http://www.mrc.org/cyberalerts/2007/cyb20070118.asp#1
Networks Distort Terrorist Surveillance
Into 'Domestic Spying'
The announcement Wednesday from Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, that
the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) would now approve of
surveillance actions under the "Terrorist Surveillance Program," prompted a
return to the bad network habit of describing as "domestic spying" and
"domestic eavesdropping" the effort to monitor communication between people
inside the United States and suspected terrorists abroad. With "Domestic
Spying" on screen, ABC World News anchor Charles Gibson cited "a major
reversal today by the Bush administration in the war on terrorism. Two years
ago, you may recall, the administration maintained it had the right to spy
on people in the United States, without court approval. Today, however, the
Justice Department said there will be no such surveillance of people in this
country without court approval."
The January 17 CBS Evening News put "Domestic Eavesdropping" on screen
as anchor Katie Couric suggested President Bush had dropped the program, not
just brought it under court supervision, as she very misleadingly referred
to eavesdropping on "Americans" when it could be anyone inside the United
States: "In the war on terror here at home, a surprising development today.
President Bush is giving up what he's long insisted is a key weapon, his
program of eavesdropping without a court order on the phone calls and
e-mails of Americans suspected of communicating with terrorists." Jim
Axelrod had to correct her and point out how the program continues: "We
should make the point Katie, about this about-face, that the eavesdropping
won't stop at all. It's just that the requests will have to now be monitored
by a judge."
The NBC Nightly News avoided the loaded and inaccurate on screen
graphic, going with "Electronic Surveillance," but Brian Williams contended
the program targeted "U.S. citizens" when it really deals with anyone within
the borders of the United States communicating with a terrorist outside the
borders: "Tonight the Bush administration has reversed itself on one of the
most controversial pieces of the President's anti-terror program. It
involved listening in on the phone calls of U.S. citizens without a
warrant."
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