I was really disappointed and angry when I heard WUOT this morning. It's like Jessel was handed the script from Karl Rove:

"Thousands of rally-ers from both sides" were in Nashville Saturday.

continued...
There almost NO tea puppets compared to the overwhelming turnout by teachers.

The entire report was terribly slanted toward making the tea party seem worthy and no one who listened would understand that the tea partiers were outnumbered ten to one by even the most favorable count.

Tamara Shepherd's picture

*

Did Jessel indicate whether she attended the rally personally or did she possibly regurgitate that sole AP story containing the aberrant "headcount?"

If she wasn't there in the flesh, her report is indicative of this problem I predicted Sunday--namely that the more favorable "headcounts" collected by ALL Nashville-area media outlets might get buried, while the single AP story might get wider circulation.

So...was she there???

WhitesCreek's picture

Let's ask her

There were two interviews one tea partier and one teacher. to be fair there should have been TEN teachers interviewed.

newsroom@wuot.org

Absolan 's picture

both sides?

So...were you there???

Or are you just banking on a news story or internet blog that contains the aberrant “headcount” that suits your agenda.

WhitesCreek's picture

My Reporter was there in person

We have the video. has anyone seen the video of the tea puppet rally by any chance? I only have photos of three or four people on that side.

gonzone's picture

Go away troll.

Go away troll.

Tamara Shepherd's picture

*

So...were you there???

Or are you just banking on a news story or internet blog that contains the aberrant “headcount” that suits your agenda.

Did you direct this comment to me, Absolan?

If so, I was referring to the fact that ALL Nashville-area media outlets, without exception, offered estimates of the TEA "headcount" at 3000 to 5000.

Presumably, those Nashville-area media were able to send a reporter down the street to attend.

In contrast, it was ONLY the lone AP story that offered a TEA "headcount" of 1000--a volume of attendees 1/3 to 1/5 as many.

It's certainly true that the higher "headcount" offered by those local media outlets "suits my agenda."

What possible reason, though, do you suggest for this single, abherrant report--and why should any of us rely on that report, rather than on all the others?

State your case, already.

WhitesCreek's picture

Found this interesting video

Watch this and note that the shots of the big crowds are of the Teachers not the tea puppets. Another case of dishonest coverage? A pan of the actual tea party rally at the end shows how few they actually were.

(link...)

gonzone's picture

Accurate information is not hard to find

I went to YouTube last night and watched several videos of the demonstrations.
There was even one teabagger video exclaiming how large the TEA crowds were.

No excuses for her shoddy reporting of the event.
Her teabagger interviewee was allowed to give the very well rehearsed talking point with no chance for rebuttal from anyone for the crap he spewed.

Sickening.

lurking listener's picture

I think dishonest is too

I think dishonest is too strong of a characterization...at worst the writing needed to be a bit more clear. There were thousands of rally-ers, and they were from both sides. Who outnumbered whom was not germain to the report, which included both sides of the issue, if we're talking about the same wuot and the same report. Granted, the wording did not make clear which group was larger, but I certainly didn't get the impression that Jessel was implying there were thousands of TEA members and thousands of tea-baggers. I think this is a hyper-sensitive issue, and no report, no matter how balanced, will make either side happy.

I got the impression she was there, b/c there were soundbites used. Fwiw.

Somebody's picture

False equivalence

It is relevant. One of the biggest problems of modern journalism is the creation of false equivalences in a misdirected effort to be neutral. For some inexplicable reason, reporters believe that the best way to cover a controversy is to let a representative from both sides have their say, and with no fact-checking or review, expect the readers, listeners and viewers decide for themselves where the truth lies.

The better approach would be to present a clear picture of who was there, what they were saying, and offer a dispassionate review of the truth and/or distortions presented by each side.

Consider this: in the middle of a rainstorm, you could find a thousand people with umbrellas up and any number of meteorologists who can confirm the precipitation. You might also be able to find one guy in a windowless cubicle inside a building who will insist that it's not raining at all. If you're reporting the rain event, do you give the guy in the cubicle equal time, and fail to point out that he can't see the weather outside and is thus likely misinformed? I think not. Seeking the truth should be the goal, not passive neutrality.

Tamara Shepherd's picture

Quick aside...

Somebody, I sure am growing fond of your posts here.

Your're the most polite, articulate, well-reasoned ANONYMOUS poster I think I've ever met on any blog.

Thanks for your continued contributions.

Rachel's picture

For some inexplicable reason,

For some inexplicable reason, reporters believe that the best way to cover a controversy is to let a representative from both sides have their say, and with no fact-checking or review, expect the readers, listeners and viewers decide for themselves where the truth lies.

This has been EXACTLY my problem with the KNS coverage of Hillside/Ridgetop (except that they've quoted way more opponents than supporters).

And yes, this is my current hobby horse. I've been riding it since November and I expect I will ride it till things change (supposedly, on 3/13, when the KNS says it will publish an "in depth" story on Hillside/Ridgetop).

WhitesCreek's picture

Both sides did NOT have "thousands"

But that was the impression you would get if all you knew was Jessel's report. You can trade "dishonest" for "incompetently deceptive" if you wish but the fact remains that the report misleads the listener.

This is the exact same tactic that plays one statement from one global warming affirming climate scientist and one statement from one climate change denier. There should be 400 statements from affirming scientists to every one statement from a denier.

Tamara Shepherd's picture

*

Who outnumbered whom was not germain to the report,

Say what?!

The whole purpose of the rally, for either group, was to indicate to legislators the volume of support for that group's position.

Of course it's "germaine" to ask which group's size effectively demonstrated greater support.

What do you think a rally IS?!

Matt Shafer Powell's picture

Clear up confusion?

First, let me deflect some of the criticism targeted toward Christine Jessel and focus it on the responsible party. The reference to "thousands representing both sides of the issue" (the exact wording) was not part of her report-- rather, it was part of my introduction to her report. I will admit, in retrospect, that the verbiage was ambiguous, but I would discourage you from reading any heinous intent into it. It was, as an earlier poster said, poor writing. I apologize for any confusion.

And yes, she was there. Getting very wet.

WhitesCreek's picture

The report left a factually dishonest impression

Both in the introduction and the main body. Heinous or incompetent, the effect is the same. I expect such from Fox channels but it is heartbreaking to see this from NPR and PBS.

Will WUOT take steps to correct this particular instance?

Let's note that WUOT was not the only news outlet to engage in either sloppy reporting or out right intentionally dishonest reporting. The channel 5 piece is just one case in point showing the tea puppet flag with the teachers' rally as the backdrop. There were several others.

Stick's picture

Exactly

Will WUOT take steps to correct the report? Mistakes happen. We all know this and can sympathize with that. However, the real issue is what steps will be taken to ensure that listeners to 'All Things Considered' do not walk away with the impression of a false equivalence. At the national level, NPR News has been abysmal on so many issues that its hard for me to fight for its survival against yet another Republican assault on its funding. There's only so many times that I can hear Guy Raz tell me that Social Security is just going to have to be on the chopping block before I walk away in disgust.

jcgrim's picture

Where is the WUOT correction?

I listened this morning for one hour to 'The Morning Edition' and heard nothing. Anyone else?

Stick's picture

Sounds like some emails are

Sounds like some emails are in order... I'll wait until others respond before doing so. I'm on Spring Break, so I was happily sleeping this morning. God knows that I hate my alarm clock!

Tamara Shepherd's picture

*

Thanks, Matt, for that clarification and I choose to believe that there was no "heinous intent" in your introduction.

I do think, though, that WUOT should offer a retraction of the intro stating there were "thousands representing both sides of the issue."

In all the reporting I was able to review Sunday (that was 8 or so print and/or broadcast reports), only one offered any concrete number as to how many Tea Partiers were there and it said "about 350."

In the absence of any info to the contrary, I think you'll admit that that's a far cry from "thousands," so I trust you'll also understand my polite request for a correction on WUOT's part?

Thanks again for your candor and your willingness to accept personal responsibility for the error.

R. Neal's picture

The thing that's

The thing that's disappointing about this and the AP report that the News Sentinel ran is that the tea baggers' puppet masters own the governor's office, the house, the senate, the means of production and the media. But that's not enough. They want to own the message, too. And public schools.

But they don't own the streets of Nashville. This was a day about teachers and their rights, and about protecting public education from corporate takeover. This was their day. Responsible media outlets reported it that way.

No report should have given more than a passing reference that a few tea baggers showed up but weren't really a factor, and certainly shouldn't have given them a platform to promote mass ignorance as the AP report did.

And the notion of presenting "both sides" and calling it "objective" is, as noted above, anything but. I don't think it's going to fly any more. There are too many other sources of information from too many people willing and able to call them out.

People are starting to wake up from the Faux News induced coma and they are taking to the streets.

R. Neal's picture

A proper lede

"Thousands of teachers and hundreds of tea party members gathered for separate rallies at the state capitol Saturday, despite the heavy rain."

(link...)

slapshot's picture

good journalism

It is great to hear that people are demanding better journalism. That is a good thing. Good journalism serves everyone's best interest.

It is interesting to note that for some people this need only happened when their ox got gored. They were very happy when the slanted advocacy went their way. Quite ironic to see some of the most noted defenders of the Sentinel change their minds on the issue and demand fair reporting.

WhitesCreek's picture

Straw man alert!

This group is pretty even handed in its praise and criticism. I'm on record praising and criticizing KNS. The (KNS)piece referred to in this thread was beyond contempt, ergo the criticism.

Tamara Shepherd's picture

*

He isn't needling you, WC, he's needling me.

Cafkia and I were asked to participate in a KNS readers' "focus group" five or so years back (as I know RNeal and cjensen and several others posting here have been), so MM here has been groping his mailbox in search of his own invite ever since.

Just never got over it, I guess...

Barker's picture

turnout

This is the second paragraph of the AP story KNS posted about the protest:

"A few hundred tea party supporters gathered on the statehouse steps to call on Republican leadership to pass the measure, while more than 1,000 supporters of the Tennessee Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, marched to the Legislative Plaza across the street to speak out against the bill."

Note that is says the tea party had "a few hundred" and the TEA supporters had "more than 1,000" present. That shows the relative turnout based on the reporter's observations.

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