HOW BAD CAN TV GET?

No matter how many careless, erroneous, distorted, or self-serving broadcasts appear on television, stations manage to keep their licenses. The FCC seems to tolerate rampant misuse of our public airwaves.

Read specific documentation of the problems with network news, sports, and public service announcements. (See also complaints about TV entertainment and local TV.)

Network News

Journalists seem to have lost the ability to think logically.

American Broadcasting Company (ABC) News

The Disney corporation that owns this network was reported to have refused to distribute a movie as a form of bribery to gain tax breaks. Collusion between the press and politicians compromises First Amendment freedom, designed to serve the public.

Nightline

On 4 October 2002, a reporter said that Sabado Gigante is evolving to appeal to "a younger audience, the golden demographic that all advertisers crave". All advertisers? It is astonishing to imagine that the marketers of Grape Nuts, Viagra, Metamucil, Depends, and retirement homes are trying to sell to the young.
On 25 May 2002, a poll asked whether respondents thought sexual orientation was genetic or "A Matter of Choice". Research indicates that neither is likely. The hormone level in the mother's blood at a certain stage of pregnancy appears to be the most important factor.
On 1 November 2000, it was said that in California, "being tough on crime and tough on drugs are the same". That's not really true. California courts tend to be punitive with drug addicts, yet lenient with murderers (especially celebrities).
On 3 March 2000, Ted Koppel said that adult prisons have only one purpose -- punishment. So Koppel believes there is no motivation to protect the public by taking felons out of society, nor to deter people from commiting a crime through threat of prison?
On 12 June 1998, Ted Koppel mentioned that a performance artist in Miami and her great aunt in Cuba were separated by "an ocean". On opposite banks of the Straits of Florida, Cuba and Florida are considered by geologists to be part of the same North American continent, on the same side of the Atlantic Ocean.
On the night of 8 December 1997 (morning of 9 December), there was a report on computer hackers. Over a group of soldiers practicing for combat, the anouncer said, "This is how wars are fought now. . . ." Then, over a scene of hands typing on a computer keyboard, the announcer said, ". . . and this is the way generals fear they will be conducted in the future." Why do generals fear wars being fought without violence? Do they lack the skills to deal with computers?
On 17 October 1997, while discussing the TV rating system, Ted Koppel said the government "licenses networks and the stations they own". However, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denies that it has any role in licensing networks.

Primetime (also known as Primetime Live)

On 25 September 1997, an ABC journalist claimed that childproof lighters "save lives". Considering that these devices are used to ignite tobacco, linking them to safety is dubious.
On 13th August 1997, Chris Wallace told about how to check an automobile's "VIN number". As "VIN" is an abbreviation for "Vehicle Identification Number", Wallace's nomenclature was redundant.
On 16 April 1997, Diane Sawyer described hitman Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano as a "deadly killer". That must mean Gravano is more dangerous than a non-lethal killer.

Primetime Thursday

On 24 May 2001, it was alleged that science had discovered the key to beauty: symmetry. That doesn't ring true. Although Mendelsohn's symphonies are about as symmetrical as possible, audiences prefer Beethoven's by a significant margin.
On 5 April 2001, it was claimed that a nocturnal woman's circadian rhythm was different from everyone else's. Not everyone. Later in the report, it became clear that several of her relatives have the same cycle.
On 5 April 2001, it was claimed that Australia has "too many koalas" in isolated remnants of forest "surrounded by farms and homes". That's an anthropocentric view. There is too much cleared land. The concern that koalas will ever crowd out other life is misplaced.

Saturday Night

On 6 June 1998, a report on identical twins who had been separated at birth stated that it was a "perfect opportunity" for scientists to study the effects of genes. However, some of the twins' similarities may be gestational, deriving from conditions both experienced in the womb.

20/20

On 18 November 2005, Lynn Scherr warned, "You don't want that gift horse looking a carefully chosen gift in the mouth." If any horse looks in mouths, it would be an interesting news story. Generally, it is only a human buyer that looks in a horse's mouth, reading the animal's teeth to establish its age.

On 6 May 2005, there was a story about "a mother faced with a heart-wrenching choice" concerning the separation of her conjoined twins. The decision could be more accurately described as "gut-rending".

On 21 January 2005, a lengthy profile of LaToya Jackson mentioned that she is the only member of her family without a gold record. Of 6 billion people in the world, why waste time on someone with so little cultural significance?

"There are no second acts in American lives" -- F. Scott Fitzgerald. In the special, Second Acts (8 March 2004), Elizabeth Vargas introduces four people whose comebacks "prove Fitzgerald wrong": Welshman Tom Jones, Ukrainian Oksana Baiul, Johnny Depp, and newcomer Clay Aiken, who never went away.

On 17 October 2003, after hearing from opponents of video camera surveillance of classrooms, John Stossel asked, "Shouldn't educators be making the decision?" Yet the only demand made by the activists was a change in the policy, not necessarily a reassignment of the authority to set policy.

On 8 August 2003, Barbara Walters remarked that even six weeks after her death, Katharine Hepburn has not been forgotten, unlike other actresses. Who, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, and Natalie Wood?

Lake Mead has "eight million visitors a year, a population greater than New York City," it was reported on 25 July 2003. The comparison is meaningless, useful only to create unwarranted dramatic effect. At Lake Mead, the "population" accumulates. Only a small fraction are present at any time. Return visitors are counted over and over again. The 8,008,278 residents found by the 2000 census stay in New York City nightly; there are also millions of commuters and many visitors and tourists.

"Environmentalists like windmills" to generate electricity, said John Stossel on 25 July 2003. There are mixed feelings. A Green Party leader in Nova Scotia opposes plans for a wind farm there. High-speed modern windmills can be hazardous to birds that migrate through the windy passes where they tend to be located.
On 18 October 2002, Hogan's Heroes was characterized as "a sitcom set in a Nazi prison camp". It was a prisoner-of-war (POW) camp under German career military officers, rather than being run as a Nazi political arm. The allies also operated POW camps.
On 4 October 2002, Barbara Walters said, "It isn't only executives" who waste investors' money; sometimes "employees squander" funds. If executives aren't employees, why do they draw salary?
On 26 September 2001, Barbara Walters spoke of the astronomical natural odds against the birth of quintuplets, implying that those in her story, conceived with fertility drugs, had beaten those odds.
On 8 July 2001, John Stossel said Florida's homestead law benefits the rich. That's only part of the story. Any homeowner can benefit from the debt protection it provides.
On 12 January 2001, while interviewing Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, former Nixon White House Protocol Officer Diane Sawyer said that the new state legislature met in Tallahassee on 21 November, 2000. Unless filling vacancies, state legislators normally take office the January after the election.
On 26 August 2000, Connie Chung spoke of "a dog's life" as easy. When the expression originated, dogs were scavengers who ate garbage and lived in the kennel or channel, the gutter that carried sewage down the center of the street. (Source: Bergen Evans & Cornelia Evans, A Dictionary of Contemporary English Usage, 1959).
On 28 July 2000, John Stossel claimed that the interstate highway system has been finished. There was still no interstate highway between New York and Philadelphia.
On 10 May 2000, Diane Sawyer claimed that Halle Berry grew up "in an all-white neighborhood outside Cleveland". If Halle Berry lived there, how could it be all white?
On 21 April 2000, Barbara Walters called the Supremes "the most successful girl band ever". What instruments did they play?
An announcer said on 19 April 2000, that when the last member of the gang is sentenced next week, "it will be the final chapter for the Queens of Armed Robbery". There's no way to know that. The girls are 17 and have seven-year prison sentences. They might rob again after being released.
On 25 March 2000, a representative of the National Milk Producers' Association says of soy milk, "Unless they can prove it comes from cows", they shouldn't call it milk. John Stossel failed to challenge this presumption by pointing out that the substances nanny goats and women produce in their bodies to feed their offspring have no other name in vernacular English but "milk".
On 22 March 2000, there was talk of "the frightening idea of breeding better citizens". Frightening to whom? A promotional announcement for the report said, "What was done to these people is beyond your imagination." I imagined lobotomies, neutering, and imprisonment for miscegenation. The actual harm the people suffered, sterilization, fell far short of my imagination.
On 15 March 2000, an aerial view in Manhattan was identified as "Wall Street". It was actually West Street.
It was claimed that the Florida Highway Patrol had tried to protect a drunken FBI agent who caused a wrong-way highway crash by blaming the two young brothers who died in the other car. This is not plausible. How can a person who is not driving be blamed for a crash?
On 9 February 2000, Jack Ford asks, "How can women be nurturers, love-givers, and caregivers, and yet lead a group that talks about hating others?" If people fail to discuss things, they can never hope to understand them.
On 29 September 1999, Patrick Ireland's escape from gunmen at Columbine High School was characterized as "heroism". How can saving one's own life be called heroic?
On 25 April 1999, Barbara Walters said that because of a mental illness, people can be "transformed, with no change in their outward appearance". Poor choice of words. Form is shape or appearance.
On 2 April 1999, Sam Donaldson implied that Columbus set sail for America in 1492. Actually, he set off for Asia, but encountered America instead. He subsequently embarked on voyages to America in 1493, 1498, and 1502.
On 10 March 1999, Diane Sawyer spoke of a doctor accused of "injecting his mistress with the HIV virus." This is redundant. HIV is an abbreviation for "human immunodeficiency virus".
On 20 January 1999, it was alleged that wine consumption is harmful to women's health. According to CIA figures, French women, regular consumers of wine, have the world's sixth highest life expectancy, three years longer than Americans and nine years longer than French men. Swiss, Italian, Spanish, and Greek women also outlive Americans, despite their wine consumption.
On 15 January 1999, Hugh Downs called circumcision "the most commonly-performed surgery". Most other sources claim that episiotomy is more common.
On 9 December 1998, the announcer asked whether Mumia Abu-Jamal is a cold-blooded killer or "America's last political prisoner". Of course he's not the last. He's one of many.
On 30 September 1998, it was reported that an airplane made an emergency landing "in Stewart, NY". There is no community by that name, only an airport located in the Orange county towns of Newburgh and New Windsor.
On 17 October 1997, Hugh Downs announced a story on "polygamy", with "one husband and several wives". What Downs described is called polygyny. Polygamy also includes polyandry, a woman having several husbands.
On 10 October 1997, a story on a condition identified as "male rage", which actually affects both sexes, indicated that this "disorder" affecting "25%" of the population is controllable with medication. Somehow it escaped the notice of the reporters that medicating one of every four people for mental illness might have significant consequences for society. Inevitable repurcussions for the criminal justice system and the pharmaceutical industry were not addressed.

20/20 Downtown

On 24 August 2000, a promotional announcement said "You can't imagine" what happened to Brandon Teena, a woman who lived as a man. By now, we all know the story.
The background scenes behind the announcers are of Midtown Manhattan, not Downtown.

Up Close

The network home page has yet to provide mention of this interview series.

On 21 August 2002, the comment that Black Entertainment Television (BET) exposes children to "sexually explicit" images was illustrated with several images of women with plunging necklines dancing. The midline of the human chest is usually not considered a sexual organ. Although a bit revealing, the attire depicted is legal to wear on the streets of most American communities.

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) News

Forcing Walter Cronkite off the air has been only one of this network's disservices to the public.

The CBS Evening News of 8 August 2005 described an Iraqi reality show about ordinary people at a wedding as "just the opposite" of an American reality show with "ordinary people in unusual situations". Yet that concept's opposite would depict bizarre people in mundane situations, such as the Osborne family.

On the 6:30 evening news of 27 January 2005, John Roberts said that the Michelin Tweel airless tire would eliminate the need for tire dumps. Why? Most flats are repaired and returned to the road. They do not reach the dump until the tread is worn away. Even airless tires will eventually wear out.

A teaser on 15 December 2002 asked, "Are stores selling graphic video games to underage kids?" Without pictorial content, would they even qualify as video games?

On the 11:00 news of 16 September 2002, Manuel Gallegus indicated that "in California, all death penalty cases are automatically appealed". Maybe death penalty sentences are appealed, but trials which result in a lesser sentence or an acquittal would not be.

In a special report on 12 December 2000 at 10:00 p.m., Dan Rather said that Americans have a greater belief in the rule of law than any other country. More than Iran, which places Islamic law over science and logic?

On the morning of 27 January 1999, a promotional announcement said, "Are you worried about Brazil's economic crisis? You should be. Many U.S. companies do business there." In CBS's opinion, the Amazon basin's major contribution to photosynthesis that absorbs the carbon dioxide that we exhale is secondary to some business interests.

Shortly before 7:00 p.m. on 24 August 1997, a CBS journalist promoted an upcoming report, saying "When America downsized in the 1980's, Europe didn't. Now they're paying the price." High wages, generous pensions, long vacations, full health coverage, convenient mass transit--what a price! Where can we get such bargains?
On 13th January 1997, a CBS reporter said that there was a question about whether a sitting president could be required to defend himself in a lawsuit. The answer should be obvious. Anyone is free to forego presentation of a defense.

CBS Evening News

On 29 August 2004, a reporter questioned whether protests of the Republican National Convention in Manhattan would change the minds of people at home. Maybe the objective was to affect the result of the convention.

"How many of you were ripped off by more than a thousand dollars," a reporter asked of a group of disgruntled automobile customers on 12 February 2004. Most of them were ripped off of some money by car dealers.

During a blackout on 14 August 2003, an announcer spoke of "a mass exodus of workers from Manhattan". They are commuters. They make that journey every weekday.

On 22 June 2003, a scientist's effort to find new treatment for cancer was described as an "elusive task". When work in one's chosen field is that hard to find, it may be time to find something else to do.

On the 11:00 news of 8 June 2003, Chris Lawrence said a kidnaping may have resulted from a "burglary gone wrong". Was there something right about the burglary before the hostage was taken?

On 25 May 2003, this question was asked: "As bikers age, the biker death rate rises. Is there a connection?" Of course there is. In affluent countries, most young people become old people before they die.

It was reported on 25 May 2003 that 3,000 airport security workers "will turn in their white shirts" as the Homeland Security Department lays off workers, including many who were found to have criminal records. How can anyone hope to estimate the rate of return of shirts by former criminals?

On 5 November 2002, there was mention of a ballot proposal in Berkeley, California that would punish "anyone not selling organic or shade-grown coffee". So if the measure passes, a person selling only tea, only clothing, only stationery, or nothing at all could be prosecuted.

On 30 August 2002, it was mentioned that the new baseball contract was produced by "blurry-eyed" negotiators. Does the reporter need glasses to see facial features? Eyes that do not focus for lack of sleep are usually described as "bleary".

On 30 August 2002, John Roberts wished viewers a good "last weekend of the summer". The season of summer ends on at the solstice on 23 September. (A lot of schools already opened in August.)

On 7 August 2002, a report alleged that young people are suffering increasing rates of skin cancer "simply" because they spend more exposed to the sun. Ozone depletion, cited as a causal factor by the United Nations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was let off the hook.
On 21 May 2002, the war in Afghanistan was characterized as "a deadly cat and mouse game". That sounds lopsided. How often does a mouse kill a cat?
On 26 February 2002, Dan Rather spoke of Americans "bringing the Taliban to their knees". Muslims are brought to their knees five times a day, to pray.
On 25 February 2002, it was reported that surgeons in Boston performed fetal surgery by going "through the stomach" to get to the fetus. Why would surgeons cut into a major organ instead of pushing it out of the way?
A report on 21 February 2002 called Anniston, Alabama a "small town". Anniston's population of over 20,000 would be fairly large for a town. However, it is a small city.
On 10 February 2002, Randall Pinkston reported that the Asian longhorn beetle may destroy half of the trees in New York City. The hole made in the bark of a tree by the beetle was shown. It was never made clear whether the holes or something else kill the tree.
On 17 September 2001, a broker claimed that it is not possible to make up business lost during the four days the market was closed (following the airplane attack on Manhattan). Later in the same report, it was mentioned that the day the stock exchange reopened, the broker's firm handled five times as many trades as normal. Isn't that a wash?
On 6 August 2000, a report on the European Union's fight over uniform standards claimed that Italian gelato and candy makers would be threatened with extinction if the standards went into effect. However, there was inadequate explanation of how the standards would prevent either manufacture or sale of the products.

48 Hours

In "The Kennedys: Privilege & Pressure" on March 23, 2004, Lesley Stahl observes, "In 1963, three sons of patriarch Joseph P. Kennedy walked like titans across the American political landscape. Jack was president, Robert was attorney general, and young Teddy was a senator from Massachusetts. But everything changed on Nov. 22, 1963." Not everything changed. Forty years later, Teddy is still a senator from Massachusetts.
"A baby held hostage -- this is reality TV," said a promo on 8 August 2003. At least the network no longer claims this is news.
On 30 April 2003, Roberta Flack gave Lesley Stahl a private recital, not a "concert". Only a group of musicians can play in concert.
On 9 July 2001, Dan Rather spoke of a woman accused of an "unthinkable" crime: killing her mother. People must have given ample thought to the act before they bothered to name it "matricide".
On 22 July 1999, Dan Rather said the Kennedy family "hastily arranged" to bury JFK Jr.'s ashes at sea. It's implausible that a wealthy family including several lawyers would rush to dispose of ashes. They had probably made advance preparations, just in case.
Also on 22 July 1999, Dan Rather said "the sea has taken" John F. Kennedy Jr. Certainly not by choice.

48 Hours Mysteries

Although produced by so-called journalists, this series contains little if any news content.

An 18 June 2005 report of the murder of a Peace Corps worker in Tonga was no mystery. One witness even said so.
In "Chamber Of Secrets" on 20 February 2005, a voice said of State Supreme Court Justice Gerald Garson of Brooklyn, "He wasn't a low-level judge. He was the highest-level you could be in the state." Judge Garson was one of numerous trial judges on the court that handles major lawsuits, felony trials, and divorces. Above it are the Appellate Division and the Court of Appeals.
On 16 October 2004, the announcer claimed that a jury was supposed to decide whether defendant or other suspects had committed the crime. Yet juries have no power to make any decisions regarding people not on trial.

60 Minutes

In the summer of 2004, this program cheapened its reputation by lending its name to reruns of a Wednesday spinoff, of lower quality.
On 5 March 2006, Andy Rooney made two ignorant comments:
- "Dubai is the capital of United Arab Emirates. I don't know what an emirates is." An emirate is "a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Arab Monarch" known as an emir.
- "Outsourcing is having it made in another country." Not exactly. Outsourcing is defined as having a part made or a service performed by another company. For example, a manufacturer who lacks the facilities to provide an instruction manual may outsource the printing to a print shop.
In "The Dust of 9/11" on 10 Sep 2006, Katie Couric said to Christine Todd Whitman, "Your job as head of the EPA was to keep people safe from the environment." Then whose job is it to keep the environment safe from people?
In "Gay or Straight?" on 12 Mar 2006, Gerulf Rieger of Northwestern University claimed that gay people move differently from straights, because his volunteers could tell the difference when videotaped subjects were reduced visually to outlined figures. However, it was obvious that gay males and straight females shared one behavior, while gay females and straight males shared another. The sex of each subject was clear from the shape of the outline. So the volunteers must have used knowledge of sex to help distinguish gay from straight. It is apparent that they could not tell orientation from behavior alone, without knowing the sex of the subject.
On a 16 July 2006 rerun, Bob Simon claimed that Bode Miller is the world champion who falls the most often. More often than pole vaulters?
On 9 July 2006, Steve Kroft said deserter Sgt. Jenkins "knew he'd be arrested by the U.S. Army" upon leaving North Korea. Jenkins was released to Indonesia with his Japanese wife. He was not arrested until later. Apparently, he had the opportunity to reach a country where the army could not extradite him.
On 30 April 2006, Lesley Stahl said, "I'm standing on the most contaminated real estate outside Russia." She was not at the Ukrainian Chernobyl nuclear plant, which some people would put at the top of the list.
On 16 Apr 2006, Lesley Stahl said "China has 'Too many men'". She later refers to an "absence of girls". She asked schoolchildren, "Do you wish there were more girls in this class?" What would children answer if they thought the class was crowded, so they wanted fewer boys? As most experts consider China over-populated, Stahl needs a stronger argument if she wants to increase the female population.
On 2 Apr 2006 Steve Kroft claimed that General Motors had "a brand for every strata [sic] of society"."Stratum" is the singular. Which brand was designed for the urban poor? Which brand was designed for people who can only afford used cars? Kroft must have limited experience with car ownership or with penury.
On 2 Apr 2006, Bob Simon claimed that Osama bin Laden paid a "dowry" to secure a Yemeni wife for his associate. A dowry is normally wealth that passes from the bride's family to the groom. Money that passes from the groom to the bride's family, it is called a "bride price" in Africa (not far from Yemen).
On 20 Nov 2005, Lesley Stahl said, "Internet gaming is illegal." For the most part, gambling involving electronic transfer of money is illegal in the United States. Most games conducted for instruction or fun are legal. Gambling financed by cash in advance appears not to be as illegal as that involving electronic transfers.
On 13 Nov 2005, an activist claimed animal life was as deserving as human. Ed Bradley asked, doesn't position on the food chain matter? Edible plants are at the bottom of the food chain. Vegetarians are on the next step up. Those who eat beef and horsemeat, including dogs, are up another step. Cats, who sometimes eat carnivorous fish, are higher still. Man-eating crocodiles are higher on the food chain than humans. What point was Bradley trying to make?
"There's been a sea change in the typical Las Vegas tourist" in the last couple of years, said Lesley Stahl on 7 Aug 2005, explaining the success of Cirque de Soleil. A sea change applies to the sea. Las Vegas is far inland.
On "Highway in the Sky" on 10 July 2005, an inventor claimed that the Cartercopter, a personal airplane, will rescue people from burning buildings. Won't the updraft from the fire make small aircraft difficult to fly?
In "Submission" (13 Mar 2005), Morley Safer claimed that the late Theo van Gogh was a descendant of painter Vincent van Gogh. How can a man who never had children have a descendant?
On 26 Dec 2004, Steve Kroft said "The largest generation of young people since the '60s is beginning to come of age. . . . Born between 1982 and 1995, there are nearly 80 million of them, and they're already having a huge impact on entire segments of the economy." Since when is a generation that short? Most people don't have children at age 14.
On 5 Dec 2004, Ed Bradley speculated, "There is perhaps no musician alive who is more influential than Bob Dylan." How about Ravi Shankar, João Gilberto, Little Richard, Herb Alpert, Paul McCartney, or George Martin?
On 21 Nov 2004, Steve Kroft said of Jim Carrey, "His father was a saxophonist who became an accountant to pay the bills." Didn't he trust anyone to do it for him?
In "Next Space Race Under Way" on Nov. 7, 2004, entrepreneur Burt Rutan tried to explain the benefits of the moon's low gravity. "Imagine swimming at 2/10 of a g. Your body would only be this far out of the water." Rutan held his fingers about three inches apart. How could that happen? The swimmer would weigh one-fifth as much as on earth. As water does not compress under pressure, it would also weigh one-fifth as much as on earth. The swimmer, displacing the same amount of water, would swim at the same height. We hope Rutan's investors paid attention.
On or about Oct. 31, 2004, a profile of Jane Fonda included the following:
- Veterans were angry that Jane Fonda created "the appearance of a staged event" exploiting POWs, according to Lesley Stahl. If the event appeared to be staged, it must have made North Vietnam look phony. Why would that embarrassment of the enemy anger veterans?
- Jane Fonda recounted opposition to the Vietnam War: "We'd been saying to Richard Nixon, stop it, for eight years." Yet Nixon was president for less than six years.]
In the introduction to "Born in the USA" on Oct. 31, 2004, Lesley Stahl said, "It may surprise you to find out where these children end up." Yet the maple leaf flag behind Stahl spoiled the surprise.
On "GIs Lack Armor, Radios, Bullets" on Oct. 31, 2004, Steve Kroft said, "Karen Preston has been worrying a lot ever since last summer when Ryan returned home on leave and showed her these photos of the unarmored vehicles his unit was using for convoy duty in Iraq. Lacking the proper steel plating to protect soldiers from enemy mines and rocket propelled grenades, they had been jerry-rigged with plywood and sandbags." Would the vehicles be any safer if they had been jury-built?
On 3 October 2004, Morley Safer said the Medici brothers "died or were murdered". How many were more murdered without dying?
In "The New French Revolution" on 16 May 2004, Christianne Amanpour claimed that France's Muslim community is the largest in Europe. Its size is exceeded by those of Romania, Germany, and Albania.
In "Domingo" on (Sunday, of course) 16 May 2004, Scott Pelley made these errors:
- While Placido Domingo sang on stage, Scott Pelley said "There's no mike. . . ." Because the TV audience heard Domingo's voice, there must have been a microphone.
- Questioning why Domingo would push young singers on stage instead of seeking the spotlight himself, Pelley claimed that was not typical behavior of a star. Domingo's behavior is indeed that of a star. Self-promotion is characteristic of a ham.
In "Mismatched Hearts Save Infants" (31 March 2004) Scott Pelley said, "Most any surgeon out of medical school is taught a rule that must never be violated. When transplanting a heart, the heart must be compatible with the patient�s blood type. A mismatched heart leads to rapid death." If plastic surgeons have to know information that specifically pertains to heart transplants, it is a wonder they find time to study the skin.
In "Want To Marry? Take A Test" on 21 March 2004, Andy Rooney claims "In the year 2000, 71 percent of all married people in Oklahoma got divorced. " Why did so many choose that year to dissolve their marriages?
In "Former 'Capo': 'I Was Underpaid'" on 14 March 2004, Steve Kroft claims, "About the only place the mafia is doing well these days is in television ratings with the Sopranos. Everywhere else, La Cosa Nostra has been decimated by gangland killings and federal prosecutions -- with an entire generation of mobsters either knocking each other off or ratting each other out." Kroft ignores the thriving organized crime in Russia and Colombia.
In "Greyston Bakery: Let 'Em Eat Cake" on 11 January 2004, Bob Simon called Yonkers "a small city". Its population is 196,000, exceeding those of Orlando (185,951), Providence (173,618), and Salt Lake City (181,743).
In "Porn In The USA" on 23 November 2003, Steve Kroft claimed pornographers "flaunt society's rules". Kroft ought to check a dictionary before flouting his confusion.
On 12 November 2003, "Starved at Home?" discussed charges that parents withheld food from four boys in their care. Guilt or innocence was left unresolved. The grand jury had yet to meet. In the absence of any danger to the public, networks should wait a few months for incomplete stories to resolve themselves before presenting them to the public.
"Now, so many girls have been aborted that it's causing a dangerous population imbalance" in India, said Christianne Amanpour in "For Love Of Money" on 5 October 2003. Amanpour never explains what danger the population imbalance creates. On the contrary, a shortage of women will tend to curtail dowry-related violence and reduce the birth rate to replacement level.
In "Musically Speaking" (28 September 2003), Lesley Stahl said a music teacher was "impressed by how fast Rex learned scales in each of the 12 keys". Which are those? Bach, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff composed in 24 keys.
"Unhealthy Diagnosis" on 27 July 2003 featured a priest who had been diagnosed with a "fatal" heart condition. As he was expected to die, but did not, perhaps the word should be "terminal".
On 23 March 2003, Andy Rooney cited the invention of gunpowder as a turning point in making killing easier. For 500 years, gunpowder was only used for Chinese fireworks, before its introduction into the European weapons industry.
On 17 November 2002, Andy Rooney claimed that a candidate spent $55 million to be elected governor. There is more evidence that Thomas Golisano of Rochester NY, knowing he would run third, spent the money to garner sufficient votes to qualify his Independence Party to hold an advantageous position on the ballot in coming years.
Discussing "Married Priests" on 20 October 2002, Morley Safer stated that "the only Roman Catholic priests who are allowed to be married" are those who marry and then convert from other religions. Outside the United States, married men can be ordained in the 21 Eastern Rites of Roman Catholicism.
In "Armed and Dangerous" on 13 October 2002, Steve Kroft said that "insane gunman" Colin Ferguson had shot a number of commuters on a Long Island Railroad train. Although Ferguson appears to have been a paranoid schizophrenic, he was considered legally sane by the court.
In "The End of the Embargo?" on 13 October 2002, Ed Bradley said "Pressure to lift the embargo [against Cuba by the U.S.A.] is coming from the last place you'd expect . . . Bush's own Republican party." The last folks we'd expect to want to lift the embargo are the Cuban elite who settled in Miami, people who want to overthrow Castro and reclaim the status they once enjoyed. The Republican party can be expected to compromise any principles that stand in the way of exploiting an opportunity.
On 6 October 2002, Steve Kroft claimed New Yorkshire State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer "has deputized himself as the sheriff of Wall Street". If Spitzer has been deputized, he's only deputy sheriff.
During "Zion's Christian Soldiers" on 6 October 2002 (repeated 8 June 2003), Bob Simon mentioned the "Book of Revelations". The one in the Bible is the Book of Revelation.
On 6 October 2002, a one-sided report was aired regarding "The Hubble" orbiting telescope. Only advocates of the $7 billion project were interviewed. No one questioned whether the taxpayers of one country should be expected to pay the entire bill. (Had the German or Japanese optics industries been involved, the early focus problems might have been avoided.)
On 6 October 2002, Ed Bradley insufficiently explained why color must be added to photographs from "The Hubble" telescope. Because much of the radiation detected by the camera exceeds the frequency range of human vision, it would be seen by the human eye as black. Extending the color range can separate the frequencies in a way the human mind can easily grasp.
The 7 July 2002 report, "Fat City", claims that celebrities like Shelly Winters and Colonel Sanders "head south" for weight reduction treatment in Durham, NC. If Sanders headed south from Kentucky or celebrities headed south from Hollywood, they would miss Durham completely.
Ed Bradley doesn't limit his misstatements to news reports.
In the 7 April 2002 report, "A New Lease on Life", Ed Bradley asked oncologist Dr. Henry Friedman about reluctance of other physicians to use drugs that have not been tested in "government-sponsored clinical trials". Are clinical trials sponsored by charities suspect?
In the 3 February 2002 special report, "The Lost Boys", Bob Simon compared the British Home Secretary to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. By its own description, the Home Office is "responsible for internal affairs in England and Wales." Its scope includes public safety and immigration, which are also concern of the U.S. Department of Justice. There is no parallel with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who oversees natural resources and national parks.
During "Wanted" on 12 August 2001, Mike Wallace spoke of a "Muslim majority" in Bosnia. The CIA reports the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina as 40% Muslim and 50% Christian. (If Wallace quoted statistics for Bosnia alone, they must be from an obscure source.)
On 8 July 2001, Lesley Stahl asks, "Did the Boy Scouts lose more than they gained when the Supreme Court" allowed them to exclude gay leaders? Not likely. The organization is free to change its policy at any time.
On 27 May 2001, reporting on airline delays, Steve Kroft said, "People want to fly". That's dubious. Many people going less than 500 miles would prefer to take a train, if that option presented itself. Trains have more luggage room, better ventilation, minimal pressure changes, and lower fares. Unfortunately, the operations have deteriorated to the point that many travelers view trains as unsafe and inconvenient.
On 31 December 2000, Ed Bradley claimed that percussionist Evelyn Glennie has adapted classical pieces for the instruments she plays. He illustrated this with a Vivaldi piece. However, Vivaldi wrote in the Baroque style, which employs polyphony of voices that may be played by any instrument having the proper range. Classical music tends to rely on timbre, so substitution becomes more difficult.
In the 9 July 2000 report, "Adopt Me", Morley Safer asserts that America is good at marketing. Not according to balance of trade. Japan is much better at marketing.
On 9 July 2000, Andy Rooney cleaned his typewriter keys with a metal paper clip. To avoid damaging the keys, an old toothbrush would be better.
On 21 May 2000, Ed Bradley accused a man named Mishnick of "stealing" software by copying it without permission. Stealing is normally defined as taking property with the purpose of permanently depriving the owner of its use. As the owner still had full use of the original software, Mishnick could not have stolen it. Now, according to Bradley, Mushnick is prohibited from "using a computer or any other wireless communication". Why would a computer hacker be prohibited from listening to a portable radio?
On 21 May 2000, Ed Bradley defined "social engineering" as calling employees of a company to obtain private information. That is a fairly trivial definition. Changing the the structure of society, as through a government policy that skews economic incentives, is what some of us understand as social engineering.
In the 26 March 2000 report, "By Faith Alone", Morley Safer claims that Medicare pays only for care provided under the authority of a medical doctor. Doesn't it pay when a doctor of osteopathy orders the treatment?
In the 3 January 2000 report, "His Honor, the Mayor", Lesley Stahl asked, "Whoever heard of a politician seeking lower office?" Lots of people. For example, New Yorkshire State Assemblyman Lou Howard (R-Amityville) ran for, and was re-elected to his previous office of Suffolk County Legislator in 1981.
On 3 January 2000, it was said that "Oakland is a pocket of urban poverty amidst the prosperity of Northern California." That is not accurate. A large part of Oakland is not poor at all. The poverty takes in one portion of the city and extends beyond, to Richmond and other East Bay cities.
In the 21 November 1999 report, "RUC", Bob Simon spoke of ". . . Northern Ireland, where the overwhelmingly Protestant RUC, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, rules the roost like no other police force in the Western world." Are they really that different from the Costa Rican police, who provide the only uniformed security in the absence of an army?
On the 7 November 1999 report, "Doctor in the House", Lesley Stahl said, "Doctors from overseas account for a full 25% of American MDs. There's not another profession with those numbers." (Not circus performers?) It was reported that American medical schools produce only 17,000 graduates per year to fill 24,000 residencies. No where in the story were the American students in foreign medical schools accounted for.
On 4 April 1999 (rebroadcast on 15 April 1999), Andy Rooney displayed a mosaic portrait of Christ created by "a Turkish artist in Byzantium". It is highly unlikely the artist was a Turk. The entry of Muslim Turks into Constantinople (formerly Byzantium) ended the Byzantine empire and most of its Christian religious art.
On 14 December 1997, an introduction to the report "Code Blue" claimed that "someone" gave 22 babies "potentially lethal doses of lidocaine". However, the lethal levels could have been reached with repeated small doses, administered by different people.
Also on 16 November 1997 (repeated on 19 July 1998), Andy Rooney complained about the layout of magazines, saying a table of contents should appear on the first or second page after the cover. Rooney must be upset with Reader's Digest, which prints its table of contents on the cover, in the manner of many academic journals.
On 16 November 1997, Mike Wallace claimed a woman was "tricked into smuggling drugs from Ecuador to the United States". As the woman was arrested before she could leave Ecuador, is that correct to say?
On 12 October 1997, in the report "First Lady", Lesley Stahl remarked that Betty Ford's candor about alcoholism made her the most admired woman in the world in the mid-1970's. Golda Meir was surely too humble to roll in her grave.

60 Minutes II

Unfortunately, this stepchild lacks the clarity of the parent. Finding a limited supply of significant news to share with its parent, it sometimes reaches for stories.

In "Swimming with Sharks" on 11 Dec 2005, Bob Simon said, "There may be no more widespread fear than the fear of meeting up with a shark." Is it found inland? Fears of public speaking, death, snakes, and spiders are held by many people in most places. (Of course, sharks are more feared than snakes in Ireland.)
In "A Tale of Two Hands" on 26 May 2005, Charlie Rose called Carnegie Hall "music's most famous stage". Where on the list are the stages of La Scala, Bayreuth, Covent Garden, and the London Palladium?
In "Visiting The Theater Of The Mouth" on 26 May 2005, Lara Logan said of chef Thomas Keller, "His most recent project is a new temple of fine dining in Manhattan, called Per Se, where you have to wait two months to get a reservation." How far in advance of dining must one secure the reservation that it takes two months to get?
On 11 February 2004, Charlie Rose spoke of "violent music". Is that the kind that damages eardrums?
Of "Larry David" (21 January 2004), Bob Simon says, "You never got to see him on TV" on the Seinfeld series. David played over 14 characters in various episodes.
In "Growth Industry" on 19 November 2003, Vicki Mabrey addressed only the social aspects of using hormones to gain stature, neglecting the effect of different heights or changes in height on physical health.
In "Dennis the Menace" on 19 November 2003, Bob Simon called Maxim Publisher Felix Dennis "a modern-day Hugh Hefner." Even if Hugh Hefner were living in modern times, instead of in the 20th and 21st centuries, it is questionable whether he would be satisfied to publish magazines tame enough to be sold in supermarkets.
In "Wesley Clark" on 19 November 2003, Dan Rather asked, "Why should 'General Wesley Clark' be the first general since Eisenhower to be president." General Charles DeGaulle served as president of France until 1970, ten years after Dwight David Eisenhower's retirement. During an interview, Clark denied he was forced out over questions of character and integrity, putting to rest the suspicion that he might have demonstrated so much character and integrity that he got in the way of Pentagon pork barrel.
On 12 November 2003, "Starved at Home?" discussed charges that parents withheld food from four boys in their care. Their guilt or innocence was left unresolved. The grand jury had yet to meet. Where there is neither immediate danger to the public nor ongoing neglect of the matter, stories like this should wait to air until the story can be told with greater certainty.
In "Courtesy Of The Red, White & Blue" on 29 October 2003, Dan Rather quotes Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks as claiming that "Angry American" made country music sound ignorant. That perception predates by many years the song Toby Keith wrote in 2001.
On 10 September 2003, recounting the events of 11 September 2001, Dan Rather remarked that not since Lincoln had a president seen an attack on the capital city. Even in 2001, the hijacked plane turned back from Washington to land outside it in Arlington.
During "Roc-a-Fella" or "The King of Rap" on 13 August 2003, Bob Simon called Oklahoma "the state that tried to ban the Martin Luther King birthday". Really? What penalty is imposed on people and businesses that observe the holiday in spite of the law.
Introducing "The Wisdom of Yogi-isms" on 9 July 2003, Bob Simon said that instead of going south to quote Mark Twain, speakers were quoting Yogi Berra. Simon has a poor sense of direction. Twain's boyhood home of Hannibal, MO is 70 miles north of St. Louis, where Berra grew up. Twain's later years were spent in Hartford, CT, 70 miles north of Berra's current home in Montclair, NJ.
During "A Few Minutes With . . ." on 9 July 2003, the commentator claims to have shot the "first reality TV show" -- featuring his parents. The videotape appears to be less than 30 years old, which would make it more recent than the 1973 PBS documentary, An American Family.
On 14 May 2003, the prologue promised a "frightening" account of the ordeal of American prisoners of war in Iraq. There was a lengthy narrative of a 20-day experience that was tame compared to the Bataan Death March and the Hanoi Hilton. Who was it supposed to frighten?
Sometimes, an initial question elicits only impertinent answers. Vicki Mabrey began the 12 March 2003 report, "The Hunger Hormone", with the words, "The United States is the fattest nation on earth. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight." Prof. Stephen Bloom offered the explanation that contemporary humans "are survivors of the obese" whose reserve of fat carried them through famine. So why are Americans, whose ancestors came from various countries, fatter than people in any of those countries? Do sedentary lifestyle and ready access to food contribute to America's distinction? One must look elsewhere for answers.
"You've taken someone literally in the stone age and dropped him into a modern civilization", reported Bob Simon in "Lost Boys II: Life in America" on 1 January 2003. The refugees come from an agricultural society that depends on some modern technology. At least some of the boys are literate. Drawing a comparison to the stone age is quite a stretch.
In "Cabrini-Green" on 11 December 2002, Vicki Mabrey said a former resident has "a birds-eye view" of the demolition of his old housing project from his new home in a shorter building in Chicago's Northside Village. How can he view the old high-rise buildings from above?
In "Tony Hawk" on 11 December 2002, Charlie Rose claimed that a skateboarder had gone from being an "outcast" in high school to obtain a "squeaky clean" image as a celebrity. How does harassment by bullies make one unclean, except in the sense of getting temporarily grimy from contact with the ground?
In "Secret Lives" on 25 September 2002, Vicki Mabrey left unchallenged a claim by former FBI profiler Ken Lanning: "When an adult and a child have sex, the adult is the offender; the child is the victim. Always, all the time, that's just the way it is." By Lanning's standards, an elderly woman raped by a teenage boy is a criminal.
On 11 September 2002, Scott Pelley said of George W. Bush, "No other president since Madison has seen the capital city successfully attacked." It hasn't been since. Even the plane crash at the Pentagon in 2001 was outside the city limits, in the next state. Pelley also claims that America's largest city was "devastated" on 11 September 2001. This is a distortion. Most of New York City remained intact, as did all of Mexico City.
On 4 September 2002, Dan Rather characterized as "The Big Lie" the belief widely held by Arabs that a Jewish conspiracy caused the 11 September 2001 bombing of New York's World Trade Center. If the people who spread the allegation believe in its veracity, then who is lying?
In "Safest Airline" on 21 August 2002, Bob Simon lauded the Israeli practice of placing airport security in the hands of the same agency that guards the head of government, the equivalent of the U.S. Secret Service. If that agency is so effective, how did it fail to stop an assassin from killing Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin in 1995?
Discussing security techniques with an official of Ben-Gurion airport in Tel Aviv on "Safest Airline" on 21 August 2002, Bob Simon saed "In America, profiling is a dirty word." That comment is conceptually sloppy. Profiling by race, religion, or ethnicity alone would violate U.S. civil rights standards. Profiling on the basis of individual behavior, amount of luggage, or place of trip origin are still legitimate methods of deciding which person to question.
In "Diamond Rush" on 21 August 2002, a reporter claimed that because only four percent of diamonds come from Canada, "If you wanted to buy a non-conflict diamond, it would be almost impossible." That is not an accurate statement. Many diamonds come from non-conflict mines in South Africa. So although it might not be possible to determine the origin, there must be a significant percentage of diamonds on the market that are not tainted with the blood of amputee children in Africa.
On 14 August 2002, Bob Simon called Shanghai "the only city with a felony named after it". In several states, sodomy (named for the biblical city of Sodom) is a felony.
On 27 March 2002, Steve Kroft interviewed George Trofimoff, who was "convicted of living a double life, wearing a US army uniform while working for the Soviets." If Trofimoff had worn a Red Army uniform, would his activities have been legal?
On 20 March 2002, Vicki Mabrey called murders by Vermont teenagers a crime wave in Vermont. Yet two of the three murders took place in New Hampshire.
In the 13 March 2002 segment, "INS", Steve Kroft mentioned an alien who was "ordered to leave the country voluntarily".
Introducing the 26 June 2001 story, "Swept Away", Vicki Mabrey said, "It's not everyday you stumble across a 2,000 year-old city filled with priceless artifacts, but that's what happened a few years ago in southeastern Turkey. The first clause is a tautology; if artifacts were found every day, they would be commonplace rather than priceless. "You" is is the wrong pronoun to use; most members of Mabrey's audience haven't found priceless artifacts lately.
The introduction to the 18 July 2001 report, "Sniper", included the observation, "Some people wonder if having a sniper on the force makes (police) more likely to use one." That's almost certainly true. How likely are the police to use personnel they don't have?
On 9 January 2001, Scott Pelley said of a European television show, "UPN picked it up, and you'll be able to see 'Chains of Love' there." We don't expect so. The Blue Ridge blocks the UPN signal from WDRL-TV in Roanoke.
Introducing the 12 December 2000 report, "James Taylor", Charlie Rose claimed that Taylor's songs were as popular as when he wrote them decades ago. By what measure? (Of course, Taylor's songs where not popular until after they had been performed a number of times in public. Before that, they were unknown.)
In a voice-over during a 12 December report on "James Taylor", Charlie Rose said "He writes and performs intensely personal songs . . ." while Taylor sang "Every Day" by Buddy Holly.
Introducing the 12 December 2000 report, "The Celtic Tiger", Bob Simon spoke of ". . . Ireland, the country which for 150 years had only one export: its own people; the country which for centuries had an economy with only one product: failure." For most of the 20th century, Ireland produced and exported woolens, lace, crystal, beer, and Irish whisky. In the 19th century, potatoes were exported. If there is a period of 150 years during which Ireland exported no material goods, it hasn't been recent.
In the 24 October 2000 report, "Dixie Chicks", Dan Rather left unchallenged the astonishing assertion by a musician who had sold 17 million albums that nobody makes money by recording, that it only functions as a tool to promote live performances. If that is true, what do free live performances promote? (Sony executives must have seen this band coming.) Rather also calls the trio "extraordinarily talented musicians", an apellation many of us would reserve for solo performers who have proven their prowess at mastering the most difficult music in the repertory.
In a 12 October 2000 report on clinical depression, Mike Wallace compared the fate of Sen. Thomas Eagleton (D - MO) in 1972 with the more recent acceptance of Gov. Lawton Chiles (D - FL) and Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D - RI). Although Eagleton was abandoned by his running mate, Sen. George McGovern, he was re-elected by the voters of his state, just as Gov. Chiles and Rep. Kennedy were. There is no evidence that the voters have changed in 28 years. (Furthermore, the death of Gov. Chiles in office had few negative consequences, even to Florida.)
In the 27 June 2000 report "Death by Denial", Ed Bradley spoke of a generation of Zimbabwe being "decimated" by AIDS. That meant they are being reduced by a tenth. As the infection rate was 25%, the the survival rate would have to be 60%. That optimism sounds unrealistic.
On 21 March 2000, Vicki Mabrey said, "Some of the hottest music around is coming from a place where music has been dead to the rest of us for forty years." I don't know who "the rest of us" are supposed to be. We've been listening for years to jazz musician Paquito D'Rivera, who left Cuba in 1979.
In the 4 January 2000 report, "Richard the Lionhearted", Steve Kroft spoke of Richard Branson starting an "intergalactic air line". Both these men have been had. Between galaxies, there are vast stretches without air.
On 27 July 1999, Jimmy Tingle included "organ donors" on a list of people for whom the tobacco industry provides employment. He couldn't have meant in the U.S.A., where sale of organs is illegal.
On 7 April 1999, a profile of Slobodan Milosevic mentioned that ethnic Albanians in Kosovo treated Serbs like "second-class citizens". No specific examples of bias were presented.

60 Minutes Wednesday

On 1 June 2005, Dan Rather repeated a quote that Billy Joe Shaver was "the greatest songwriter alive". Shaver must find it frustrating that Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Neil Sedaka, Elton John, Paul Simon, Brian Wilson, Jimmy Webb, Billy Joel, and Sting have stolen his limelight for his entire career.
On 1 June 2005, Scott Pelley made two strange claims:
- Pelley said that some South Carolina children attend inferior schools because of the "accident of birth" -- that they were born in Dillon County instead of Horry County. Not all children were born in the same county where they live at school age.
- Pelley said that "If Horry County were a state, its SAT scores would be higher than several other states. Why is statehood a factor in comparing the test scores?
- On 19 May 2005, Scott Pelley said, "There are more payday stores than McDonald's." Why wouldn't there be. McDonald's is one brand of hamburger stand, competing with the likes of Wendy's and Burger King. The count of payday stores includes an entire industry with many brands.
- On 14 Apr 2005, Vicki Mabry said, "It's an unimaginable crime: a mother killing her own child." Not only is it imaginable, they gave it a name: infanticide.
- On 2 March 2005, "Hilary Swank" claims that before training she couldn't even do a single pull-up. She demonstrates by holding her hands up in front with the palms and fingers turned backward, thumbs to the sides, in the manner of a chin-up. The pinkies are turned to the sides for a pull-up.
- In "Epidemic in the Heartland" 2 March 2005, a police source says of cottage drug manufacture, "You can feed your own addiction." That must be news to tobacco farmers and moonshiners.
- On 16 Feb 2005, Mike Wallace claimed that baseball depends on the historical record more than any other sport. Why is are past records less important in track and field, horse racing, or stunt flying?
- On 8 Dec 2004, Scott Pelley said, "You can't have an army of free thinkers." Norway did. They ignored the order in 1940 to surrender. Their continued fight against the German invasion provided time for the king and Council of Ministers to flee to England and maintain a government in exile.
National Broadcasting Company (NBC) News
- After reporting endorsements of Barack Obama by Oprah Winfrey and of Hillary Rodham by Barbra Streisand, Andrea Mitchell remarked about Streisand, "She's a funny girl, but she's no match for Oprah. What does that mean, and why was that opinion inserted in an otherwise objective story?
- On the Sunday 6:00 news of 28 November 2004, Jim Maceda said, "Ukraine is sandwiched between Europe and Russia." Ukraine is on the continent of Europe.
- "Students at the University of Virginia are doing their best to lead normal lives," said a reporter on the 11:00 news of 29 August 2004. What would motivate college students in that direction?
- A 20 March 2003, a war report called Target: Iraq began by reporting "the first casualties of war", 16 Britons and Americans. The missile that hit Baghdad at dawn seems not to have hurt anyone.
Dateline

Adopting the strategy of tabloid papers, the Dateline program puts its efforts into spectacular draws backed with shoddy, one-sided reporting. The following nonsense has been featured:
- On 23 June 1999, a report on Rep. George Nethercutt's decision to break his promise and seek a fourth term neglected the facts that the people of the state of Washington voted to impose term limits and Nethercutt's predecessor, Tom Foley, successfully challenged that law in the courts. As usual, Dateline left the key piece out of the puzzle.
- On 22 July 1999, it was claimed that even though Stanley Kubrick's last movie, Eyes Wide Shut had opened profitably, "films about sexual obsession" aren't always popular with American audiences. An example cited was the remake of Lolita. However, Kubrick's original film of "Lolita" was successful. And why are American audiences considered so important? The film is certain to draw crowds in Europe.
- On 21 July 1999, a pseudo-journalist said that someone learned from a personal experience "how powerful shock can be". It is common knowledge that shock can stop the heart, causing death. How much more could be learned about its power through a personal experience?
- On 3 June 1998, a report on a rescue from a oil tanker with a broken bow indicated that the tanker threatened to spill its entire cargo. Of course, the oil is separated into compartments to stabilize the load, so it is unlikely that all the oil would spill.
- On 4 July 1997, a capsule description of Dateline read, "A teenager's meeting with a grizzly bear." That's not news. A bear's grisly meeting with a teenager would be news.
- Dateline reporters said Binti Jua, the gorilla who rescued an unconscious child, had acted against the threat presented by "her own kind". It should be obvious to anyone in possession of reasonable logical skill that if seven gorillas living in the same pen could get in a fight over an unconscious child, harassment would have become uncontrollable years before, forcing the keepers to separate the gorillas. The only way animals can live together in a group (as gorillas often do in the wild) is by staying out of each other's way. Binti Jua faced no threat.
- Although they had run teasers suggesting that it would be their first story, it wasn't until 10:45 or later on 20 August 1996, that NBC's Dateline told of a gorilla Binti Jua's rescue of an unconscious child who had fallen into a pit at the Brookfield zoo. Dateline described the incident as spectacular. However, anyone familiar with simian behavior knows that gorillas are gentle animals who direct aggression only toward threats. Even the expert they consulted considered this act normal for a gorilla. Perhaps there was confusion with chimpanzees, who, being closer relatives of humans, are known to act violently on occasion.
- In the amounts most Americans encounter, pesticides are not a cancer risk, implied NBC's Dateline on 20 August 1996. In fact, carcinogens have no threshold dose of toxicity. Such a threshold is a property of faster-acting poisons. Large exposures carry high risk. Small exposures carry low risk. The only way to completely eliminate the risk is to prevent any exposure to a carcinogen.
- Later on 20 August 1996, NBC's Dateline reported that a certain Tony Roland "pled" guilty to rape. The preferred form is "pleaded".
- On 21 and 24 May 1996, NBC's Dateline had the gall to present a poorly-documented report on honesty. On 24 May, they provided a test that was supposed to allow viewers to test their honesty. However, some of the questions did not do this. For example, one question asked, "You have an innocent lunch with an old flame. Knowing it would upset your spouse, would you tell?" A positive response may represent an attempt to provoke jealousy. In many cases, a person's honesty would not be a factor in the decision.
- Although the introduction to NBC's Dateline on 19 March 1996, promised to furnish results of all the primary elections held that day, there was no mention of voting or delegate selection in the Democratic party -- the party currently in control of the executive branch of the federal government. NBC must consider the Republican party the only party worthy of their attention.
- On 16 February 1996, NBC's Dateline claimed that J. Paul Getty III was kidnaped and that only after the kidnapers cut off his ear would his grandfather, J. Paul Getty I, agree to cooperate. This is not the way I remember the story. J. Paul Getty I never agreed to pay anything, fearing that all of his grandchildren would be kidnaped. Other members of the family negotiated ransom. After the young man returned, it was discovered that the kidnaping was a hoax--the young man staged the incident to get money.
- On 31 January 1996, NBC's Dateline reported on obsessive behavior. A featured mental health practitioner called it unhealthy behavior for a woman to a) use her foot to flush the toilet in a public restroom, b) use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door in a public restroom, c) avoid walking barefoot on her lawn, and d) disinfect her kitchen counter. The quack then "cured" the woman of this behavior, turning her into a slob who smears her kitchen with rancid food. (In contrast, a more responsible news program on ABC has educated viewers about the importance of kitchen hygiene.)
- On at least one occasion, NBC's Dateline described a chimpanzee named Casey at the San Diego Zoo as a "monkey". Chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, are great apes, not monkeys. If they were monkeys, they would probably have tails.
- On 17 March 1996, NBC's Dateline reported on landowners who "flaunt" environmental laws. However, these landowners had not been so patriotic as to boldly display statutes. In fact, they had flouted the laws.
- On 16 May 1996, NBC's Dateline called a child molester a "sex abuser". As I understand it, a spouse abuser is one who abuses ones own spouse. A child abuser is one who abuses a child. A sex abuser must be someone who abuses an entire sex. However, the person in question had only molested a few individuals, not an entire sex. The description was exaggerated in order to sensationalize the report.
- A reporter on NBC's Dateline described the O. J. Simpson trial as the "trial of the century". Considering that the Sacco-Vanzetti trial, the Scopes monkey trial, the Lindbergh kidnaping, Stalin's purges, the Nuremberg war crimes trial, the Tucker Motors trial, the Rosenberg espionage trial, Brown v. Board of Education, Simas Kudirka's conviction, the case of the Pentagon Papers, several Watergate convictions, and Roe v. Wade all occurred in the twentieth century, NBC's Dateline obviously lacks a sense of proportion.
- On 9 January 1995, NBC's Dateline stated that one out of every five injured workers files false claims. This must have been an error. Why would workers who have been injured fail to file reports accurately describing their injuries, so that they could legitimately receive compensation? The more significant problem is the uninjured workers who fabricate claims.
- In January 1995, NBC's Dateline's report on emergency operators chided the Philadelphia police for not finding St. Cecilia's Church on Oxford Avenue, where a boy was being beaten to death. I couldn't find it there, either. The Church is actually located on Rhawn Avenue at Ridgeway Avenue, two blocks away from Oxford Avenue. Although a telephone directory might have been useful, the police emergency patrol could hardly be expected to see a church hidden from view by the attached two-story commercial buildings that line Oxford Avenue.
- Dateline aired a lengthy whitewash about Publisher's Clearing House. The favorable report neglected to mention a recent scandal concerning the dishonest way the company cleared its house. In 1994, a station in New York had reported finding legitimate contest entries dumped unopened along a New Jersey road. NBC's Dateline chose to ignore the company's record of fraud, running an illegal gambling operation, and littering.
- To illustrate a safety hazard, NBC's Dateline staged explosions of trucks. They admitted rigging the trucks with smoke-emitting devices only after being threatened with a libel suit. Unfortunately, it was too late to prevent tragic imitation of the incident. Terrorists employed the idea. They exploded trucks in New York and Oklahoma City, causing hundreds of deaths and injuries.
Early Today
- On 27 April 2006, it was claimed that Dolly Parton and "a young Elvis Presley will appear in a commercial to promote tourism in their native Tennessee." Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi.
News at Sunrise
- On 26 August 1999, a graphic with the legend, "forced abortion" accompanied a story about a court decision in Arizona in which a teenager had asked for the abortion.
- On 13 August 1999, a change in Kansas educational policy regarding evolution was described as a controversy over "the beginning of life". That is impossible. Evolution could only take place after life already existed.
- On 23 June 1999, Nanette Hanson alleged, "The first election of the next century is at least 17 months away." Actually, 17 months away is 23 November 2000, which is still in the 20th century. As the next century was more than 18 months away, the next election could not be any closer.
- On 14 January 1999, Brigitte Quinn announced, "A winter storm is developing in the Tennessee River." The stream must have been splashing violently to have such an effect.
- On 12 November 1998, Brigitte Quinn quoted Sen. Arlen Spector as saying the Senate was unlikely to vote for impeachment. That's an understatement. Only the House has the power to impeach. The Senate then holds a trial at which it convicts or acquits.
- On 16 October 1998, Brigitte Quinn called Sen. John Glenn "America's first man in space." Alan Shepard was the first American in space.
Nightly News

Sloppy reporting is not confined to prime time. The NBC Nightly News has also presented misinformation:
- On 13 August 2007, a correspondent spoke of George W. Bush's "two terms as governor". Bush did not complete two terms, resigning less than halfway through his second.
- On 14 Dec 2005, Brian Williams described a "poll asking how people feel about the president and the Iraq War". He said 39% approve, while 55% disapprove. Thus, Williams stated the quantity of opinion, but not how people feel. Does the war induce annoyance, nausea, fear, or anger?
- In a 11 Dec 2005 report on computer security, users complain that a computer becomes useless after the security expires. The announcer mentions stealing credit card numbers and passwords. How can that information cause a breakdown?
- On 15 October 2004, Brian Williams called Tom Daschle "one of South Dakota's top two senators". South Dakota has never had more than two U.S. Senators, of whom Daschle was one. The office is inherently of higher rank than a state senator.
- On 30 April 2004, a journalist said, "EU members share a common currency." Not all. Denmark and Sweden use crowns. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland uses the pound sterling.
- On 11 February 2004, it was reported that Georgia is considering a constitutional amendment that would outlaw marriage for "gay couples". If it passes, the only same-sex couples allowed to marry will consist of two heterosexual partners.
- On 16 October 2003, a correspondent mentioned "the dome Michelangelo built" atop the Sistine Chapel. The chapel's construction was complete by 1483, when Michelangelo was eight years old.
- On 10 January 1998, there was mention that a "gag order" was in effect on all parties to a lawsuit. Then there was an interview with one of the defendants.
- On 26 May 1996, at about 6:58, the NBC news announcer mentioned "a war that divided the country". He was describing not the Civil War, but the Vietnam War.
- On 10 January 1996, Tom Brokaw called Radio Marté a "network", yet it was described as having no more than one station. How can one station be a network?
- On 8 January 1996, a blizzard was called "the worst storm in a half-century", apparently compared to Hurricanes Andrew and Camille.
- On 24 May 1995, a story about Sen. Robert Byrd was illustrated with a map showing Interstate 33 in West Virginia. Interstate highways are numbered starting from the west. If any road bore such a designation, it would be near I-35 on the Great Plains. Interstate highways 77, 79, and 81 pass through West Virginia.
The news department at NBC is incompetent and negligent.
Nightside
- On the morning of 13 February 1998, it was reported that at the end of the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein's Iraq was "surrounded by Arab states that oppose him". There are four Arab states that border Iraq. Of these, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Syria opposed him. Jordan was on friendly terms. The other two bordering countries, Turkey and Iran, contain only minorities of Arabs.
Today
- A newscaster described a boy who ran away with his teacher "is an illegal immigrant". What makes him an illegal immigrant in Mexico? Is he a Gringo who sneaked southward across the Rio Grande?
NBC Sports

Summer Olympics
- "These are not her forte [sic] dives," said a sportscaster of a Mexican athlete on 21 August 2004, pronouncing the word "forte" with two syllables. Derived from Italian and normally used to describe music, the adjective "forte" means "loud". Was the athlete known for noisy performance? More likely, the sportscaster meant to use the word's homograph, meaning "strong point". However, this French one-syllable word is a noun in English, so it would not fit the construction.
Public Broadcasting System (PBS) News

Frontline
- On 17 June 2004, it was mentioned that Kelly Jarrett was accused of committing murder in "town of Sherrill" near Utica, New Yorkshire. Sherrill is a city in the town of Vernon.
Newshour
- On 10 September 2004, Jim Lehrer mentioned that few hurricanes land in the northeast Gulf of Mexico between Tampa and Appalachicola, but that Hurricane Ivan is headed straight for that stretch, "so it's a dangerous situation". He did not explain what makes a landfall in an unusual place more dangerous than in the usual place.
- On 17 August 1998, Jim Lehrer said Russia devalued it's currency by a third, raising prices about 30%. However, a one-third devaluation would correspond to a 50% price increase.
Now
- On 17 October 2003, Rep. James Ramstad claimed that the health care costs of people treated for addiction drop by 100%. That means they drop to zero.
- "If they could, (California) voters would likely recall the entire government, both executive and legislative," said Bill Moyers on 18 July 2003. Surely, Moyers must be aware that California also has a judicial branch of government, for a total of three.
Tucker Carlson
- The presence of this foolish demagogue degraded the quality of the network. Good riddance!
- On 25 June 2004, Tucker Carlson said that because the threat to Vermont is not Wal-Mart but New Yorkers moving there, there should be a fence preferably electric, along the border. Of course, most New Yorkers enter Vermont through Massachusetts.
- On 9 July 2004, commenting on a report that many young Canadians hate the USA because of their politicians, Tucker Carlson suggested closing the border to prevent Canadians from crossing to take jobs. Although their government has been more critical, Cubans do not encounter such a barrier to migration. Did Carlson consider that the closed border would block Americans from working on films in Toronto and television shows in Vancouver?
Network Sports
CBS Sports

Super Bowl
- The outcry after Janet Jackson's 1 February 2004 halftime thoracic exposition clearly demonstrates that baring one's chest in public has become a male privilege. The network's reflexive rush to blame the participants and producers shows that television is no longer content to broadcast newsworthy events as they happen, having assumed a dominant role in staging them. As a participant, it has lost the ability to perceive and examine sexist customs that continue to limit women's freedom. To serve the public, broadcasting licenses must be reassigned to truly objective applicants.
Winter Olympics
- On 22 February 1998, an announcer said that you could always tell where Emperor Akihito was, because "traffic stops, just like New York when Clinton is there". There's no comparison. Traffic stops in New York whether or not a president is there.
- On 6 February 1998, Jim Nantz called the Nagano Olympics "the last games of the century". Winter Olympics, perhaps. Summer Olympics are scheduled once more this century, in 2000.
Public Service Announcements
CBS
- Gerald McRaney says of marijuana, "If you need it, you're addicted." That means that if a glaucoma patient receives a prescription for marijuana because of need, that person is addicted. By that logic, human beings must all be addicted to oxygen, water, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and protein.
Where to complain

Complain to the White House at feedback@www.whitehouse.gov.
Send us more! Address e-mail to Coney O'Hare at aloe@rev.net.

Free speech on the Internet

Questions? Comments? Send mail to Coney O'Hare at aloe@rev.net.

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