CNN’s Reliable Sources Takes On CNN Suspension Of Roland Martin Over Controversial Super Bowl Tweets

video

by Josh Feldman | 1:54 pm, February 12th, 2012

» 46 comments

One week ago today, CNN contributor Roland Martin was tweeting during the Super Bowl, and ended up making some controversial comments that were interpreted by some as homophobic. Martin initially defended himself in the wake of calls by groups like GLAAD to get him fired, and then eventually apologized for his remarks, before CNN finally suspended him indefinitely. On Reliable Sources today, Howard Kurtz and panel debated whether this was the right move.

Frank Sesno said suspending him was a good compromise, because CNN acknowledged that Martin’s tweets were a problem while understanding they were not worth him getting completely fired over. Kurtz countered by saying that CNN did not take any action until gay rights groups like GLAAD got involved. Lauren Ashburn argued that arguing your point of view on a network like CNN is a privilege, not a right, and there are certain standards that need to be upheld for people in that position. She recommended Martin “be assigned to do stories about the gay community” in addition to his suspension.

What Kurtz wanted to know was why CNN felt the responsibility to take action against comments made by one of their employees on another media platform. Sesno said traditional media outlets have higher standards than outlets like Twitter, while Ashburn brought up Erick Erickson. Erickson was known for making wildly controversial statements from time to time, but in the past few years, working for CNN has tempered his commentary. Sesno pointed out that networks have ethics policies that all employees have to follow. But are the same standards being applied to everyone?

Kurtz brought up Dana Loesch‘s controversial remarks last month about the Marines who urinated on Taliban corpses. People were demanding CNN fire her for what she said. At the time, CNN released this statement to Mediaite.

CNN contributors are commentators who express a wide range of viewpoints—on and off of CNN—that often provoke strong agreement or disagreement. Their viewpoints are their own.

Ashburn did not comment specifically on Loesch, but did admit that a CNN employee making remarks that could be construed as offensive does not look good for CNN. Kurtz noted that Loesch hasn’t been on CNN for a while now, but according to TVeyes, Loesch was on the network as recently as February 6. But Kurtz also brought up the firings of both Rick Sanchez and Octavia Nasr from CNN in the past few years, and asked where exactly is this magical line that no one is allowed to cross when they work for the news network.

Watch the video below, courtesy of CNN:

CNN, Dana Loesch, Erick Erickson, Gay, GLAAD, homophobic, Howard Kurtz, offensive, Reliable Sources, Roland Martin, Super Bowl, Suspension, Tweets

Anonymous

CNN has no talent, period.
http://www.proactivepolitics.blogspot.com/ Norbit Peters

Karma.
Martin has made a career of trafficking in capricious charges of “Racism!”, and now he’s hoisted up on his own petard; particularly after his absurd initial denial, which was insulting to reason!

http://www.proactivepolitics.com
Anonymous

The magical line is mentioning Jews in any sort of non-super positive context. See: Sanchez, Rick, and this comment.
Anonymous

lol @ you as a warrior for the virtues of logic and reason
http://www.proactivepolitics.blogspot.com/ Norbit Peters

Maybe he can get together with Olbermann and Sanchez, and start their own little Hate Network, they could call it HNTV.
http://www.facebook.com/people/David-Ehrenstein/1134662679 David Ehrenstein

CNN does nothing but carry water for the RNC.
Anonymous

Dana Loesch should have been diciplined but wasn’t. The line Kurtz was looking for is arbitrary as defined by CNN’s double standard.
Anonymous

I think this suspension is ridiculous. The idea that someone should be suspended for what he said is crazy.

I thought his apology was more than sufficient.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_56PV4DT33JX66OBM4KQ537B2NY Mark

The only people who are supporting Martin are blacks. Let’s face it….Blacks want the VICTIM title all to themselves. It’s OK to bash others if you are black….you are entitled. Send Martin to BET network so he can preach to the choir
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Treacher/542957672 Jim Treacher

Howard Kurtz just compared gay people to dead terrorists.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Treacher/542957672 Jim Treacher

Ha ha ha! Good to see you, David. Good stuff as always.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Treacher/542957672 Jim Treacher

Your defense of terrorists is noted.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_76F7SAA3N35X4IBY5BGVQML2YM James

If you’d stop looking at the ethnicity of people and start listening to the words coming out of their mouths this “magic line” wouldn’t seem like a mystery of the Sphinx. Here’s a hint: Loesch’s remarks weren’t bigotry, however controversial.
Pablo

CNN doesn’t have standards. It only has interests.
Pablo

Just…wow.
Pablo

You’re simply wrong. And besides, black is below gay on the identity politics outrage scale. Just ask Martin.
Pablo

I thought America’s Taliban supporters were all at Yale.
Anonymous

…too bad for martin that he didn’t get the memo from the lunatic-left d-cRAT socialists stating that henceforth, GAYS TRUMP BLACKS. That’s apparently more “Change We Can Believe In.” Oh, my.
Anonymous

They don’t have to start a hate network. They could just go to MSNBC and they would fit in perfectly as it is a prerequisite to having a job there that you are consumed with hatred.
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

If Fox News ever lived up to CNN’s standards, or really any standards at all, they would have to suspend just about every cable news host they have… starting with Sean Hannity!!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=651186280 Mocha Melanie

The comments made are not worthy of suspension. This is silly and an over-reaction to comments made in reference to SOCCER and soccer fans. While, I am a staunch support of equal rights and fair treatment of all people, this is one issue that GLAAD has taken too far.
Anonymous

Here is a very even-handed take from former CNN anchor – and colleague of Frank Sesno, Bobbie Battista on The TV News http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9usKSRWooU
Anonymous

uhhhhhhh….black people dont own BET anymore
Anonymous

its funny youd say that….do you realize that youre commenting on a clip with WHITE PEOPLE supporting Martin……seems to me its conservative media complaining about martins suspension….oh….put on a shirt…this aint a sex site
Anonymous

You wear blinders so may not be aware, but offensive speech similar to what you see on any of the Sarah Palin related stories in Mediaite is the norm on CNN and MSNBC. You also seem to not be aware Fox News makes a habit of representing all sides in a debate, not just DNC or GOP spokespeople all parroting what the DNC or GOP talking points of the day are. CNN rarely has someone opposing the DNC talking heads, and MSNBC seems to have blacklisted GOP-like thought entirely.
http://www.proactivepolitics.blogspot.com/ Norbit Peters

” She recommended Martin “be assigned to do stories about the gay community” in addition to his suspension.”
——————
Or, they could assign him to hand out towels, donning just a tiger-print Speedo, at the Village Bath House!
How ridiculous.

This is karma, pure and simple, for Martin having spent years playing the Race Card!
Anonymous

wow, so much misinformation in one little comment. You are talented! Might have a future at FOX!
Anonymous

I am sure you think you make total sense!
Anonymous

so strange, all you right wing Christians talking about Karma! Tell me Norbit, you believe in Karma? Do you even know what Karma is?
david r

Getting out on a limb, defending that awful homophobe. Be careful or YOU will be in political re-education.
Anonymous

not to mention, you are just parroting the exact same talking points Bill-O was repeating this week . predictable…
david r

Predicable partisan prattle from president’s Pollyanna.
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

Perfect!!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6NVQXKGM4GSM6RZ7ZW3BQ2D73I Kim

My friend just met a chocolate man on Blackwhitemeet.COMit’s where for men and women looking for interracial’ship for a fabulous lifestyle
It’s a nice place for black white sing’les, to interact with each other…no bounds or extremes in front of true love.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=651186280 Mocha Melanie

I have to disagree with your statement that Fox News’ representation of the facts in a fair and balanced way. There have been too many examples to count of Fox’s misrepresentation of facts and shoddy research to claim that the network as a whole leads with their agenda/opinion regardless of facts.
Pablo

Because Media Mutters says so! Guess what? They’re bonkers.

Inside Media Matters: Sources, memos reveal erratic behavior, close coordination with White House and news organizations
Anonymous

Your desire to take a shower of gold from Dana Loesch is noted.
Anonymous

If he looks in his trunk, there’s a robe with hood on it he could use to cover up.
Anonymous

CNN should have dropped Roland Martin a long time ago. The guy is a racist bigot towards Whites and it was getting old. He has no business being on TV.
ATHF

BET has done more coverage of Whitney’s death in one day then the election of Barry and his last 3 years in office. but then again it’s call black entertainment television and a majority of black people can not follow politics but they know the names and stats of all the major league professional sporting athletes.

it’s not entertaining enough for them, besides a self loathing white person on msnbc will tell them how to vote anyways
http://www.proactivepolitics.blogspot.com/ Norbit Peters

Actually, yes.

(see: It’s A Learning Thing page)
http://www.proactivepolitics.blogspot.com
http://www.proactivepolitics.blogspot.com/ Norbit Peters

“Or, they could assign him to hand out towels, donning just a tiger-print Speedo, at the Village Bath House!”
————————————

BillO said that?

Because if it was the race card thing, I’d posted that as soon as the Martin story broke…so maybe BillO was just parroting a common observation about Martin!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Treacher/542957672 Jim Treacher

I apologize for hurting your feelings.
Anonymous

You couldn’t if you tried.
Anonymous

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http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NSST42RYTHDUWB6QBMDU66527E joe

Howard Kurtz belongs on CNN.
What was he getting at anyway? He’s a first class idiot.

I wonder what would happen if someone made those remarks against Jews, blacks, muslims or women for that matter.

Its seems to be ok to degrade gays and asians. ( look at the recent comments made about basketball player Lin) by blacks no less !!
This is not the first time this moron (Martin) made anti gay remarks. He should have been fired
months ago.

Unfortunately, this country still considers gay people second class citizens.