NPR Admits Some Mistakes, Stops Short of Apology

[William769]

The NPR journalists whose report this week portrayed the merits of conversion therapy as up for debate are now admitting they made mistakes.

Morning Edition aired a report Monday that featured an interview with Rich Wyler, founder of an organization promoting "ex-gay" therapy, and Peterson Toscano, who says the therapy was mentally damaging. NPR health reporter Alix Spiegel and her editor, Anne Gudenkauf, claim that even if they wrongfully gave equal weight to both men's arguments at the start of the piece, the facts were made clear eventually.

"We did not label Mr. Wyler as the minority experience and Mr. Toscano as the majority until late in the piece," they conceded to the NPR ombudsman, who wrote a column posted today on the ensuing outrage.

But what the journalists are referring to is a single sentence of fuzzy math that concluded the nine-minute story. Spiegel had summed up the piece by proclaiming, "For every Wyler, there are dozens of gay men and women who will struggle through a process that asks them to annihilate a part of themselves."

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/08/04/NPR_Admits_Some_Mistakes,_Stops_Short_of_Apology/

[Kali]

1. I need new glasses

this was at the top of the latest page and while I saw that it was in the GLBT forum, I thought it said NRA rather than NPR:crazy: and I wondered :wtf:


:blush:

[William769]

3. I have had to have my prescription glasses powered up 3 times

In the past 18 Months. I know the feeling.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. They heard from me the hard way.

Morning Edition needs to be cancelled and replaced by an entirely new show. The production culture that allowed this to air should not be allowed to continue. Reckless and unprofessional.

[MADem]

4. It's up for debate, all right

One one side, we have medical proof over years of study that it is a damaging, discredited and dangerous practice.

On the other side, we have a bunch of fucking morons.

Why anyone would think that this sort of split deserves "equal time" or anything close to it is beyond me.

[Enthusiast]

6. It's a reflection of the right wing

bias of NPR. I can barely listen to it.

[MADem]

9. The legacy of Colin Powell's well-fatted son....

Mister FCC himself. He had his marching orders, and he carried them out to the Nth Degree. Under the guise of "net neutrality" he bullied public broadcasters into giving equal time to pure horseshit. There was no filter of logic or sanity, never mind 'prevailing public opinion' or that silly little thing called common sense. Ironically, now that he's out of the game, he's working real hard AGAINST net neutrality--why are we not surprised?

How that bloated little shit can look himself in the mirror in the morning, I have no idea.

Guess what Michael Powell's doing now? Isn't it amazing how so many dispicable creatures manage to land on their well-padded feet:

http://www.thewrap.com/tv/column-post/former-fcc-head-michael-powell-lead-cable-lobbying-group-25508

Michael Powell, Ex-FCC Head, Named Top Cable Industry Lobbyist

Published: March 15, 2011 @ 11:53 am
By Tim Kenneally

Michael Powell, who served as chairman of the FCC from 2001 to 2005 under the Bush administration, has been named the new president and CEO of the trade organization the National Cable & Telecommunications Association.

Though an NCTA spokesperson told TheWrap that "we need to let get his feet wet" before determining his priorities as the group's lead lobbyist, net neutrality will no doubt take up part of his attention. In Feburary, the House voted to block the FCC's rules on net neutrality, though their vote would need Senate approval and President Obama's signature to become law.

The NCTA has come down against net neutrality, with McSlarrow deeming it "unnecessary in light of the competitive marketplace."

But The Wall Street Journal notes that Powell was was among the first regulators to seek consumer online protections he dubbed "the four freedoms." They influenced the net neutrality rules the FCC passed in December....Powell is currently a senior advisor for Providence Equity Partners and honorary co-chair of Broadband for America. He is the son of former Secretary of State and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell.

[closeupready]

8. It's very similar to official BBC policy, as I recall - to provide coverage, as "balance", to bigots

who favor homophobia as opposed to equality.

[MADem]

10. See my comments about that miserable little fucker, Michael Powell, just upthread.

When I think "net neutrality" I don't think "Every idiot with a pasta strainer on their head can weigh in," I think about the "prevailing national debate." Powell was what one might call "deliberately obtuse" as to the meaning of the term. In effect, he was throwing us crumbs mixed with a whole lot of horseshit, and the purpose was to weaken NPR as a critical voice against the prevailing regime by making them look like marginalized flakes. As a consequence, NPR has been tainted by a slew of loonytunes who are neither vigorous in their research or ethical in their conduct.

Ironically, now that Powell's the Top Lobbyist for the cable industry, he just HATES him some net neutrality, the miserable little punk.

If his daddy had not been a high ranking military and government career professional who was once involved in making decisions of the highest order, he'd be toiling away in some mid-level law firm, if he was lucky. He sure as hell wouldn't be raking in the big money just because of who his pops was.

[geckosfeet]

5. NPR alienates more potential donors and management 'makes' producers ' apologize.

Sort of.

Must be getting close to pledge summer season.

[closeupready]

7. Too little, too late.

:puke:

[Vanje]

11. NPR is an organ of the American Enterprise Institute

Fuck NPR