An open letter to KETK
To Bob Brackeen and Callie Wall of KETK-NBC in Tyler:
A friend of mine, a fellow journalism professor in Texas, just pointed me toward a clip of your “news” segment, “Will Homosexuality Be the Downfall of America?” I will be sharing this clip with my journalism class as an example clueless, baseless, inaccurate, stereotypical bigotry. After reading my students a satirical gay-bashing piece from The Onion, I will show them your segment as an example of what not to do.
I am writing to you from a journalistic perspective about why your show is appalling and anathema to everything journalists should strive to do and be. Ms. Wall begins the segment by noting that the issue of “gays” being appointed in the Obama administration is “not really gettin’ any coverage.” That’s because it’s not news.
News is based in something we call “facts,” which we define as true and verifiable. Also, news is based in something we call “research” — and it is supposed to be objective. Further, news should adhere to ethical tenets. Your segment failed in every one of these, as well as a few others.
Not the least of your errors is the fallacy involving your numbers, which begins when Ms. Wall breathlessly exclaims about the “record number” of “gay appointments” Obama has made. From an editor’s standpoint, I ask you: How do we know this is a record? Do you really believe there weren’t gay and lesbian government officials prior to 2010? Are you willing to entertain the possibility that people, even going as far back as President Abraham Lincoln, were not counted because they were closeted? A responsible reporter would at least mention this historical angle and the concept of social change.
When the radio shock jock begins his segment by saying Obama appointed “a transgender” as a tech adviser in the commerce department, it almost sounds as though he is expressing concern that person will implement gay-friendly technology for commerce issues. Can you see how ridiculous this is?
I’m not going to waste my words dissecting Garth’s so-called contribution, except to say that it made me question the literacy rate in Tyler, Texas. How in the name of factual, objective reporting could you put this on a news show? Real journalists have named, identified, knowledgeable sources in their news stories, not anonymous callers.
Ms. Wall’s segue of “Some great comments this morning Garth, a good topic as always,” was a dim-witted endorsement of the false question of whether “homosexuality will be the downfall of America.” That is not an objective question. That is homophobic propaganda with a question mark at the end. I might as well ask, “Will Bob and Callie’s idiocy be the downfall of journalism?” Thankfully, I know enough real journalists that this is not a concern.
Good journalists talk to people, not simply about people. I would like to direct your attention to some of the tenets of the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics:
• Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
• Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.
• Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability.
• Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
• Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.
• Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
• Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
• Examine your own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.
In closing, I would like to help educate you so that you no longer fill valuable air time (this was nearly eight minutes) with what amounts to ignorant bullying.
Your station’s slogan is “News you won’t see anywhere else.” I certainly hope that is true.
Carolyn Nielsen, assistant professor,
Department of Journalism
Western Washington University
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This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition November 5, 2010.
A big “Thank You” to Ms Nielsen for bringing up these points. A former journalist myself and member of SPJ, I am frequently appalled at the treatment given LGBT topics, among others. Although I haven’t seen the piece in question, the description is enough to make me question what their purpose was in airing it. Agenda “journalism” belongs on the Editorial Page or it’s broadcast equivalent, not part of the hard news content. This could best be classed as a piece of “The sky is falling!” journalism.
As a Tyler resident, I think it’s important to note that many of us who live here were just as appalled as anyone. KETK is a beacon for irresponsible journalism (if you can call it that). I have been asking NBC for years to drop KETK as an affiliate. Unfortunately, we have an equally ridiculous newspaper and no leaders willing to take KETK on. In my house we are constantly in debate about whether or not we should continue to live in a community that is so willing to accept hate speech (Bob Brackeen and his news director Neal Barton are constant purveyors of such rhetoric). For now, we are here. As are many intelligent and thoughtful people. We are always arguing the points, but KETK has their own asinine logic that mimics Glen Beck and Sean Hannity. I beg any professional journalist to write to NBC and demand that it cut ties with KETK. There is no argument that their logic is incredibly flawed and even harmful, but sadly there are too many fools that follow those beliefs. The fact that they seem to have no integrity in reporting facts or doing research should be the basis for NBC terminating them.
Callie Wall is a graduate of SMU and has been recently recognized by the University. If there are GLBT groups on campus I hope they will urge SMU to disavow her and her hate speech.
I for one am glad to have been warned about a transgender being appointed to a tech position. I for one would be horrified to come to work at my government job and see that they had switched out Windows Vista for Mac OSX Snow Leopard. What’s next? PHP? Thank you for alerting me to this terrible danger to the tech community.
First, I would like to know how much real world experience Nielsen has in television news. Most of these professors spend their lives in school teaching concepts based on how they wish things were rather than how they really are without ever actually working in a “real” job. Secondly, Texas is a conservative state. We don’t care that you are gay or lesbian, we just don’t want it put in our faces. Most of these people who are out, let their sexual preference define everything there is about them. Just because someone has contracted AIDS, or has decided to receive a penis in their rectum doesn’t make them “special” or somehow more “intelligent” than the rest of us. Political correctness is out of hand, but fortunately things are swinging the other way (pardon the pun) and the majority is tired of hearing these rants from the minority. As far as Professor Nielsen teaching an actual newsroom about journalism, I doubt she really has the expertise or experience. No Thanks!