Broadcast Bias: Media Elites Put Their Profession Over Patriotism

When I was a personnel of nan White House property corps, it was easy observable that reporters felt they could not opportunity nan "Pledge of Allegiance" pinch different Americans astatine nan White House. That, somehow, compromised their neutrality. This inaction suggested that American reporters shouldn’t show appreciation for their state enshrining state of nan press. That’s a deficiency of gratitude, not conscionable a deficiency of patriotism. 

For nan broadcast media, nan emotion that they weren’t rooting for America was first underlined successful their guidance to nan Vietnam War. This was crystallized pinch CBS anchor Walter Cronkite declaring from Saigon successful 1968 that America was going to lose, "that nan only logical measurement retired past will beryllium to negotiate, not arsenic victors." Cronkite had been over-praised arsenic nan principle of objectivity, but politicians feared his persuasive power. Media powerfulness to sway nan state was much satisfying than patriotism. 

Journalism is poised against patriotism. Journalists disdain patriotism arsenic "my state correct aliases wrong," and they ever want to beryllium right. They subordinate patriotism pinch warmongers pushing for endless wars. 

'60 MINUTES' KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW AT CENTER OF TRUMP LAWSUIT RUNS AFOUL OF CRONKITE-ERA CBS GUIDELINES

In March 1989, nan media’s arguable ingratitude toward America was spotlighted by a PBS show called "Ethics In America." Professor Charles Ogletree created a script wherever America was fighting a fictional state called North Kosan. The force was going to battle American troops. He asked: does a newsman person a "higher work arsenic an American citizen" to pass nan troops? Without hesitation, CBS journalist Mike Wallace said no. "No, you don't person higher work ... you're a reporter." ABC anchor Peter Jennings first said he would notify them, past changed his mind: "I deliberation he's correct too. I chickened out." 

CBS anchor Walter Cronkite was feared by politicians. (Photo by Ben Martin/Getty Images)

In an April 1990 primetime special, Jennings intelligibly signaled America was not a benign unit successful nan world. "The United States is profoundly progressive successful Cambodia again. Cambodia is connected nan separator of hellhole again." 

September 11, 2001, whitethorn person agreed nan state for a fewer weeks, but not connected ABC. Six days aft thousands of Americans died, ABC "Politically Incorrect" big Bill Maher based on that nan terrorists who drove planes into buildings were much courageous than American pilots: "We person been nan cowards. Lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away, that’s cowardly. Staying successful nan airplane erstwhile it hits nan building, opportunity what you want astir it, not cowardly."  

EX-ABC JOURNALIST FIRED FOR CALLING TRUMP A 'WORLD-CLASS HATER' SAYS IT'S NOT A REPORTER'S JOB TO BE OBJECTIVE

Two weeks later, "CBS Evening News" shaper Dick Meyer wrote a commentary on CBSNews.com on nan discomfort pinch nan American flag. "Our 10-year-old girl asked her mother if we could put a emblem connected our car. My woman reluctantly agreed, but hasn’t procured nan emblem yet. ... My woman fundamentally shares our daughter’s feelings. But for her, nan awesome of nan emblem was appropriated successful her younker by counter-protesters who utilized it to contradict nan patriotism of nan war’s opponents. Flag-waving feels fierce to her." Burning nan emblem isn’t aggressive. Waving it is. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

Flag pins were still offending PBS big Bill Moyers, who uncorked a pompous commentary connected his programme "Now" connected nan taxpayer-funded network. The flag’s been hijacked and turned into a logo – nan trademark of a monopoly connected patriotism. ... When I spot flags sprouting connected charismatic lapels, I deliberation of nan clip successful China erstwhile I saw Mao’s Little Red Book connected each official’s desk, omnipresent and unread." 

Four years later, Moyers was still astatine it connected his PBS show, now called "Moyers & Company." This time, he ripped nan pledge: "The adjacent clip you opportunity nan ‘Pledge of Allegiance.’ ... Remember, it's a lie, a whopper of a lie. We coax it from nan mouths of babes for nan aforesaid logic our politicians deterioration their emblem pins connected their lapels. It makes nan hypocrisy spell down easier." 

BROADCAST BIAS: MEDIA COVERAGE OF NPR LAWSUIT AGAINST TRUMP HIDES WHAT PUBLIC MEDIA REALLY IS

Also successful 2007, nan ABC News programme "The View" featured Rosie O’Donnell suggesting we were nan terrorists: "I conscionable want to opportunity something: 655,000 Iraqi civilians are dead. Who are nan terrorists?...If you were successful Iraq, and nan different country, nan United States, nan richest successful nan world, invaded your state and killed 655,000 of your citizens, what would you telephone us?" 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"The View" was still astatine this successful 2021, erstwhile Olympian jock Gwen Berry turned distant and covered her caput while they played nan national anthem astatine nan delayed Olympic trials. Whoopi Goldberg came to her defense: "In nan upcoming days, we’ll play you nan American anthem and fto you spot what you deliberation of it. Because there’s immoderate worldly successful location that makes it a small spot reliable to take." 

America is simply a free country, and journalists are free to denigrate it. Journalists are free to asseverate that their precious occupation places them supra putrid pledges of allegiance. But they shouldn’t beryllium mystified erstwhile Americans determine they don’t spot networks that sound suspicious of nan nationalist unity that patriotism tin bring. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM TIM GRAHAM