On Sat, Feb 14, 2015 at 3:42 AM, JW <[email protected]> wrote: > > But if the evidence remains as it is, and Williams does not > > survive the controversy it will not be because he has been > > proven to be a liar, but because NBC could not find the > > courage and competence to manage the PR storm. > > Williams doesn't have to be proved a liar. He just has to lose the trust > of the audience. Whether his misstatements are "innocent" false memories, > or deliberate attempts at self-aggrandizement, if viewers no longer believe > him, they'll turn to other newscasts. > > The stuff about how this pales compared to how TV news misreported the big > stories is reminiscent of "The real scandal is what's legal." While that's > often true in regard to congressional corruption, it doesn't mean illegal > activities shouldn't be prosecuted. Similarly, getting away with reporting > other peoples' incorrect statements as fact doesn't excuse reporters who > make their own incorrect statements. >
Well, I think we are making the same point, though perhaps with a different spin. I am saying that, assuming the current known facts, if Williams is fired it will not be because he has been demonstrated to have lied, but because he and NBC lost the PR battle (which I think could have been won had they done something like what Kevin suggested). As you say, Williams has made incorrect statements. It is not at all clear that this was a result of dishonesty, nor is it clear that his incorrect statements were made in role in reporting the news. And, as I point out above, it is not at all clear that Williams has made more incorrect statements, or that this statements have been more incorrect, than have other similar TV journalists. Williams' main problem right now is that the mob smells blood in the water. In 6 weeks the mob may have forgotten why they were so outraged and interested in this story, and if so Williams will be back before his 6 months. OTOH, in 12 weeks it may become clear that the Mob has sunk its teeth deep enough into the story that the only thing that they think of when they hear Williams' name is "liar". If so, he will be formally separated from NBC before his 6 months. There is no constitutional right to being a highly paid, fancy network news anchor. If Brian Williams looses the faith of the TV news-watching public then he can not do his job, and will have to go. It is just disheartening to be reminded of the trivialities that undermine credibility in the eyes of the TV masses, while they swallow so much greater and more important threats to credibility on a nightly basis without blinking. -- -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TVorNotTV" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
