[Wallyworld]

This is why I have not watched NBC news for over fourteen years, thank you Fox News Channel!

[gomoho]

Originally Posted by DugCave

I believe Brian was stretching the truth to emphasize the seriousness of the situations he was reporting on, not to make himself look good. This is a non issue for me. There's always plenty of people just waiting to bring someone down when they are at the top.

You do understand they are investigating several other of his possible embellishments. If he is found guilty of others will this still be a non issue?

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by DugCave

I believe Brian was stretching the truth to emphasize the seriousness of the situations he was reporting on, not to make himself look good. This is a non issue for me. There's always plenty of people just waiting to bring someone down when they are at the top.

It is hard to stay at the top, and I liked Brian Williams, but if your job is to report factual information than that was a very poor judgment call in my book.

We have two journalists in our family who are still young and idealistic and tease their grandmother about my reporting of family activities. They say that I make it far more interesting than it was, but I don't get paid for my reporting.

[robertj1954]

This incident involving Brian Williams is disturbing given his job as the top news correspondent and news editor. But since I do not watch NBC because of their editorial content or lack of A more complete coverage on news worthy events. I think it is up to those who watch NBC News to decide his future with NBC.

[Bay Kid]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

In this age of transparency and tracking and cameras and world "eyes" not many can get away with fibs for long, especially if you are in the public eye.

What do you think about this situation?

I think, as I told my children, one lie always leads to another lie.

[blueash]

Originally Posted by Bucco

Timeline in this link and if you google Brian Williams you will get pages and pages of stories and links

How Brian Williams' Iraq story changed - Feb. 5, 2015

Thanks for that link. There seem to be two key questions. Some of the participants report that there was a convoy of 4 helicopters one of which held Williams and a general. When the lead helicopter was shot Williams' turned back for safety then rejoined the other 3 an hour later. A second version is that Williams' helicopter was never with the other 3 and never saw the rpg attack. There is no difference of story on whether the helicopter with Williams spent 2 or 3 days on the ground with the other helicopters due to a sandstorm.

In the first situation Williams' convoy clearly came under attack and as he most often told the story the helicopter directly in front of him (not an hour in front of him) took a hit and his helicopter may have received some gunfire. If he and the general were really completely out of visual range and harm from the attack then his career is over. It would be best to ask the general who would be a hopefully trustworthy source, but he is dead.

Next options would be to interview the others who were on the helicopter with Williams if they can be located and are willing to be interviewed. I must say however I do not always believe the recall of eyewitnesses especially when it has become politically expedient to recall a certain way to torpedo someone's career. See swiftboat. Does the military create a mission report for every incident especially one with a general aboard? that one I would trust.

[billethkid]

I would venture to say that no matter how busy one may be, there are certain things in life...let's call them significant events.....that are just not forgotten.

I would think being in a helicopter in a war zone and being struck by enemy fire would be a crystal clear memory for life!!!

All the rationalizing, the ones that are trying to give Brian the benefit of the doubt, is just that...rationalizing.

Isn't it a shame that being number one isn't sufficient. Secondly to knowingly dupe the audience that made him number one.

He needs to be removed, his credibility and the network (what little they may have) is damaged.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by robertj1954

This incident involving Brian Williams is disturbing given his job as the top news correspondent and news editor. But since I do not watch NBC because of their editorial content or lack of A more complete coverage on news worthy events. I think it is up to those who watch NBC News to decide his future with NBC.

I watch them all, and I even tried to watch Al Jazeera again last night because someone on this forum said it was good. I really can't say I like it. Some woman with bad make up and an accent was reporting and she just didn't sound professional. Maybe that is called prejudice.

I think that the problem lies with news channels that go on and on and on is that you can only say so much that is factual and then you get into speculation and that is no better than gossip over the back fence. OR the game of telephone. Things get distorted and blown out of proportion.

[De Lis]

He was caught lying about his lie! Fire him.

[AriaGrandparents2013]

In my opinion it's much easier to tell the truth as then you have to remember only one story.

I gave up watching Brian Williams years ago and am now glad I did.

[LndLocked]

Originally Posted by Wallyworld

This is why I have not watched NBC news for over fourteen years, thank you Fox News Channel!

No "news" channel is constantly wrong more than Fox.

Fox News more wrong than ever: New Politifact review finds pundits spewing mostly lies


As for Brian Williams ... I am deeply disappointed in him and he will forever be tainted by both the lie/stretching of the truth and the lie to cover up / rationalize the first one.

[AriaGrandparents2013]

Originally Posted by LndLocked

No "news" channel is constantly wrong more than Fox.

Fox News more wrong than ever: New Politifact review finds pundits spewing mostly lies


As for Brian Williams ... I am deeply disappointed in him and he will forever be tainted by both the lie/stretching of the truth and the lie to cover up / rationalize the first one.

Would suggest reading the attached link which analyzed the claim in your Polifact claim.......the attached link concludes as follows:

But the fact is that unsupportable, boneheaded claims such as “over half of ALL” — thanks for that all-caps attack, Einstein von Brainstorm — “statements made on Fox News Are False” will live forever, because people are mostly interested in having their biases confirmed and their values affirmed rather than learning new things about the world and how it works. True, much as I like yelling at people on television, it is pretty hard to feel too bad for Fox News and MSNBC over an exercise in confirmation bias, but this sort of sloppy thinking and malicious manipulation does have the effect of leaving the polity a little dumber than it absolutely has to be. And that is an unforgivable sin.

[patfla06]

Brian's credibility is gone.
NBC should say goodbye.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by rp001

He screwed up and it will cost him his career. Believe me, if he had come under fire he would have remembered it and the evasive maneuvers the chopper would take. I liked him too. The last honest newsman we had was of course Cronkite and before that Murrow or maybe Huntley Brinkley. Today all news is slanted by owners opinions and talking points reinforced throughout the day!

How do you know Cronkite was honest?? That was before the age of the internet and vetting and fact checking, and all that other good stuff. Nobody called out presidents for anything till Nixon. Probably not trusted media types either.

Too bad. He lied about it more than once, too. On to Lester Holt!

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by njbchbum

And his employer has been known to go the 'extra step' and distort news coverage. Doesn't say much for NBC: Zimmerman, Martin, the Pledge of Allegiance, the Offerman ad, blaming Israel for a strike on the Gaza Strip. Did anyone lose their job over any of those incidents?

Oh yeah, like FOX has never done that! Check out their apology for stating Paris has No GoZones, for just a start.

They"re all subject to exaggeration. Let he who lives in a glass house...