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Newsweek's Fineman defends "balance" of panel that included oil industry, excluded enviro groups

December 02, 2009 3:28 pm ET by Jamison Foser

Newsweek's Howard Fineman responded to controversy over the Newsweek/big oil panel he moderated last night:

Rep. Ed Markey, the chief sponsor of the House cap-and-trade bill and a leading environmental advocate, is a full participant in the open, on-the-record discussion with no control by API over the questions or flow. Dem Sen Byron Dorgan is also participating and will reflect various views in Dem caucus. Rep Fred Upton, who opposed the House bill, will also participate. I see nothing wrong with an open, on-the-record balanced discussion like this. Newsweek has a long tradition of enviro reporting, including our annual green issue.

Seriously?  The "discussion" featured the president of the American Petroleum Institute -- which just happens to fund Newsweek -- but no representatives of environmental organizations ... and Howard Fineman calls that a "balanced discussion"?

Apparently to Newsweek, "balance" means "Industry representatives who fund us and--Hey!  Look over there!"

Tags: Howard Fineman, Newsweek

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    • Author by pros2pros2940 (December 02, 2009 3:43 pm ET)
         
      Seems no limit to the people in the media that whore themselves and can't admit fault at any time.
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    • Author by ProgLib (December 02, 2009 10:19 pm ET)
         
      im a big fan of howard fineman and his great reporting/analysis on msnbc, but this is pretty ignorant. he should know better.
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    • Author by chucko (December 03, 2009 10:59 am ET)
         
      It was a balanced panel: Fred Upton and Jack Gerard on one side, Dorgan and Markey on the other. End of story. Adding environmental group representation would make it unbalanced, unless you include such a member (say from the NRDC) but drop Dorgan.

      There isn't much of a story here, and this panel isn't a big deal anyway. So let move on to bigger and better things, shall we?
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