David Brock Issues Open Letter to NBC News President Steve Capus
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Steve Capus
President, NBC News
NBC
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY
10112
Dear Mr. Capus,
I am writing to express deep concern regarding NBC's failure during each of the appearances by retired General Barry R. McCaffrey as an NBC News military analyst to disclose that McCaffrey serves as a board director for defense contractor DynCorp International.
You contended in a recent New York Times article that Gen. McCaffrey is not obliged to abide by NBC's formal conflict-of-interest rules because he is a consultant and not a news employee. However, failing to acknowledge his ties to the defense industry on-air jeopardizes both his credibility and the credibility of your network because full disclosure is the minimum requirement when the integrity of journalism is at stake.
To eliminate even the appearance of a conflict of interest or doubt over the integrity of NBC News, it is imperative that in the future Gen. McCaffrey's role as a defense contractor be fully disclosed during his appearances, particularly when he is discussing topics of interest to his clients. As recently as November 27, NBC aired a clip of Gen. McCaffrey saying that "Afghan security forces" are the "answer" to the stalemate in Afghanistan -- without disclosing that DynCorp International has been retained by the State Department to train the Afghanistan National Police, one of two components of the Afghanistan National Security Forces.
Last year, Media Matters applauded your comments in the wake of the controversy surrounding Don Imus' racist and sexist remarks, which were broadcast on MSNBC, acknowledging NBC's responsibility to protect the network's reputation for fair and equal coverage. Anything less than full disclosure in this instance threatens that reputation.
Sincerely,
David Brock
Founder & CEO
Media Matters for America
Good job, Brock! Keep the fire at their feet and keep the public informed to these peoples' motives and agendas.
Ah, David, what an amusing letter. Full disclosure, you write? Hmm.. that's really laughable! You're such a man of no character and your own journalistic misdeeds are almost infamous. Didn't you once work on the right-wing side of issues before going over to the left? In fact, haven't you admitted in the past to publishing a bunch of "stuff" wich you later said that you "made up"? You're a self-convicted liar who made your "name" by writing a series of articles and a book designed to destroy the reputations of two individuals, Bill Clinton and Anita Hill, which you have since claimed were based on accusations which YOU KNEW at the time were, indeed, LIES. But, I digress.
On to your reference to Steve Capus and the Imus issue. If you haven't heard already, to this day, MSNBC is greatly regretting the firing of Imus. But, Imus is doing better than ever! He has more listeners, higher ratings, and more sponsors than he ever has. Plus, he won is contract dispute with CBS and they had to pay him off, much to their chagrin. His return to the air last year on WABC has garnered wonderful reviews from even his most staunchest critics. We know Media Matters (like Moveon.org, or shall we call it the Hillary/Soros network) is supposed to be a "watchdog" of conservative misinformation, and only takes shots at guys like Hannity, Limbaugh, Levine, FoxNews, etc. Now, that isn't to say you never touch anybody on MSNBC, CNN, or any liberal democrat. You do---but only when they happen to rip Hillary Clinton or Pres. Elect Obama. For MM, you're simply the "flunky" and the 'organization' exists for one reason, and that was to get Hillary Clinton elected. OOPS! That didn't work out so well, huh? But, then, Pres.-Elect Obama is close enough to your goal I suppose. If he governs from the center, he might be a decent President. Only time will tell.
If you have ever lied in the past, even if you admitted it, you are forbidden from expecting others to tell the truth in the future.
Great logic!
Hmmn. Someone has quite the burr up their butt. Please, before issuing another non sequiter diatribe, tell us what might be incorrect in Brock's letter, dear.
Or for that matter what might be incorrect about any of MMFA's work. Concentrating on Mr. Brocks admitted past deeds doesn't speak to anything except your fallacious understanding of Mr. Brock's present work ethic. I, for one, am glad he's had a change of heart and is now doing some redemptive and important work. What wonderfulness have you wrought in your own life besides trumpeting the "accomplishments" of someone like Imus.
Heal thyself.
YOU KNEW at the time were, indeed, LIES. But, I digress.
That should be the title of this entry,
:-)
This war profitting reprobate McCafferty needs to be monitored along with a whole host of "retired" surreptious aggrandizers in the MSM.
Full disclosure can never be bad, but it doesn't get to the root of the problem. It's possible to tell the truth while being biased. It's possible to be wrong all the time without having any conflict of interest.
The only thing a successful media has to do is provide a platform to people who are correct about relevant issues. Rooting out bias and conflicts of interest is disconnected from that objective.
the root of the problem here is that gen mcCaffrey is being paid by the company that has a finantial interest ( called a contraqct ) to do work in the very place this influential general is claiming work needs to be done. Almost like issuing a no bid contract.
Rock on, Mr Brock.
I am with you on this. I am so angry at the 75 generals hired by the Pentagon, expenses paid, 'access to information' and 'access to players.' Then they take their 'access' go to the pigs who run defense contractors and get huge amounts of money to add to their pensions with promises of a piece of the action in some of the huge contracts with the Pentagon "as long as the U.S. stays in Iraq long enough."
Then they become shills to the message from the war criminals including w and dicky and rummy by appearing on cable news to get even more money.
I am with you on this. I will write NBC. CNN needs to be written to also. And we know Fox is right there with them.
We also need to right to the new D.A.s that comming to work in January and get investigations going. The Pentagon is probing right now but I want that probe expanded when we get our new Pentagon working. There have got to be hundreds of generals and admirals retired or otherwise who would ask for this same investigation.
NBC, MSNBC, CNN, CBS, ABC, Fox. Write all these outlets. Give me Rachel's number and Keith's number and Chris' number--email--and even Shuster's number. Liberal Media cannot be shills in the one of the most evil conspiracies and years.
In the end, I want to see McCaffrey and others in prison. No kidding.
Our retired military breass have always been double dippers. They sit on corporate boards, they appear at shareholder meetings, they give speeches. Fine and dandy. But some of these guys, were hoping to make millions by keeping us in Iraq.
As far as I am concerned they have violated their previous oaths, they have spat upon previous honors given to them by greatful Americans, they have put a knife in the back of their own troops and they have become traitors to their own country.
Thank you Media Matters for giving us a voice and for helping us communicate our concerns to our media outlets.