Interviewed about a billboard

[DavidDvorkin]

Yesterday, I was briefly interviewed by a local TV channel about the billboards Freedom from Religion Foundation has erected here in Denver. I met the reporter and cameraman near the billboards. The reporter was friendly and seemed to have done some homework. I said my piece, including saying that atheists need to be more outspoken, and then they jumped back in their van so that they could get back to the station and get the tape ready for the 4 p.m. news broadcast.

The reporter mentioned that before I arrived, a man passing by had volunteered to give his opinion on the billboards. When I got home and watched the 4 p.m. news, my remarks had been cut quite a bit, which I expected, but the other interviewee, whom the interviewed before me, was shown second. He was a smug theist who said he was offended by the billboards but he knew who was really in charge (God, of course), so he wasn't really bothered. That second interview is therefore the impression the viewer comes away with as the typical man-in-the-street reaction. Not coincidence, I'm sure.

Here's the version, written up, on the TV channel's Web site. The writeup also has me first, the other man second.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/26166019/detail.html

[Iggo]

1. Just some random passer-by/volunteer, eh?

Mm-hmm.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. Would a professional TV journalist lie about that?

[DavidDvorkin]

3. My post was uncalled for

I don't think he lied. I may be gullible, but I had the impression that he was sincere and genuinely interested in the debate.

The people back at the station might be a different matter.