CBS Slandering Reagan...

[DeltAlum]

Krazy,

I'm probably the most apolitical person on GC. I get frustrated at the baying from all sides of the political spectrum.

However, I have spent over thirty-five years in broadcasting -- from local to network.

And...

I've met Roger Ailes (Fox Newschannel President), who is also a fellow Ohio University graduate. The Manager of Production at FOX is a friend and former NBC employee. I've also met their Manager of Network Operations on a number of occassions. I've spent a little (not a lot) of time in the New York HQ.

I'm sorry, but from a pure journalistic standpoint, FOX is just to the right of Atilla the Hun.

They have a barely hidden Conservative Republican agenda that, in the old days of "The Fairness Doctrine" (Communications Act of 1934 which governed broadcasting up until the late 1990's) had they been an on-air TV station would conceivably have cost them their license. Fortunately for them they're on cable, and networks aren't licensed anyway -- just their owned stations.

You may consider the other networks "left-wing" or "liberal" or whatever, but the fact is that they DO have owned on-air stations and are governed by FCC rules and regulations (with the exception of CNN -- remember that there is a clear distinction between FOX News Channel and the FOX on-air station, as there is between CNN and WTBS in Atlanta) So, ABC, NBC and CBS have a LOT more at stake in terms of fairness.

I suggest that what would appear to me to be your political leanings might color your thoughts on the other media. Almost everyone's do one way or the other.

Remember, too, that if this is a made for TV movie, CBS is probably NOT the producer and probably had little or no input into the content and/or production.

And, if they are admitting things are fabricated, that's probably a good thing. It could save their TV stations' licenses.

An aside:

By the way, Kitso, I'm pretty sure Heyward is the guy I was thinking about. He's the President of the CBS News Division. I used to do a fair amount of on location directing for TODAY in a previous lifetime. I am still trying to figure out who the President of the CBS Network is.