As we enter the final weeks of the presidential campaign and hurricanes hit Florida and other parts of the country, you may have missed the news about another storm brewing. This is from CBS News.
Apparently, some people over there have discovered that CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil is guilty of violating journalism.
Dokoupil was interviewing Ta-Nehisi Coates about him. new bookIn “The Message,” Coates is highly critical of Israel when he asks some tough questions about why he omits important historical facts from anti-Israel narratives.
Dokoupil asked, “Why omit that Israel is surrounded by countries that want to eliminate Israel? Why omit that Israel is dealing with terrorist groups that want to eliminate Israel?” spoke. Why don't you write about the first and second intifadas, the cafe bombings, the bus bombings, the young children blown up? Is it because you don't believe that Israel has the right to exist under any circumstances? ”
Coates responded: “There is no shortage of such perspectives in American media.”
I've been in journalism for a long time, 28 years at CBS News alone, and I felt that Mr. Dokoupil's question was completely legitimate. But not everyone at CBS News agrees. This was followed by a conference call with staff, led by two executives who had received complaints from some of the younger staff.
CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon said Dokoupil's questions did not meet the company's “editorial standards.” Another executive, Adrian Rourke, said: said“Sometimes we fail our viewers and we fail each other. We're in a moment like that right now, and it's only getting bigger. And we're at a tipping point.”
According to the New York Post,Dokoupil told colleagues that he “regrets” his position.
“What exactly is that location?” asked Matthew Hennessy In the Wall Street Journal. Is it close to real journalism? ”
If this story of young staff rebelling against old-fashioned journalism sounds familiar, that's because it is. From Hennessy's column: “Young staffers at brand-name retailers heckle veteran colleagues who uphold time-honoured values of objectivity and neutrality. Many Gen Z and Millennial reporters believe that journalism They don't want to report on the world as it should be. They want to change it.”
Of course he's right. But as bad as that is, what's even worse is that those who are supposed to be adults often give in. They published an op-ed in the New York Times in 2020 by an opinion page editor who had the courage to write a conservative U.S. senator. The awakened crowd expressed views it did not like.. The awakened crowd won. The editor lost his job. And even at CBS News, upper management isn't showing much courage.
At least one CBS News reporter showed some common sense. Washington correspondent Jan Crawford also participated in the conference call. I'm saying: “I don't even know what it is about this call out, which seems to be publicly accusing one of the anchors of not meeting editorial standards. I don't understand how the comments you made don't meet our editorial standards…I thought our efforts were genuine.
“And, as Coates himself acknowledges, when someone comes on our airwaves with a one-sided explanation of a very complex situation, we, as journalists, need to make sure that our audience understands that worldview. I understand that I have an obligation to challenge that worldview in order to gain access.'' The truth, a fuller explanation, a more balanced explanation, and for me, that's what Tony did. ”
In 1996, when I was a correspondent for CBS News, tolerance for liberal bias at CBS, and more importantly in mainstream journalism in general, reached a breaking point. I wrote editorial about it It was published in WSJ and referred to the media version of World War III.
Liberals were furious. I was called a traitor. Too bad, I thought, because someone had to say it from inside the tent after all. If I were that guy, that would be fine.
Now another storm is coming. History may not repeat itself, but as the saying goes, history often rhymes. Liberals are once again furious as the debate over what constitutes true journalism is currently brewing inside and outside of CBS. We didn't call them “woke” back then, and the “mob” back then didn't cancel me — and I'm sure no matter how hard they tried, they wouldn't do this. I hope this doesn't hurt Dokupil any more than before. But then again, years after my column in the Journal, CBS News still discusses bias.
And, as Matthew Hennessy clearly states, “Those in positions of power in American media should be wiser than to kowtow to the cancel mob. If they don't stand up, call themselves journalists.” You should stop.”
bernard goldberg He is an Emmy Award-winning and Alfred I. duPont Columbia University Award-winning author and journalist. He is the author of five books and publishes exclusive weekly columns, audio commentaries, and Q&As. substack page.
