Internal Fox News Email Addresses “Standards” After 9/12 Flap

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by Steve Krakauer | 4:10 pm, September 21st, 2009

» 20 comments

producer_9-22 Mediaite has obtained an email from Fox News Vice President of News and Washington managing editor Bill Sammon to the staff of the D.C. bureau, in the wake of an FNC producer caught pumping up the crowd during the 9/12 tea party broadcast.

The email, with the subject line “standards,” addresses the controversy head-on: “We do not cheerlead for one cause or another,” writes Sammon. Full email after the jump:

Sammon uses the incident to drive home the need to be objective:

We do not rile up a crowd. If a crowd happens to be boisterous when we show it on TV, so be it. If it happens to be quiet, that’s fine, too. It’s not our job to affect the crowd’s behavior one way or the other. Again, we’re journalists, not participants — and certainly not performers.

It’s not like the crowd needed to be riled up – every time reporter Griff Jenkins (whose focus is features – and ambushing – and not news) mentioned Glenn Beck there were loud cheers. And as TVNewser writes today, the practice is “fairly common.”

But in the wake of this controversial ad, which attacked their competitors for their poor coverage of the protest, the appearance of tampering with the crowd’s mood had to be addressed by Fox News.

Here’s the full email:

From: Sammon, Bill
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 2:25 PM
To: 005 -Washington
Subject: standards

For those of us who have only been at Fox for a relatively short period of time, it’s useful to remind ourselves that, as journalists, we must always be careful to cover the story without becoming part of the story. At news events, we’re supposed to function as dispassionate observers, not active participants. We are there to chronicle the news, not create it.

That means we ask questions in a fair, impartial manner. When approaching interviewees, we identify ourselves, by both name and news organization, up front. We seek out a variety of voices and views. We take note of the scene in order to bring color and context to our viewers.

We do not cheerlead for one cause or another. We do not rile up a crowd. If a crowd happens to be boisterous when we show it on TV, so be it. If it happens to be quiet, that’s fine, too. It’s not our job to affect the crowd’s behavior one way or the other. Again, we’re journalists, not participants — and certainly not performers.

Indeed, any effort to affect the crowd’s behavior only serves to undermine our legitimate journalistic role as detached eyewitnesses. Remember, our viewers are counting on us to be honest brokers when it comes to reporting — not altering –the important events of the day. That is nothing less than a sacred trust. We must always take pains to preserve that trust.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please stop by.

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9/12, Bill Sammon, fnc, fox news, Tea Party, Washington D.C.

CaptainAmerica

I believe TVNewser (on their site) made a great point about this being during Glen Beck’s show. He is an opinion host. That’s different than a straight news program.

I for one would have liked to have seen what was going on during Hannity’s show in CA when they were saying, “Turn The Water On”.
m

I’ve always found it absolutely fascinating how on one side, Fox News portrays itself as some kind of independent and impartial news organization – as Bill Sammon writes here, “we do not cheerlead for one cause or another”. Yet at the same time basically 95% of all FNC employees are conservatives – from the web designers and marketing department, to the prime time lineup and executive positions, all while the channel basically *organizes* the 9/12 protest and the Tea Party protests to virtually establish itself as the main political opposition.
tjl

“… as journalists”? “We do not cheerlead for one cause or the other..”???? Oh, right, I forgot it was opposite day at Fox!! Awesome!
http://www.swissarmyjew.com Keeva

It is important to note that Beck, O’Reilly and Hannity are very up front about being opinion shows. The issue here is that the news reports on actual news (not opinion) shows were being somewhat staged by Jenkins and his team. There is a wide difference.

The political bent of the staff at any news organization is not important unless they wear it on their sleeve. To be perfectly fair (something none of the media organizations, including Mediaite, ever are) all of the media is vaguely political and tends to lean one way or the other.

As far as the 95% of Fox staff being conservative, how would anyone know that? One could just as easily make the opposite claim about MSNBC being 95% liberal. Again, how would anyone know for sure?

The simple fact that Fox leans right and MSNBC leans left is just that. A simple fact. But it is a fact created at the editorial level, and not at all levels. Does anyone really think the web team has input to the stories?

Jenkins is one of those that does not understand the difference between news reporting and opinion making. In my humble opinion, he should never have been handed a news microphone.

However, here in America, we have the First Amendment, which guarantees and protects the rights of the press – all of the press – to say whatever they want. And agree with them or not, that is a right worth fighting to protect.
mikescorpio

Apparently, the average person that watches Fox News doesn’t know the difference between “Opinion” news and actually reporting the news. And it is still wrong, and as far as I know, illegal, to shout FIRE in a crowded theater.
JunkJunk

I like the way the word “standards” is in quotes in the headline. That sorta says it all…
http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Kilpatrick/1109772025 Mike Kilpatrick

Fox news isn’r realy a news organization. They basically created the whole tea party thing.
rmbltmbl

Okay.. White House organizing NEA for propaganda, but that Fox News producer, huge news.
ChuckfromTacoma

Does anybody know if MSNBC has any standards?
If so, does anybody actually consider enforcing the claimed standards?
I really don’t know as MSNBC has been blocked at my house since Matthews got the tingle.
shootfromthehip

While I applaud this memo as a step in the right direction, it’s funny that NOW they send it out after a producer was caught on video red handed trying to get the 9/12 crowd more excited as if she was on the set of the “Tyra Banks Show.”

Wish they would have sent this out oh, say, 5 years ago?

Or really thought ought to send it out daily, in true Fox News learn-via-repeating style.
sarainitaly

rmbltmbl says:
September 21, 2009 at 9:16 pm

Which is why everyone is working so hard to discredit FOX. FOX is reporting on all kinds of things that affect tax payers, and uncovering oodles of scandals…. the rest of the media just keeps working to destroy FOX.

Love or hate the channel, or the personalities, but they are the ones focused on uncovering the truth….

I wonder how long it will take the MSM to cover the NEA story.
m

“Does anybody know if MSNBC has any standards?”

Yes. When you join you’re given a 50-page manual of standards and practices AFAIK. Fox News? Verification of being a registered Republican.
ChuckfromTacoma

Sara
I am certain that we have seen all we are going to see about the NEA on or in the MSM.
We will see very little about the evils of the Obama administration until after the 2012 elections.
That is unless any of the other networks ratings tank anymore, to a great extent. We will not be exposed to the whole truth unless their very survival demands it.
m
I tried to “bing” AFAIK, standards and practices and only came up with shipping standards. Will keep searching. Thank for the hint.
Billy Carter

m says:
September 21, 2009 at 4:45 pm

I’ve always found it absolutely fascinating how on one side, Fox News portrays itself as some kind of independent and impartial news organization – as Bill Sammon writes here, “we do not cheerlead for one cause or another”. Yet at the same time basically 95% of all FNC employees are conservatives – from the web designers and marketing department, to the prime time lineup and executive positions, all while the channel basically *organizes* the 9/12 protest and the Tea Party protests to virtually establish itself as the main political opposition.

@m:
Aside from your BS reply about the “50-page MSNBC manual”, what would be your overall impression of the culture and programming style of GE’s MSNBC. Please “m”, try to give a “fair and balanced” response similar to the above quote of you assessing FNC. Remember, you’re in the No Spin Zone!!!
ImNotBlue

Aw, leave “m” alone… he doesn’t have any real points to make… so he’s just making things up.

I guess if FOX was as bad as he said it is, he wouldn’t have to make stuff up to “prove his point,” now would he?
labman57

FOX News network is no longer merely reporting the news. They are creating the news by promoting controversial events before they have taken place (e.g., tea-bagging), promoting fear and hatred against a subset of the population (e.g., portraying all illegal aliens as violent vermin, demonizing abortion clinic physicians) and proselytizing a specific agenda with the stated goal of assisting the GOP in its desire to play the role of obstructionist in Congress. In addition, they will filter out any story that they perceive will cast a positive light on Obama’s administration.

They are little more than a propaganda machine for the conservative base of the Republican party.
columtiger10

At least Fox did something within its company to make amends, but it still isn’t going to be enough to gain back the credibility and respect from the viewers and competitors that was lost when this footage leaked. http://www.newsy.com/videos/crossing_the_line
Americansteel

is this politician insane i was on iron curtain when soviets an east germans where pointing guns at us an us back when reagan was the man ,this administration has tha world laughing at us,an u want to cut defence spending iran would have never tried this when tha man reagan was in office ,ask jimmy carter
Americansteel

P.S. ill always love germany good people
Americansteel

add 1 for tha show fox have the most beautiful an smartest women an that bad lol