TV News Review

It all started Friday, September 14th around 8am ET, in the middle of the morning news shows. News broke out of Las Vegas that O. J. Simpson was being questioned in relation to a hotel room break in. The media smelled blood in the water, the sharks began circling and the feeding frenzy began.

The hosts began speculating about what may have happened in Vegas, a lack of information not slowing them down. News Alerts began flying constantly when new information came in. News Alerts were flying when there wasn’t any new information. Hosts and anchors couldn’t stop reminding people that O.J. had gotten away with killing two people. The hosts and anchors promoting the civil suit’s judgment finding O.J. responsible for the deaths of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown, while condemning the criminal jury’s verdict of not guilty. Never pointing out that the threshold of proof in a civil trial is much lower than that of a criminal trial. Often saying he was found guilty of the murders, rather than using the correct term of saying he was held responsible. Why be bothered with the facts, or journalistic integrity when pushing one’s own personal opinion.

The Goldman family, already promoting a book that they took ownership of from O.J., were interviewed repeatedly. The anchors fawning over the Goldmans constantly, throwing away their journalistic detachment. When they appeared on Fox News’ ‘Live Desk’ and were interviewed by Martha McCallum, she sympathized with them, she empathized with them, she understood them when she said Oprah hadn’t. She mentioned their appearance on Oprah but never mentioned that Oprah said she hoped people didn’t read the book.

While the Goldmans were on ‘Live Desk’, 5 hours after the story began, more information was coming from Las Vegas. It was reported that O.J. and a group of 5 other men had gone into a hotel room to confront someone that O.J. claimed had stolen some of his property. It also was reported that two of the men may have had guns. Martha McCallum immediately began repeating that O.J. had burst into the room with “guns blazing”. Martha never bothered to add the qualifier that it was being reported, or allegedly. No, Martha reported it as hard fact. Martha repeated it several times. The fact that no one had claimed that a gun had been fired or had claimed O.J. was holding a gun was irrelevant because Martha’s account was more dramatic and condemning of O.J. Martha received what she was seeking the most, the approval of the Goldmans.

Every new piece of information, regardless of it being confirmed or nothing more than speculation, has run by the Goldmans for their reaction. At one point on Fox News they had a camera on the Goldmans as Jane Skinner was reporting more O.J. news, just so we, the viewers, could see their instant reaction.

Over the last 6 days Fox News has had former LAPD Detective Mark Fuhrman on to commentate, speculate and prognosticate on the case. We have been consistently reminded that Fuhrman was a detective on the case of the murders of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown. Fuhrman has repeatedly been asked to tell us what was going on in O.J. mind. Never mind that Fuhrman holds no psychological degree (the psychologists and psychiatrists began over the weekend and still continue) because as the anchors keep telling us Fuhrman understands O.J.’s mind having investigated him during the original murder case.

Fuhrman has been held forward as some great law enforcement representative and as a person of honor and integrity. Have we been reminded that Fuhrman was convicted of felony perjury for lying during O.J.’s criminal trial? Not that I have heard. Have we been reminded that he was forced to leave the LAPD due to his conviction of perjury? Don’t think so. Have we been reminded that Fuhrman was on tape talking about fabricating evidence and saying he would tell the prosecutors whatever they wanted to hear?
Have we been reminded that Fuhrman once said “If I had my way, I’d gather all the n*****rs (Afro-Americans) together and burn them.”? I haven’t heard it. Yes, I can see why Fox News wants to have Mark Fuhrman on so much. He clearly has an unbiased view of Afro-Americans in general, and O.J. in paticular. We were once told by an anchor on Fox News that Fuhrman was a victim from the O.J. trial. Yes, such ‘fair and balanced’ journalism.

As the feeding frenzy has continued the media has tired to find every person they can from the 1995 murder trial to interview and ask for their input on this case. This reached a new low Tuesday night when Greta Van Sustren had an interview with Kato Kalin. Kalin himself admitting he has had no contact with O.J. since the early stages of the civil trial, over 10 years ago. This didn’t slow down Greta from continuing with the interview seeking Kato’s insight into O.J. Then this great piece of journalism (I am sure the Newseum have people rushing over as we speak to get a copy of this ground breaking interview to give a place of honor.) was repeated again Wednesday morning on Fox &friends, and later clips still are being repeated.
What does tonight hold for Greta? Prehaps she will hold a seance and conjour the spirit of Johnny Cochran for an interview.

Journalistic integrity has been shredded and thrown in the trash as reporters and anchors have taken glee in O.J.’s current arrest. They have condemned him and convicted him before even the arraignment on the charges.

Stories of importance have taken a backseat, when they are reported at all. News of an Israeli air strike in Syria on suspected weapons from North Korea was given little mention. News that North Korea might be selling their knowledge of nuclear weapons to countries in the Middle East is barely a story. Information about the new nominee to the position of Attorney General has been nearly non-existent. Home foreclosure rates reaching all time highs, food prices rising, oil prices reaching new highs, all are not lead stories due to O.J. coverage. Other news of true importance is put on the back burner because a photo of the type jail cell O.J. is in has been released.

During the later days of the Roman Empire citizens were given loaves of bread and a free seat at the day long gladiator games. This was done to distract the citizens from the problems of the Empire and the citizens’ everyday problems. Today we have lazy news producers that feed the viewers a continuous diet of O.J. coverage. They have learned nothing from the orgy of coverage from the 1995 trial in LA and the disdain and contempt that was levied upon the media for their tabloid style and out of proportion coverage. All they recall are the ratings and hope to regain those ratings, journalistic standards be damned.

CNN has been better with balancing their coverage of O.J. with other news. Fox has embraced the O.J. orgy as they run FOX NEWS ALERTS constantly and their anchors and commentators don’t wait for evidence or a hearing to pass judgment and condemn O.J. while embracing the Goldmans to their collective bosom. The excessive sympathy shown to the Goldmans is understandable because no other family has had a loved one murdered since 1995, nor has another family felt they didn’t get justice.

Ignore that your bill at the grocery store is higher, that your gas is costing more, that your neighbor maybe loosing their house, that the government is wanting to listen in on your phone calls and read your emails. Ignore the Mexican truck beside you on the road as you drive home and don’t think that the truck and it’s driver haven’t had to meet any US standards for safety. Don’t give a second thought to an insecure border where would be terrorist sneak across. Don’t think about how Russia is now flying long range bombers along US airspace to test our response. Don’t think of any of that, just turn on your tv and see what is the lastest happening in O. J. 2.0.

Enjoy your bread and circuses, don’t be bothered with the problems of the day. The media certainly isn’t.

One Eyed Man