually showing that they were praying the rosary… the editor brought up the natural sound / ambient sound of this part of the prayer… “Save us from the fires of hell.” and then brought the Nat sound back down (I’m an editor and used to work in news) before the faithful recited, “Take all souls into heaven, especially, those most in need of thy mercy.”
And that has stuck in my craw all this time…. that they focus on any part that can sound like fire and brimstone (the fires of hell) which inflame the secular crowd…. and leave out the merciful part.
Talk about coloring the perception!!
I still regret not writing to them and giving them a piece of my mind.
America’s “mainstream media” has devolved into the modern voice of Sauron ... they are following in the footsteps of Herr Goebbels the Nazi propaganda minister who taught them well that:
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
Think about it - NPR, PBS, CBS, NBC, ABC, MSNBC et alia have shielded and advanced the anti-life agenda for a whole generation now .... as Lincoln said you can not fool all of the people all of the time ... we are finally waking up. You can and have seen and heard virtually anything on these stations over the years but think about it - Have you ever seen “The Silent Scream” or anything like it repeated over and over again like you do the substitute mother earth “Gaia” quasi substitute religion propaganda.
My two cents.
I remember a political cartoon several years back that “explained” everything you need to know about the Lamestream/Obama Mania (to borrow from Sean Hannity)/“I felt a thrill going up my leg” Media. There were four captions on how they showed issues in America: child abuse (with the beaten child), hunger (the child with the bloated belly), war (the bombed-out buildings) and abortion (people picketing). And yet they pretend ...
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