NBC Reacts To Bill O'Reilly's Bias Criticism ("sad and pathetic")

[Mark E. Smith]

PASADENA, Calif. - Bill O'Reilly's criticism of NBC News as a liberal-leaning network is "really kind of sad and pathetic," the network's news president said.

Steve Capus attributed the Fox News Channel host's criticism of the network to O'Reilly's ongoing feud with MSNBC's Keith Olbermann.

O'Reilly has said NBC News, as an organization, has gone sharply to the left. He cited the network's decision last fall to begin referring to the sectarian violence in Iraq as a civil war, a phrase the Bush administration has resisted.

"I think it's really kind of sad and pathetic, some of the things that he's been lobbing at us these days," Capus told reporters Wednesday. "I don't quite understand it. I assume it's because Keith Olbermann has had such tremendous growth and there's real momentum behind Keith's broadcast."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16688461/

[mediaman007]

1. Sorry, Wrong thread...

[Botany]

2. Keep it Keith you are gonna give him a stroke

I kid I kid I just meant a cerebral vesicular accident.

[villager]

3. hmm... so it's GE vs. Murdoch now

n/t

[ileus]

17. GE is the Devil.

[gratuitous]

4. Another slogan for Blotchy Bill

Add to "wholly without merit" the epithet "sad and pathetic" to describe Mr. O'Reilly.

I offer these comments to Fox for free. Use them in any way you see fit to advertise Mr. O'Reilly's program! I won't hit you up for any consulting fee.

[stanwyck]

5. Why can't you people understand?

When Bush says that the hanging of Saddam Hussein was botched, he's right. Of course. But when Tom Brokaw says the exact same thing, he's a biased liberal.
The problem the right has now is that the facts are, in their view, liberal. Yes. The facts are now biased. Where does that leave the right? Anytime NBC, or any reputable source, reports the news...they're reporting facts. And those facts are "liberal."
This is a sad time to be a conservative. You've got nowhere to go.

[Toucano]

9. That's it in a nutshell

Thanks. Well done!

[stewert]

12. And This.......

Just a few days ago John Bolton also said Iraq is in a civil war, is he a biased liberal too?

O'Reilly claims NBC has moved to the left because they say Iraq is in a civil war, yet many Republicans are saying the same thing, funny how O'Reilly never reports that. Not to mention every other news outlet in the world is calling it a civil war, except for FOX and CNN.

-------------

Bolton: Well look, the fundamental point is whether the civil war that exists now is going to continue or whether the Iraqis are going to decide to live together in one country.

www.crooksandliars.com/2007/01/15/john-bolton-calls-iraq-situation-a-civil-war/

[Toots]

13. But to be fair you must balance those facts with opinion

Then you have Fox News...Which by the way is losing viewership faster than Iraq is losing citizens...

[Zodiak]

14. Faux news is where they go

Any Faux does their best to keep the mushrooms in the dark.

[Efilroft Sul]

15. "Reality has a liberal bias." -- Colbert n/t

[SemperEadem]

23. facts gets in the way of fascism.

[wryter2000]

6. All he forgot to add...

"bless his heart." He's "really kind of sad and pathetic, bless his heart."

[Frances]

7. Were you born in the South too?

I read a hilarious article a few years ago by a fellow Southerner explaining how you can say just about anything about a person and still be considered polite if you just add the words, "Bless his/her heart."

[wryter2000]

8. No, I'm not a Southerner

I read that column. It was Molly Ivins. So many Southernisms are useful and expressive, I've adopted some of them. That's one of my favorites.

[tchunter]

10. all i know is that i can't wait for o'reilly to get pwn3d on colbert tonight

papa bear's stepping into the eagle's nest

[NobleCynic]

25. Self delete

Self delete

[AX10]

11. Bill is really grasping for straws. He seems to not mind...

Tucker Carlson and had no objections when Tweety was up Bush's ass. Now that the Bush line is not being towed by the greater media, he doesn't like them anymore. Fox's bias is showing at it's worse over Iraq. They are the only channel that is still parroting Bush's BS. Like it or not, alot of the MSM has turned their back to Bush. There are many Democrats to be found on many netorks these days(the playing field is less tilted towards the Right wing). According to O'Reilly, that makes these networks "liberal". According to right wingers, "fair and balanced" means panel after panel of Republicans spouting right wing talking points.

[stanwyck]

16. One of the "media experts" who appears on Keith's show

sorry...drawing a blank on his name...the guy with the glasses (like that helps) seconded what you're saying about the "fair and balanced."
What's happening is, the right feels that if you don't give any faction of their dissent it's voice, you're not being fair. But the truth is, often the over-whelming facts tilt the scales so clearly that the "other side" doesn't warrant "equal" time. For example, why do the creationists, who have no science behind them other than the fairy tales from their "think tanks" of theology degree scientists, feel they are equal to the real science of evolutionist theory based on reams of real data?
Arguments are not always equal. The dissenters deserve to be heard. But do they truly deserve equal time in every instance? This seems to be what the right wants.
Does this mean pedophiles deserve an equal audience to voice their beliefs that sex with children is not only normal, but healthy? Absurd? Yes. But the right wants their arguments to always receive equal treatment -- even when their stem cell arguments or global warming arguments don't have nearly the foundation as the opposition.
They are bullying the media with their "fair and balanced" to mean, our voices must get equal time...even when the facts are clearly in opposition.
And, so, we get Frist diagnosing a brain dead woman as "alert" via his video interpretation. Nevermind the fleet of doctors and nurses who had been caring for the woman for years. We must give the loonies on the right their equal time or they cry foul.
Our time is getting wasted with all these pointless digressions which have no factual basis other than personal beliefs and because O'Reilly wants to believe he's right. Or Rush. Or Hannity. Facts be damned.
And the club they use to beat us with is their "fair and balanced."
If only they were.

[0007]

20. You may be thinking of Richard Wolf.....nt.

[SemperEadem]

24. equal time was abolished in the Reagan administration

if they have complaints, then they need to go dig up their boy and put it to him.

[sakabatou]

18. Billy-boy, you're nothing.

Why the hell whould give attention to you?

[aggiesal]

19. So what if NBC is gone to the LEFT!!!

And why is the NBC News president even responding.

This is how the right-wing nut jobs work.
They find a left leaning story that a network has broadcasted.
They then accuse the network of being liberal.
Network apologizes and starts broadcasting RW news.

You think Faux news cares that everyone accuses them of being RW?

Neither should NBC!

[Oak2004]

21. NBC really really does not care at the moment

Keith Olbermann has done wonders for their ratings. And the bottom line, for NBC, is profit.

If anything I'll bet they're quietly looking for another Keith Olbermann-like figure to throw on the air. And I'll bet CNN is, too.

[Miss Chybil]

22. As opposed to being fair and balanced by toeing the Bush line, right?

Right.