Breaking: ABC News Memo Instructs Employees NOT to Report on the Pres. Campaign Fairly & Evenly!!!

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Breaking: ABC News Memo Instructs Employees NOT to Report on the Pres. Campaign Fairly & Evenly!!!

Posted: 10/8/2004 9:40:35 PM EDT

It seems like ABC is having their own "Rather moment"...

www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1239754/posts

ABCNEWS POLITICAL DIRECTOR MEMO SPARKS CONTROVERSY: BOTH SIDES NOT 'EQUALLY ACCOUNTABLE'

**Exclusive**

An internal memo written by ABCNEWS Political Director Mark Halperin admonishes ABC staff: During coverage of Democrat Kerry and Republican Bush not to "reflexively and artificially hold both sides 'equally' accountable."

The controversial internal memo obtained by DRUDGE, captures Halperin stating how "Kerry distorts, takes out of context, and mistakes all the time, but these are not central to his efforts to win."

But Halperin claims that Bush is hoping to "win the election by destroying Senator Kerry at least partly through distortions."

"The current Bush attacks on Kerry involve distortions and taking things out of context in a way that goes beyond what Kerry has done," Halperin writes.

Halperin's claim that ABCNEWS will not "reflexively and artificially hold both sides 'equally' accountable" set off sparks in St. Louis where media players gathered to cover the second presidential debate.

Halperin states the responsibilities of the ABCNEWS staff have "become quite grave."

In August, Halperin declared online: "This is now John Kerry's contest to lose."

x x x x x

Halperin Memo Dated Friday October 8, 2004

It goes without saying that the stakes are getting very high for the country and the campaigns - and our responsibilities become quite grave

I do not want to set off (sp?) and endless colloquy that none of us have time for today - nor do I want to stifle one. Please respond if you feel you can advance the discussion.

The New York Times (Nagourney/Stevenson) and Howard Fineman on the web both make the same point today: the current Bush attacks on Kerry involve distortions and taking things out of context in a way that goes beyond what Kerry has done.

Kerry distorts, takes out of context, and mistakes all the time, but these are not central to his efforts to win.

We have a responsibility to hold both sides accountable to the public interest, but that doesn't mean we reflexively and artificially hold both sides "equally" accountable when the facts don't warrant that.

I'm sure many of you have this week felt the stepped up Bush efforts to complain about our coverage. This is all part of their efforts to get away with as much as possible with the stepped up, renewed efforts to win the election by destroying Senator Kerry at least partly through distortions.

It's up to Kerry to defend himself, of course. But as one of the few news organizations with the skill and strength to help voters evaluate what the candidates are saying to serve the public interest. Now is the time for all of us to step up and do that right."

Posted: 10/8/2004 9:47:28 PM EDT

[#1]

Ummm....not surprised.

ABC = Another Bias Company
NBC = Nazi Broadcasting Company
CBS = Canned Bull Sh*t
CNN = KCerry National News
MSNBC = More sh*t nobody believes Company

Posted: 10/8/2004 9:54:07 PM EDT

[#2]

The media companies can't seem to get a gripe that their monopoly on information has been broken. Anything they say or do can be refuted or verified in minutes.

Posted: 10/8/2004 9:56:29 PM EDT

[#3]

[clauderaines]I'm shocked, shocked![/clauderaines]

Posted: 10/8/2004 10:32:27 PM EDT

[#4]

Guys, this is a BOMBSHELL... don't let this topic slip into oblivion!!!

Sure... we all know that the MSM has an extreme Left leaning bias, but this is a smoking gun, if you will.

We have the Political Director of a major news outlet ordering his underlings to report the news in such a way as to directly benefit a particular presidential candidate, and to undermine another!!!

If this memo is the real deal, it is the final nail in the MSM's coffin!

Posted: 10/8/2004 11:54:50 PM EDT

[#5]

BTT

Posted: 10/9/2004 1:10:37 AM EDT

[#6]

Yeah I hadn't figured that out having seen the memo like six months ago...

Posted: 10/9/2004 3:26:57 AM EDT

[#7]

www.abcnews.go.com/service/help/abccontact.html

I sent them a nice note pointing out their declining influence and viewership ratings , then cited this memo {and the mindset behind it) as a possible contributing factor.

None of their channels are selectable on my remote anyway.... don't watch broadcast anymore and was shocked when I saw some of the shit that passes for programming during prime time last week at a friends place.

Rip

Posted: 10/9/2004 3:38:27 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Guys, this is a BOMBSHELL... don't let this topic slip into oblivion!!!

Sure... we all know that the MSM has an extreme Left leaning bias, but this is a smoking gun, if you will.

We have the Political Director of a major news outlet ordering his underlings to report the news in such a way as to directly benefit a particular presidential candidate, and to undermine another!!!

If this memo is the real deal, it is the final nail in the MSM's coffin!

Sure, it's a bombshell. Who's going to report on it? Them?

Heheheh.

Posted: 10/9/2004 3:42:32 AM EDT

[#9]

I've been looking for that one. I dropped them a little note.

Posted: 10/9/2004 4:21:21 AM EDT

[#10]

Quotes from that memo should be incorporated into a Bush commercial. Shown on ABC!

Hey, with the equal time laws in force for TV, they would have to run it!

Posted: 10/9/2004 4:24:46 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Sure, it's a bombshell. Who's going to report on it? Them?

Heheheh.

Posted: 10/9/2004 4:35:14 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Sure, it's a bombshell. Who's going to report on it? Them?

Heheheh.

<cough>Fox<cough>

+1

Posted: 10/9/2004 4:55:36 AM EDT

[#13]

So who still watches ABC anyway?

Posted: 10/9/2004 5:25:19 AM EDT

[#14]

Well, it shouldn't be long before ABC issues another memo saying, "We did not issue that memo."

CMOS

Posted: 10/9/2004 6:09:45 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
www.abcnews.go.com/service/help/abccontact.html

I sent them a nice note pointing out their declining influence and viewership ratings , then cited this memo {and the mindset behind it) as a possible contributing factor.

None of their channels are selectable on my remote anyway.... don't watch broadcast anymore and was shocked when I saw some of the shit that passes for programming during prime time last week at a friends place.

Rip

Let us know if you get a rational reply. Like that'll happen. :)

Same here with the TV programming. Both CNN channels, msnbc, and network tv are all programmed out of my remote.

Scott

Posted: 10/9/2004 8:14:45 AM EDT

[#16]

I'm stunned.

Posted: 10/9/2004 8:25:02 AM EDT

[#17]

I can't watch Broadcast TV NEWS anymore - they are NoT watchdog groups for the people.

Posted: 10/9/2004 8:33:07 AM EDT

[#18]

Has this been confirmed?

And how was this acquired?

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:06:58 AM EDT

[#19]

Imagine if a bill were introduced in congress to require new shows to be fair and balanced... I could hear the screams of violation of free speech rights now.

Posted: 10/9/2004 9:50:24 AM EDT

[#20]

Time to boycot!

Posted: 10/9/2004 10:27:38 AM EDT

[#21]

The whole of the traditional media is corrupt. This is not news, only confirmation.

The good thing is that they are in their death throws. Pretty soon even the sheep will realize that its not 'The News', its indoctrination.

(Well, you're right, the sheep will probably never wake up.)

Posted: 10/9/2004 10:34:43 AM EDT

[#22]

How was this found?

Did a "insider" blow the whistle?

Did somebody show up at the presidential debate with a scanner and steal it off the reporters wireless modems?

Was someone outside ABC in New York scanning their wireless network?

How?

Are the fonts correct?