News and Document archive source
copyrighted material disclaimer at bottom of page

NewsMinepropogandacorporatemedia — Viewing Item


Cbs fires producer over arafat special report

Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
   http://reuters.myway.com/article/20041113/2004-11-13T031059Z_01_N12145163_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-MEDIA-ARAFAT-DC.html

http://reuters.myway.com/article/20041113/2004-11-13T031059Z_01_N12145163_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-MEDIA-ARAFAT-DC.html

CBS News Fires Producer Over Arafat Special Report
Nov 12, 10:10 PM (ET)

By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - CBS News has fired the producer responsible for interrupting the last five minutes of a hit crime drama with a special report on the death of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, a network source said on Friday.

Word of the dismissal came a day after CBS apologized to viewers for breaking into "CSI: NY," one of its top-rated shows, on Wednesday night.

"An overly aggressive CBS News producer jumped the gun with a report that should have been offered to local stations for their late news. We sincerely regret the error," the network said in a statement on Thursday.

The network, owned by Viacom Inc., declined comment on a report of the dismissal posted on the Web site of trade publication Broadcasting & Cable.

But a network source told Reuters that CBS fired the producer who decided to break into "CSI" with a report from "Up to the Minute" anchor Melissa McDermott.

According to the source, the producer failed to follow standard procedures that require a senior CBS News executive to be consulted before interrupting regular programming.

The fact Arafat already had been reported near death for several days also figured in the network's decision. The source said the producer disregarded explicit, advance instructions that breaking news of Arafat's death -- if it occurred during prime time -- was to be reported with a news "crawl" at the bottom of the screen.

"Arafat had been literally on his deathbed for a week. Everyone knew he was going to die. It was just a matter of when," the source said.

Neither of CBS' two biggest rivals -- NBC or ABC -- interrupted regular programming to report Arafat's death. NBC said it ran a crawl for affiliates in the Western states and Rockies, while leaving the story for local news in eastern and central time zones. ABC said it ran a crawl on the West Coast.

CBS News has been under intense scrutiny since veteran anchor Dan Rather ran a controversial report on President Bush's military record based on documents whose authenticity came under fire.



britney
cnn-early-oribuary
fcc-consolidation
howard-stern
limbaugh
murdoch
superbowl-janet-breast
60 minutes blind sided by clark book viacom ties { April 11 2004 }
American idol delay deployment { January 26 2003 }
Amy goodman giving voice to silenced majority { April 21 2004 }
Aniston bares more [jpg]
Antiwar group says ad is rejected { July 12 2004 }
Ashcroft calls on news to brainwash { June 20 2003 }
Bank australia hbo takeover
Bill oreilly flips out and edits show { June 30 2004 }
British news favors israeli position { June 22 2004 }
Cbs fires producer over arafat special report
Cbs refuses anti bush ad { January 31 2004 }
Clear channel conglomerate { January 30 2003 }
Clear channel deregulation mess
Clear channel hearing
Clear channel mexico san diego { October 4 2002 }
Clear channel organizes pro war rallies { March 26 2003 }
Cnn intimidated by bush
Cnn planted question at debate
Cnn regrets planting debate questions { November 11 2003 }
Cnn vs cnn international different pictures { April 11 2003 }
Comcast makes unsolicited bid for disney
Corporate ads aired as real news
Corruption in the business { September 15 2003 }
Cross ownership { April 20 2001 }
Decline in public trust of media
Defense contractor buys movie theater chain loews { June 22 2004 }
Discovery empire
Disney prevents release of michael moore film { May 5 2004 }
Drawing up press battle lines { February 2 2003 }
Elton john says stars are scared to speak out { July 17 2004 }
Fcc easing television caps save viacom { May 11 2003 }
Fcc questions stations on fake news { August 15 2006 }
Financial times beats new york times as best paper
Fired radio host sues clear channel { July 7 2003 }
Head that could roll at bskyb
Hitler rise to power series canceled { May 15 2003 }
Idol calls in marine
Isaacson resigns cnn
Longer war more money { February 27 2003 }
Mccain feingold stop consolidation
Mccain questions clear channel dixie chicks { July 8 2003 }
Media big fish
Media cross ownership rule { April 29 2003 }
Media empire born { September 2 2003 }
Media giant shows anti kerry film before election
Media is mouthpiece for whatever administration in power { August 12 2004 }
Media mergers { May 14 2002 }
Media owned republicans { September 26 2003 }
Media ownership
Media sells war { February 18 2003 }
Moore reveals carlyle holdings 17 percent disney { July 28 2004 }
Msnbc ceo dismissed { December 21 2002 }
Msnbc future { August 18 2002 }
Msnbc hits bottom
Msnbc savage show canceled { July 7 2003 }
Mtv censors lyrics free mumia
Murdock to control directv { April 10 2003 }
Nbc postpones world dating show
Nbc pres to sony
NBC reports arabs blame US for tsunami { January 7 2005 }
Nbc shakeup
Neil young sings patriot 911 songs
Network executives pressured to support bush { May 28 2008 }
New york times criticizes own war coverage { May 26 2004 }
News ownership chart [gif]
News reporters ordered not to investigate 911
Newspapers cutting foreign correspondents { February 18 2007 }
Npr commercial { April 11 2002 }
Npr gets big money from mcdonalds { November 6 2003 }
Nytimes reporter faces fraud inquiry
Nytimes tensions shakeups
Oreilly attacks son of 911 victim jeremy glick { February 4 2003 }
Pacifica radio moves to berkley { June 24 2003 }
Powell concern media concentration
Powell cut off during interview { May 17 2004 }
Protest music died { February 20 2003 }
Refusal to air iraqi dead criticized { March 19 2003 }
Rep sanders
Rep sanders2
Rick braggs nytimes problem
Salon pacifica { June 20 2002 }
Saudi owned upi massive debt { April 24 1999 }
Sinclair broadcast fires chief for criticizing political ad { October 18 2004 }
Speaker at press corps dinner chides press for doing nothing
Stern tears into fcc { April 18 2003 }
Stories pushed aside in march to war
Ted turned says network news focus is on the pervert of the day
Ted turner lost 85 percent
Ted turner says government protects big media { July 8 2004 }
Thomas friedman calls 911 holy day for war { October 26 2001 }
Time warner joins bidding for MGM { July 2 2004 }
Un newspapers failed to challenge government claim about wmd { March 11 2004 }
Viacom extends mtv reach in china { September 23 2004 }
Viacom president quits { June 2 2004 }
War patriotic music radio { February 24 2003 }
Washington post says iraq coverage was flawed
Washington post to have shorter stories more photos { November 19 2004 }

Files Listed: 97



Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security
Archives
Support one-state solution for Israel and Palestine Tea Party bumper stickers JFK for Dummies, The Assassination made simple