Savage falsely claimed CNN, Fox News did not cover his banning from the UK

In recent days, radio host Michael Savage has twice falsely claimed that CNN and Fox News have not covered the British Home Office's decision to ban him from entering the United Kingdom for "stirring-up hatred." Savage claimed on the June 3 edition of his show that his "story and [former Home Secretary] Jacqui Smith is the number one story in the British press, and it has been for quite a while. And yet, it's not even covered by the Associated Press in America. Not covered by Fox News, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN." During his June 9 show, Savage stated that his story "is completely blacked out here in America by the very same media that's blacking out the suicide bombing in Pakistan. I have been blacklisted by Fox, CNN, ABC, CBS, and the other channels." In fact, both CNN and Fox News have repeatedly covered his banning from the U.K.; indeed, Savage was asked about the situation by CNN's Kiran Chetry in an interview aired on the May 7 edition of American Morning.

Moreover, contrary to his June 3 claim that his banning was "not even covered by the Associated Press in America," the AP has published at least two articles on the story.

CNN coverage of Savage's banning from the U.K. includes:

• On the May 5 edition of Lou Dobbs Tonight, host Lou Dobbs reported that the "United Kingdom has released a list of people it has banned from entering the country. American radio talk show host Michael Savage is one of 16 people the British say are named and shamed by their government." Dobbs added that the British government is "accusing the conservative host of expressing what they call extreme views that could lead to violence in Britain." After noting Smith's statement that "coming to this country is a privilege. If you can't live by the rules we live by, the standards and values that we live by, we should exclude you from this country," Dobbs asked: "Can you possibly imagine government officials in this country saying the same thing as the British secretary?"

• On the May 7 edition of American Morning, Chetry aired her interview with Savage, part of which focused on the British Home Office's decision to ban him from the United Kingdom. After describing the situation, she asked, "So what is a radio guy doing on a country's 'do not enter' list with Nazi skinheads and, in some cases, murderers and Muslim extremists?" She also asked Savage to respond to "Smith saying that you're on this list that we've been talking about, because you are someone who, quote, 'has fallen in the category of fomenting hatred of such extreme views and expressing them in such a way that is actually likely to cause intercommunity tension or even violence if that person were allowed in the country.' " Further, Chetry asked, "Why waste your time? You know, you have a lot of things to do. You say you're probably not interested in even traveling to the U.K., so why waste your time fighting this in court?" Savage replied that he was doing it in part to "clear my name."

• On the May 7 edition of CNN Newsroom, co-host Don Lemon reported that "[r]adio talk show host Michael Savage wants to be allowed into Britain." Lemon added that Savage "was included on a new list of 22 people banned by the U.K. The government feels they are stirring up hatred there." Lemon added that "[i]n an interview on CNN's American Morning, Savage said he wants an apology and said England has a quote, 'demented attitude.' "

• On the May 8 edition of American Morning, correspondent Carol Costello reported that "conservative talk show host Michael Savage banned from Britain. We played an exclusive interview with him yesterday and it continues to be a big topic of conversation on our show hotline."

• On the May 10 edition of Reliable Sources, host Howard Kurtz said, "I find some of what Michael Savage says to be offensive. Six years ago, the right-wing radio ranter was dumped by MSNBC for telling a gay caller he hoped the man would get AIDS and die." Kurtz further reported, "This week, British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith released a list of murderers and other undesirables who are banned from entering the country. Savage was on the list." After playing a clip of Savage's interview with Chetry, Kurtz stated: "Britain is banning Savage for his opinions, not for any act he committed. And that is offensive. He says he's suing to clear his name."

• On the May 14 edition of American Morning, Chetry reported that "[c]ontroversial talk show host Michael Savage wants his name removed from Britain's do-not-enter list. I interviewed him here on American Morning right after he was put on that list along with radicals Muslim clerics, convicted criminals, Russian skinheads, the Ku Klux Klan. Well, now, his lawyer has sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking that she call on the British government to withdraw that ban."

Fox News' coverage of Savage's banning from the U.K. includes (transcripts accessed via Nexis):

• On the May 7 edition of The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly reported, "The Brits actually have a list of people not allowed entry into the country because of what they've said. ... The most prominent name is Michael Wiener aka Michael Savage, the radio talk show host." Later in the program, Fox News contributor Bernard Goldberg stated that "Michael Savage, who I am not a fan of, the radio guy, Michael Savage, he should not be on the same list with Nazis and Ku Klux Klan guys and Aryan Nation. I mean, that's just wrong." He later stated, "If they do something bad, you don't let them in the country or you kick them out. But if they have unacceptable opinions, a great country should transcend that." O'Reilly replied in part, "All right. So you agree with me that the standard should be violence" for nations to ban individuals from entering.

• On the May 14 edition of Special Report, Baier reported that "[l]awyers for conservative radio host Michael Savage have appealed to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in hopes of getting Savage removed from the United Kingdom's list of banned individuals."

• On the May 15 edition of Special Report, Baier provided "an update to a story we brought you Thursday," reporting that Savage's lawyers "have filed a defamation complaint against British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith."

• On the June 2 edition of Special Report, after reporting on Smith's resignation from the Cabinet, Baier added, "We reported last month, you may remember, that Smith is being sued by American conservative host Michael Savage after placing him on a list of individuals who cannot enter the United Kingdom."

From the June 3 broadcast of Talk Radio Network's The Savage Nation:

SAVAGE: Now there are many real news stories and, of course, to me the big -- biggest news story is the fact that my story and Jacqui Smith is the number one story in the British press, and it has been for quite a while. And yet, it's not even covered by the Associated Press in America. Not covered by Fox News, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN.

Now, it doesn't matter to me whether it's covered or not, but it should matter to you that you're living in a controlled media -- that the media in America is actually more controlled than it is in Britain. How is it possible that the story of Michael Savage banned in Britain and the downfall and resignation of the Home Secretary who put him on the hate list is the biggest story in Britain and a nonstory in America? How come it's not even covered by so-called conservatives with rare exception?

The Washington Times did a fabulous article yesterday; the WorldNetDaily did a couple of great articles on it, for sure. But it's astounding to me that we have such a controlled government-media complex that this story has been buried. We have fables instead. We have Obama going to the Middle East and saying the United States is one of the largest Muslim countries. It's -- it's astounding to me that he would make a statement like that, because it's apparently -- it's patently false. And that was picked up by the Telegraph in the United Kingdom.

As I say, the United Kingdom has a freer press than the United States does. The Telegraph knows when they see a liar, and the fact is is that they said, wait a minute, America's not one of the largest Muslim countries on Earth; in fact, it's one of the smallest by comparison.

From the June 9 broadcast of Talk Radio Network's The Savage Nation:

SAVAGE: I was just invited on Sky News in London, where I appeared live in the U.K. to 2 million listeners. It's astonishing to me that my fight to clear my name in Britain is still one of the biggest stories in Britain and is completely blacked out here in America by the very same media that's blacking out the suicide bombing in Pakistan.

I have been blacklisted by Fox, CNN, ABC, CBS, and the other channels. Fox has become exactly like ABC, CBS, and NBC, and CNN. They are no different -- make no mistake about it. It's just a different hydra -- a different head of the same hydra. The English understand what free speech is; apparently Fox News does not. They'd rather have a prostitute on or a drug addict than a talk show host who is fighting to clear his name.

That is why I was invited today on Sky News, and we're going to play that piece for you shortly on The Savage Nation. I don't know if you know it -- you wouldn't know it by reading Fox News, the so-called conservative outlet -- but today, I sent a letter to the prime minister of the United Kingdom -- and that would be Gordon Brown. I'm appealing directly to him. The letter will be published tomorrow morning in England. It has been banned in the United States of America. We are living in a very sad time. The fact of the matter is there is more freedom of speech in Indonesia than there is in America. There seems to be less of a grip on the media in Thailand than there is in the United States of America. Thank God I still have a radio show to use as a platform.

From the May 7 edition of CNN's American Morning:

CHETRY: Talk show host Michael Savage, somebody who said controversial things in the past -- remember he caused an uproar when he said that autistic children are often brats who haven't, quote, "been told to cut the act out"?

Well, now he's the one who's furious, because the British government just banned him from the U.K. So what is a radio guy doing on a country's "do not enter" list with Nazi skinheads and, in some cases, murderers and Muslim extremists?

[begin video clip]

CHETRY: I want to ask about this. British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith saying that you're on this list that we've been talking about, because you are someone who, quote, "has fallen in the category of fomenting hatred of such extreme views and expressing them in such a way that is actually likely to cause intercommunity tension or even violence if that person were allowed in the country."

What's your response to that?

SAVAGE: It is demented. That's a demented attitude. We are protected by the First Amendment, number one. They are not. And the First Amendment, as we all know, was written to protect offensive speech, not polite speech. Let's begin with the basics.

But more than that, she lumped me in with known murderers and terrorists -- people who have been in prison for killing people. I am a talk show host and an author.

The fact of the matter is I've been on the air for 15 years, three hours a day, five days a week. I have never, ever promoted violence. There's never been one violent incident attached to my show.

CHETRY: And, as you said, you're being grouped in with people including anti-gay preachers, radical Muslim clerics, the Ku Klux Klan. Of all of the talk radio hosts, why you?

SAVAGE: I was astounded when I saw this. I thought it was some bizarre joke. I said this can't be real. How in the world could she lump me in with people such as Russian skinheads who were imprisoned for killing people? It makes no sense.

CHETRY: Why waste your time? You know, you have a lot of things to do. You say you're probably not interested in even traveling to the U.K., so why waste your time fighting this in court?

SAVAGE: I'm not wasting my time. I've spent my entire life building up a great reputation amongst millions of loyal followers and fans. I have a family, and when I leave the Earth, I want to leave my name in good standing, in the way it really is.

My Ph.D. is from Berkeley. I did great research. I've written great books. I'm a family man. I love my country, and I want to clear my name. I want my name off that list, and I want a letter of apology from this Jacqui Smith.

CHETRY: And since this came to light, have you heard anything from the British government about whether they're rethinking this?

SAVAGE: I have not. But I've heard from British attorneys who are salivating to set the record straight and win quite a large settlement should she not remove my name from the list.

CHETRY: There's a lot of British people that have never heard of you before -- they didn't know Michael Savage, they didn't know your radio show before -- that are now going to be logging on the Internet, clicking on, listening to you. So, I mean, this has got to help ratings in some way.

SAVAGE: It's not about ratings. I'm in a point in my life where ratings don't matter to me one way or the other. I can leave radio tomorrow, and I wouldn't have a different lifestyle than I do today.

People have to understand that I believe in what I say. Borders, language, culture is the real message of The Savage Nation. Borders, language, culture. I'm a traditional American. I'm a patriotic American. And if that's a crime in England, God help us all.

[end video clip]

CHETRY: All right, well that was part one. We're going to see what happens when I ask him about some of his controversial comments. You know, he says that he was being misrepresented. So where does he stand on the issues like autism, on homosexuality, and Islam? He's going to talk to us in just a moment.