By Sean C. Bowers

In the wake of the Shirley Sherrod national press character assassination attempt, I have a related story.

  Recently WTKR- TV 3 interviewed me about the new ESPN Allen Iverson video, “No Crossover.” In the process, the basic fatal flaws of incorrect and improper misleading techniques intentionally were used.

Bullet One. When a question is asked, the answer to that question is never separated out and used as a sound byte for another question or point. That is a stone cold journalism 101 point called CONTEXT!    

Bullet Two. A reporter or news organization never should slant a story, based on ratings versus truth. For a reporter’s perspective to be narrated over sound bytes of question-less answers from the questioned party is highly  unethical non-sequatorism. Cutting and pasting sound and video bytes out of context is one thing—yellow opinion journalism! Period!

Why does this matter to you, the readers of The Guide? Because WTKR-TV 3, in their rush to incite, fear-mongered the current positive 757 work being done in youth development, youth decision-making and youth gang violence prevention areas. The reporter (who happened to be black) broke the context rules and inflammatorily slanted her opinion, asking, if there would be violence or trouble, and if the 757 community would break out again along racial lines? 

There was provocation in the “teases” and the “lead-ins” and intent of the reporter was clear.  Sensationalism led the reporter, her editors, and ownership.  By deliberately misusing my words out of context to try and support their pre-selected version, they attempted to support their perspective/agenda.

  A few years ago, the “CBN 700 Club TV Show” mirrored a similar attitude in an interview with a young (Black) woman, about to become a mother. Question One: “How do you feel about giving up your baby for adoption?”  Her answer was “I just want a good home for my baby and I am unsure of my ability at this age (she was fifteen) to take care of my baby.”

Question Two: “If you give the baby up, how would you use the money (several thousand dollars)?  Her answer was, “I could use the money to go back to high school and on to college and to try and make a better life for myself.”

The production department chief editor took the young girl’s answer to the second question and matched it with the first question. The result made her sound like a money-grubbing selfish baby broker trying to make a big buck, baby payday. The reporter (who was white), once she found out the chief editor’s fudging of the truth, confronted her boss as she had kept a copy of the original interview tape. His answer was that the decision

had been made and the story was it was running. He said his version of the story was a better story as he had edited it.” The reporter resigned the next day based on ethical differences.

Based on these examples, you may wish to record your own audio and video when being interviewed by anyone in today’s media, TV, Radio, Internet, and Newspaper. That will be incentive for reporters to shoot straight with your words. It will also give you legal recourse should they attempt to do a hatchet job on your words.

Many people expect FOX News to blur, distort and mis-represent the facts. They are cable, national and backed by the Conservative Right, which is losing its grip on reality and its perceived right to control America’s future destiny. One also expects CBN and the 700 Club to do the same from their warped, holier-than-thou-perspectives. They have colored their reporting from day one straight down from the top (man), with Pat’s blessing.

We should, always hold the local and national network affiliates to a higher standard. The people expect the news to be reported as it is honestly asked and answered, not as they see fit to manipulate answers to match an opinion or perspective. ABC, CBS, PBS, and NBC know the journalism rules: sacrificing the truth is not an option, it’s a credibility and story killer!

Sean C. Bowers is a local progressive youth development coach, author and poet, who has written for the New Journal and Guide the last twelve years. His recent book detailing these types issues is available at V1ZUAL1ZE.ORG or #333-3029 and he does do large scale solutions presentations.