PressEthic

O.J. Simpson may have killed two people, but at least he is bringing us all together, joked VH 1’s faux news commentary show, ‘Best Week Ever’ on Friday.

Once again, so-called “fake news” are telling us exactly how it is. The obviously appalling decision by Fox TV to broadcast an interview with O.J. Simpson about his latest publicity stunt, a book titled “If I did it,” has finally helped big players of competing networks to agree on something.

“The people behind this project ARE guilty of being shameless...and just plain disgusting,” said Katie Couric on Wednesday.

Couric’s opposition should not come as a shock. The fact that Bill O’Reilly is speaking against the Fox Corporation is, however, something to note. O’Reilly announced that he would boycott the book and called Fox’s program “a low point in American culture,” Maria Aspan of the New York Times reported today.

Staying true to his nature, O’Reilly did not hesitate to throw his characteristically unrefined criticism at those who falsely associated Fox TV with Fox News:

“The far left loons are also out in force as their Internet masters urge them to tie the FOX News Channel in with the Simpson situation,” O’Reilly Said on Saturday.

O’Reilly Continued:

“I've received scores of letters like this one from Fred in Indianapolis: "Mr. O'Reilly, you are a man of principle. Since FOX News is sponsoring the Simpson program, will you sever your ties with FOX News?"

Obviously Fred is a bit slow. FOX News has nothing to do with the Simpson situation. And Fred doesn't believe I am a man of principle either. He's a Kool-Aid zombie doing the bidding of far left fanatics who will do anything to disparage me and FNC.”

You tell them, Bill.

His comments aside, criticism against Fox TV has proved to be a strangely uniting factor in the news world. Networks all over the country may have broadcast hours upon hours of exhaustive commentary on Scott Peterson’s private affairs without much remorse, but the attempt of a (likely) murderer to cash in on his own crime is finally causing news stations to draw the line on overexposure.

The New York Times reported that several Fox affiliate stations are refusing to broadcast the interview.

Maria Aspan reports:

“Pappas Telecasting Companies, which owns four Fox affiliate stations in Nebraska, Iowa and California, informed Fox on Friday morning that their stations would not be broadcasting the interview, according to Dennis J. Davis, the president of Pappas. Lin Broadcasting, which owns five Fox affiliates, also will not be showing the program, the New York Daily News reported on Saturday.”

She continues:

“Mr. Davis said Pappas made its decision after a weeklong discussion with the general managers of the four affiliate stations. “I think everyone’s struggling with the inappropriateness of this subject matter,” he said in a telephone interview. “Discussion of such a subject is just harmful and disrespectful, and we cannot understand the need for such content to be produced and broadcast.”

Concern about turning off viewers may have been initiative enough for networks to can the interview.

Aspan writes:

“Managers at other Fox affiliates noted that the announced interview has already elicited a large, and loud, viewer response. Mike Bullen, the program coordinator for the Fox-affiliated WUTV in Buffalo, where Mr. Simpson played most of his Hall of Fame pro football career, said his station had already received many angry phone calls and e-mail messages.

“We’re getting sworn at a lot by viewers,” he said. However, he added that his station would probably air the interview, and that the final decision would be made by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns WUTV and 18 other Fox affiliates. A spokesman from Sinclair said the company was still gathering information and would make a decision later this week.”

“The affiliates’ response is the latest development in an unusual internal backlash at Fox,” Aspan writes and concludes with a mentioning of O’Reilly.

“Mr. O’Reilly went a step further on Friday, claiming that he would boycott the book, the interview and any companies that advertise during the program. “I’m not going to watch the Simpson show or even look at the book,” he said. “If any company sponsors the TV program, I will not buy anything that company sells — ever.”

Of course, the chief sponsor of the program would be Fox Broadcasting, which like Fox News is owned by the same News Corporation that owns ReganBooks. “For the record, Fox Broadcasting has nothing to do with the Fox News channel,” Mr. O’Reilly had said on Wednesday.”

In a world of corporate media, criticism against those who own you may seem risky. It’s nice to know, however, that free speech still holds ground.

NYT article

Bill O'Reilly's words of wisdom