Was WPRO Radio Report A Political Hit & Run?
Thursday, November 03, 2011
I don't know much about GOP Presidential Candidate Rick Perry.
I have never given his campaign money.
And I don't plan to.
If the guy gets elected President I guess it would be one of those little political miracles you hear about it. The point here is that this column is not about his policies, his view on abortion or how he says he will put people back to work.
This is about our new world of media that is a train wreck. A bus with the wheels coming off.
WPRO-AM story
It was this past Tuesday morning.
The 10am news had it's share of local stories and there was one national story from ABC radio news that nearly had me off the road in a ditch. The story was about Perry and his recent campaign stop in New Hampshire. The content of the report squarely focused on how Perry seemed to be “really relaxed” and rambling in his speech but as the reporter put it there was no slurring of words.
That said, the report stunk of trying to clearly insinuate that Perry maybe was half in the bag---under the influence of something. Booze, Ambien, who knows what. But I can tell you I watched the speech from Perry from that day. Was he animated? sure he was. A little over the top? Yup. But can I say he was hammered in any way? No way and neither could anyone else at this moment in time.
Perhaps we’ll learn Perry sucked down 7 gin & tonics before he went up on stage in New Hampshire. No one here is saying that’s not possible. But to leave an impression in people’s minds about a Presidential candidate---any candidate really---with no hard facts is just wrong.
Politics As Entertainment
The point is where are the standards these days?
When does a National news organization like ABC radio feel like they can drop a story like that without any kind of source reference or information that Perry was in fact "under the influence". There was a time when a story like that would never even be thought of never mind make air.
Did the report site any kind of credible person who had knowledge of Perry doing anything? Nope. It just sounded good. No line that even said “sources say”. By the way, even if that was the case – the report and reporter should have been able to site not one but two separate sources before reporting it. The report was clever. Worded in such a way that you dont direct say it but you sure knew what was being suggested.
Valerie Endress, Professor of Political Communication, at Rhode Island College tells GoLocal the media landscape is such these days that the competition is so fierce we know have a “horse race” as reporters try to see who can be first with a so called “scoop”. “So, what has evolved is “politics as entertainment,” where the average citizen may not be able to tell you about any of the candidate’s issue preferences, but they will long remember the “Dean scream,” “the awkward image of Michelle Bachmann dancing with her husband,” and now, the Rick Perry speech” said Endress.
Best And Brightest Stay Out
Professor Endress adds with the media watching every move of people like this it forces people – even really qualified people – to re-think the blood sport of politics. “Candidates no longer have the luxury of learning their craft while engaged in the process, and the inordinate national attention to every move makes it nearly impossible for any candidate who is not immediately ready for prime time. The result? Many qualified people—and sometimes the country’s best and brightest-- stay out of the electoral process.”
Should WPRO have aired the story? In my opinion, no. And at the very least after airing it—why not have a five-second tag line after the ABC story saying “To be clear, no one at this point, including Perry himself has come forward to say his mental state was altered in any way” etc. Where would be the harm in that?
An e-mail seeking comment from WPRO to get their side was not immediately returned.
The media is like a loaded gun. When used correctly and respected – it can be a safe thing to use. When it’s not look out.
ABC Radio is not TMZ.
TMZ has its place.
But it shouldn’t be mixed in during a newscast.
Jeff Derderian is a former television news reporter and anchor both in Providence and Boston. He is one of the founders of the Station Education Fund. He can be reached at [email protected]
