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View Full Version : ABC's Stossel Rips Network for Hostility to Conservatives



John Ashcroft
01-29-2004, 01:39 PM
ABC News correspondent John Stossel, the co-anchor of 20/20, said most mainstream journalists, including those at his network, are leftists who view conservatives as "selfish and cruel" for embracing capitalism.

Stossel was in the nation's capital Tuesday to promote his new book, "Give Me a Break," at the libertarian Cato Institute. Although he praised ABC News for letting him present free-market viewpoints on 20/20, he criticized his peers for their hostility toward those ideas.

"Where I live in Manhattan and where I work at ABC, people say conservative the way people say child molester," he said. "[Conservative] is the worst thing for a reporter to be called. And I'm a little puzzled why they call me a conservative."

Stossel said, for instance, that he has libertarian views when it comes to drug use, prostitution, homosexuality and flag burning. Regardless, liberal media watchdogs like Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting have attacked him for aligning with conservatives.

Before adopting a skeptical view of the government and public-interest groups, Stossel was an enterprising consumer reporter. He won 18 Emmys while exposing shady business practices. But since realizing that more regulation might not be the answer to the world's problems, Stossel said he has observed changes, and he has only won one Emmy in that time.

"Leftist thinking is just the culture that I live in and the culture the reporters who populate the mainstream media live in," he said. "Everybody just agrees - more safety regulation, gun control, higher taxes. Who could not want that? Everybody around here wants that. Anyone who disagrees is seen as not just wrong but selfish and cruel. If I try to discuss this with my peers, I get blank stares."

He added, "The press is so filled with hatred for capitalism that someone who advocates for free markets rather than government control is a conservative and a problem."

Stossel's book details some of the challenges he has encountered because of his free-market perspective. He told the crowd of libertarians that one of his "worst battles" with ABC News' legal review department happened when he did a feature on rent control.

"Everything I do has to be read by two liberal ABC lawyers and at least two liberal ABC producers," he said. "In this case, an economically illiterate lawyer kept blocking it. He demanded we interview more economists that would soften the piece and put it more in perspective because he was convinced it would be a disaster for poor people if rent control was abolished. Turned out he lived in a rent-controlled apartment."

Sound like plain old objective reporting to you all? :rolleyes:

While not all of Stossel's stories get the green light from ABC News, he promised to "plunge ahead" with his special reports and 20/20 features. Stossel is in line to be the sole anchor on the show once co-host Barbara Walters steps down in September.

"ABC, God bless them, they don't always agree with me," he said, "but they let me do most of the things I want to do."

Stossel passed up the opportunity to talk about the work of other ABC News journalists, including World News Tonight anchor Peter Jennings. The Media Research Center, the parent organization of CNSNews.com, has criticized Jennings for biased reporting on the Bush administration and the Iraq war among other issues.

"I think as long as ABC is paying me," Stossel said, "they have a right to have me shut up about my opinions about what other people at ABC are doing."

When a member of the audience later asked Stossel why he had not joined a network with "journalistic integrity," such as Fox, the ABC newsman defended his employer.

"I'm going to stay with ABC," he said. "ABC has 10 million viewers typically, Fox has 1 [million], so the three networks can say, 'Fox is not doing good journalism, and the proof is that nobody's watching. We have 30 [million]; they have 1 [million]. Those are all right-wing nuts.' "

Stossel also used the occasion to take a swipe at The New York Times and The Washington Post. While the newspapers reach only a fraction of people compared to the television networks, he said radio and television producers rely heavily on their contents.

"The reason the Times, and to a lesser extent the Post, are so important, and they are, is because the TV and radio - all of the media - copy it sycophantically," he said. "That's how bias at the Times becomes bias in other media."

An ABC News spokeswoman had no immediate reaction to Stossel's comments Tuesday night.
Link: here (http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewCulture.asp?Page=\Culture\archive\200401\CUL20 040128a.html)

FORD
01-29-2004, 02:28 PM
Stossel's a bigoted Limpdick wannabe who belongs on FAUX. He has all the credibility of John Kerry and the personality of a rattlesnake.

John Ashcroft
01-29-2004, 03:13 PM
Yet your hero's all applauded him when he was sticking to Corporate America...

FORD
01-29-2004, 03:21 PM
That was when he was in his "wannabe Geraldo" phase. But even Geraldo went to work for PNAC.

John Ashcroft
01-30-2004, 08:07 AM
Also, how is Stossel a bigot? I don't watch the dude (but have seen one or two of his reports), and I don't remember anything slightly racist about him. Are you just employing typical left smear tactics on opponents or do you have some goods?

Ally_Kat
01-30-2004, 05:15 PM
people want to always come out and say that there is no liberal media bias, yet if you were to ask people within the field, you find more liberals than conservatives. And we're taught that way, too. There's only one professor in my entire department that I can honestly say that i don't know where he stands on political issues. The others preach how it is our job to uncover the evils of the rich conservatives and save America.


People like to complain that Fox is more conservative based, but I've dealt with many of the news corporations and I don't see why everyone bitches about Fox when I know for a fact that all the other ones have "liberal tendancies".

This is why as I get closer to getting my degree I want nothing with reporting. For stories that involve press releases, they don't do much except rewrite what they are given. More than half the stories you read in a newspaper or watch on cable are public relations related. That's scary.

BigBadBrian
01-30-2004, 05:21 PM
Originally posted by John Ashcroft
ABC News correspondent John Stossel, the co-anchor of 20/20, said most mainstream journalists, including those at his network, are leftists who view conservatives as "selfish and cruel" for embracing capitalism.

[/B]

The top-name leftist media types have no problem taking those big-figure capitalist paychecks, do they? How much do you figure that cunt Katie Couric gives to charity?

John Ashcroft
01-31-2004, 10:44 AM
Probably as much as Algore gave during the last election year.

Cathedral
01-31-2004, 11:27 AM
FoxNEWS.....Fair and Balanced.

I watch basically every news channel i get on a regular basis and the only channel that treats both sides fairly is the number one news channel, FoxNEWS, baby...

Of course i like the Hannity and Colmes rippoff on CNN they call Crossfire as well, lol.
Last night the lies were flying like cum at a fuck festival.

I think the Dem vs. Repub shows on any channel gives you a more well rounded view of our world today.

FORD
01-31-2004, 11:56 AM
Originally posted by Cathedral
FoxNEWS.....Fair and Balanced.

I watch basically every news channel i get on a regular basis and the only channel that treats both sides fairly is the number one news channel, FoxNEWS, baby...

That's like saying that Hitler treated the Jews fairly, or that the KKK has the utmost respect for those they lynch. FAUX lies about Democrats, circulates rumors and propaganda, and shouts down anyone to the left of Hitler on their so called "talk" shows.


Of course i like the Hannity and Colmes rippoff on CNN they call Crossfire as well, lol.

Uh, you DO know that Crossfire has been around much longer than Hannazi and colmes, right?? Pat Buchanan and Tom Braden were the original hosts back when Daddy Bush was invading countries for profit.



I think the Dem vs. Repub shows on any channel gives you a more well rounded view of our world today.

Only if they truly show both sides of the story. The old Crossfire used to do that. Buchanan is right wing as Hell and he argued with the Democrats, but at least he let them complete a sentence. Hannazi and O'Reichly will shout their "guests" down and if that doesn't work, they'll cut their microphones off.

John Ashcroft
01-31-2004, 01:40 PM
But Begala is mild mannered???

I mean, I can't hardly stand to watch crossfire. Tucker isn't up to the match. Begala spouts spin and lies with abandon (being a professional spin-doctor and all), and Tucker let's him get away with it (being a reporter rather than a spin-meister). The intentional mis-match is exactly what America is sick and tired of (notice Crossfire gets shot down in ratings week after week after week). And to hear you libs claim there's a conservative tone to the news is just absurd and laughable. I wonder who you guys think you're fooling? (The ratings seem to indicate you're fooling noone).

BigBadBrian
01-31-2004, 03:03 PM
Originally posted by Ally_Kat


This is why as I get closer to getting my degree I want nothing with reporting.


:( I thought you were gonna be the next newsbabe we could all fantisize about? :D

BigBadBrian
01-31-2004, 03:06 PM
Originally posted by FORD
FAUX lies about Democrats, circulates rumors and propaganda, and shouts down anyone to the left of Hitler on their so called "talk" shows.


Fox gives more newstime to Democrats than any other network and there is no shortage of them on FNC. All have been treated with dignity and respect except Howie Dean. He's too chicken to go on FOX. All the other candidates have. All were allowed to speak their piece.