TV News Review

Every Friday morning ‘Fox & friends’ flushes away their credibility as a news show by having Geraldo Rivera on as a guest. 

Fox News’ morning show ‘Fox & friends’ must not care anything about their credibility or they would not have Geraldo as a respected guest every Friday, for at least two segments to discuss the news of the day. The hosts Steve Doocy, Gretchen Carlson, Brian Kilmeade and sometime Alisyn Camerota hang on Geraldo’s every word, fascinated with every word that falls from his lips as if they were diamonds, to the point of missing ques from the shows director. The hosts seem to be unaware of the fact they embarrass themselves by giving any notice to any comments made by Geraldo.

Geraldo is an embarrassment to all people that call themselves journalists and in particularly to Fox News. The fact that ‘Fox & friends’ has him as a regular guest and treats him with such deference shows they value someones celebrity over their own credibility.

Geraldo was one of the first to condemn the Duke lacrosse players. Boldly stating on the air at Fox News that he was certain the boys had done something they shouldn’t have and would cut a plea bargain. This comment made immediately following one of the young men presenting evidence that showed he was not even at the house where the stripper was claiming she was assaulted. Did Geraldo ever admit he was mistaken? Did Geraldo ever apologize when it was proved the boys were innocent and the whole thing was the work of an out of control DA that was ignoring exonerating evidence? NO, Geraldo didn’t! Geraldo just ignored the case when it became about a DA that was out of control and disbarred for his actions. Why? Because Geraldo’s ego won’t allow for the possibility that he ever made a mistake.

On this very morning’s show ‘Fox & friends’ was reporting that former D.A. Mike Nifong is to report to jail for a one day sentence for contempt of court. Also reported was that the three Duke players will be seeking a civil judgment in the case. Did the hosts ask Geraldo if he felt this was an appropriate sentence for Nifong’s contempt of court charge? Did they ask him how much money did he feel the three young men should get for being wrongly prosecuted? Of course not! Geraldo was too busy bragging about how he knows every inch of the area of Afghanistan where bin Laden is believed to be hiding.

Geraldo was thrown out of Iraq by the US military for revealing live on the air the battle plans of the US military during the push toward Baghdad. He walked out of a classified briefing by military commanders and immediately went on the air telling the next day’s plan, going so far as to draw a map in the sand for the TV cameras.

These are just two of a long list of reasons that no news organization should employee Geraldo and show that ‘Fox and friends’ care nothing for their respectability by having him on the air. When ‘Fox and friends’ puts Geraldo on the air every Friday, awaiting his comments as if they are some great bits of wisdom given by a wise old sage, then they loose validity as a trustworthy news source.

Geraldo is an ego manaic that immediately turns a story into a way to make it about himself. Geraldo makes himself the center of every story and sacrifices every rule of journalism along the way. He has made himself a celebrity but has given journalism a black eye along the way. Geraldo is the punch line to a joke he wrote himself. Any reporter or anchor that associates themselves with him taints themselves and eventually will be unable to remove the stink from their resume.

Fox reporter and anchor Laurie Dhue has become a joke on the internet because of her fawning over Geraldo and being a reporter on his TV show once syndicated, now on Fox News Saturdays and Sundays.  While Steve, Gretchen and Brian’s credibility may be in questionable due to their actions on the air (They did report a false story about a ham sandwich that resulted in Fox News being sued), news anchor Alisyn Camerota does still hold credence as a journalist and should take steps to save herself from the same fate as Dhue. 

If Edward R. Murrow is supposed to be the gold standard of reporting then Geraldo is at the opposite end of the scale. He should only be used as a teaching tool in journalism classes as an example of what not to be.  Geraldo is the human flotsome floating on the ocean of journalistic integrity. 

Journalists and a news show trade on their credibility. If ‘Fox & friends’ and the show’s hosts cares about theirs then they should stop bringing on Geraldo as a guest.
But at the very least the hosts should care about their self respect and stop acting like Geraldo is some sort of demi-god. Gretchen not asking him, again, to strip on the show would be a good place to start.

One Eyed Man