‘60 Minutes’ Airs Apology on Benghazi

[brooklynite]

Source: New York Times

Lara Logan was scheduled to deliver a report on Sunday’s “60 Minutes” about disabled veterans who climb mountains. Instead, she appeared in front of the newsmagazine’s trademark black backdrop and issued an apology.

Ms. Logan said that Dylan Davies, one of the main sources for a two-week-old piece about the attack on the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, had misled the program’s staff when he gave an account of rushing to the compound the night the attack took place. “It was a mistake to include him in our report. For that, we are very sorry,” Ms. Logan said.

The apology lasted only 90 seconds and revealed nothing new about why CBS had trusted Mr. Davies, who appeared on the program under the pseudonym Morgan Jones. Off-camera, CBS executives were left to wonder how viewers would react to the exceptionally rare correction.

While veteran television journalists spent the weekend debating whether the now-discredited Benghazi report would cause long-term damage to the esteemed newsmagazine’s brand, some media critics joined the liberal advocacy group Media Matters for America in calling for CBS to initiate an independent investigation of missteps in the reporting process.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/business/media/60-minutes-airs-apology-on-benghazi.html?_r=0

[frazzled]

1. It already caused damage to me.

I didn't watch it this evening because we were on our way out. We did hear part of a segment of it on the radio however, about the guy kidnapped and imprisoned in Syria. I wasn't getting any images--only the sound--so maybe there were corroborating images. But I kept thinking, "how do I know this guy isn't making up a good deal of this?"

Once someone lies to you, it's really hard to regain trust. (Not that I haven't always approached everything with a certain amount of skepticism.)

[rdharma]

3. It's a shame really. Lara Logan WAS a promising journalist........

.... at least early on.

[avaistheone1]

9. She is a good spokesperson for the MIC

if you are into the MIC.

[rdharma]

19. Now she is. She used to be a REAL journalist.

CBS spiked a lot of her early stuff in Iraq and the Haifa story she tried to air.

[rdharma]

2. This is why I check Media Matters for America on a frequent basis....

http://mediamatters.org/

[SoapBox]

4. ROFL!

"Off-camera, CBS executives were left to wonder how viewers would react to the exceptionally rare correction."

The stupid fuck heads were more worried about the apology than they were about honesty and accuracy in reporting.

Assholes.

[FarPoint]

14. Excellent point.

Priorities of journalism has been trashed. They should of thought about credibility when airing a less than vetted, damming story that is targeted at of President.

They rolled the dice on their stellar reputation and pimped out this story with the soul intent of damaging this Administration.

[blkmusclmachine]

5. Can't trust 60 Minutes. They've gone way too political.

[truthisfreedom]

6. Back in the day, 60 Minutes used to be skeptical of bad government, skeptical of bad corporations,

skeptical of bad people. Something has changed. Now they're skeptics for hire, apparently.

[Archae]

8. They had some clinkers decades ago too.

One of the most notorious I can think of when they showed a family that had a handicapped child, who died when the water was turned off, because the father was more interested in buying cable and beer.

"60 Minutes" did a really sympathetic portrait of the family, who raked in the cash after the story aired.

The family split apart shortly afterwards, the couple getting divorced and their kids went into foster homes due to neglect.
"60 Minutes" never mentioned that.

[King_Klonopin]

7. There is no such thing as NEWS anymore. It is extinct.

No more investigating or fact-checking.
No more corroborating stories.
No more being a watchdog for the people.

"News" is all about making money by selling controversy --
whether real or contrived. Sensationalism and salaciousness
are more valued than facts or information that really matters.
Opinions rule the airwaves now because we prefer the self-
satisfaction of choosing sides in fallacious debates rather than
wanting to be told (and believe) the truth.

There's a sucker born every minute (or every 60 Minutes)
Give the people what they want (chicken fried bullshit)
I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore !
You can't handle the truth !!

[Android3.14]

12. Until we start paying for it, what do you expect?

Most news junkies find their news for free online. We can wail about the lack of real news and just how awful journalists are these days, but the real reason we dislike the news is because we don't pay for it, and...surprise...we get what we pay for. If you want reporting to improve, find an online source you like and give them monetary support. It will take some time, but that is the only way we will get out of this nest of lies.

[Berlum]

10. The involvement of Mary Matalin (R) wasn't a clue Logan could read?

Last edited Mon Nov 11, 2013, 08:40 AM - Edit history (1)

Hello? D'oh. The right-wing republican lie machine has eaten your brain, Lara.

[Scuba]

11. +1

[Justice]

13. Comments on NYT article are very good - people get it completely.

I heard Lara's comments last night and said out loud - that was not good, and well this is not over yet.

[Botany]

15. i watched the show last night .... first time in years .... and it was very good but Ms. Logan's

.... apology was very weak. The real story was why did 60 minutes do a right wing hit piece
that was based on known lies?

[WhoWoodaKnew]

16. Eh. For the most part, I still think 60 Minutes does a decent job most of the time

[Martak Sarno]

17. Half an apology

When CBS formally apologizes for the Dan Rather piece then I'll start believing they are, as CBS claims, The number one news program.

News? When you can't even make the extra effort to fact check a pseudo news report? Wonder who really paid for her to get whatever degree she has? Probably us. That school has to be real proud, along with her instructors, not to mention the questionably educated who approved the story.

Remember when "news" was news and not some partisan hype created to sell someone's view or company product? This is what we got for dumping the Fairness Doctrine in 1987. And let's not forget the Equal Time Rule discarded in 1983.

The 80s. Infancy for the now post adolescent 1 per centers.

[cosmicone]

18. They MUST fire Lara Logan and the producer of the segment

in order to gain any credibility whatsoever.

[Overseas]

20. K&R. It was a very inadequate apology. I expected a whole segment on their error.

I watched the show waiting for it and then to have Logan herself say "it was a mistake to include him in our report" when, from what I understand, he was the STAR of their report and the whole reason behind doing the segment, was really insultingly dismissive of their major error.

[Blue Owl]

21. CBS: Dumbing It Down for Everyone