MSNBC needs to be much more careful how it labels it’s on air personalities, particularly the hosts who clearly have a political bias.
Those of you who read my blog know that this is a consistent complaint of mine and this morning there was another blatant example.
Liberal commentator Rachel Maddow is doing her show from Afghanistan tonight. She appeared on The Daily Rundown this morning as a part of one of the show’s top stories.
The anchors, Savannah Guthrie and Chuck Todd, introduced her as if she was an unbiased reporter and spent at least four minutes getting her take on what’s happening on the ground in Afghanistan, without once offering up any type of admission that Maddow is a liberal commentator. Not one word!
I have nothing against Rachel Maddow. I occasionally watch her evening show and find the writing to be smart, if not verbose. I think it’s useful to get the perspective of people from all over the political spectrum and she provides an interesting/entertaining view from the left.
I also don’t have a problem with Maddow appearing live during The Morning Rundown, giving her take on what she’s seeing on the ground in Afghanistan. Obviously her vantage point gives her more perspective than any of us have. In that way, she’s more informed.
By beef is with MSNBC’s lack of transparency. To treat Maddow like news reporter only weakens the network’s credibility (both MSNBC’s and NBC News). It gives credence to Republican complaints that the media is liberal. It is misleading.
If Pat Buchanan appeared on an MSNBC show from a battle zone, don’t you think they would describe him as a conservative commentator? I’ll bet they would, as they should. Maddow should receive the same treatment. The viewers deserve it.
Posted by Jay Warren at 03:30 PM. Filed under: main •
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Posted by ( BLM ) on July 06, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Jay: I agree with you. Since day one MSNBC had problem to introduce and/to promote Rachel Maddow. I don’t know why because after couple minutes you know where she is coming from. Who does not know that Air America was supposed to balance Rush Limbaugh.
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