ABC News Caught Again Creating Fake News
ABC News apologized late Tuesday after being caught deceptively altering a quote from former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer.
The quote appeared during the Monday night edition of Nightline and ABC used the quote to attack Trump press secretary Sean Spicer.
From PJ Media:
Nightline quoted Fleischer as saying, “[Spicer’s] briefing made me uncomfortable. It was too truculent, too tough. It looks as if the ball was dropped on Saturday.” But that is not what Fleischer meant to convey at all. The point he was trying to make was actually complimentary of Spicer.
He posted a series of tweets complaining about ABC’s duplicity Tuesday morning, prompting the network’s apology.
@Nightline proves Spicer right about MSM’s dedication to negativity. Here is what I told them in a taped interview: 1/4
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) January 24, 2017
“It looks to me if the ball was dropped on Saturday, Sean recovered it and ran for a 1st down on Monday.” 2/4
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) January 24, 2017
When the press distorts someone’s quote and twists their words, we all have a problem. 5/5
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) January 24, 2017
If this is how the press reports, Trump is right to go after them. 4/4
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) January 24, 2017
ABC issued an apology following the incident on Tuesday evening:
Nightline aired a segment Monday night about the first three days of the new administration including Sean Spicer’s statement to the press on Saturday. As part of the report, we interviewed former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer. In editing the piece for air, his quote was shortened and as a result his opinions mischaracterized. We are fixing the piece online to include his full quote and context.
We apologize and regret the error.
ABC News Staged A Crime Scene Last Year
ABC News altering a quote to create fake news is hardly the first time they have conducted this type of reporting. Last year they actually staged a crime scene for one of their segments.
From CNN:
In fact, the police tape was tied to ABC News’ own equipment just off-camera, a photograph obtained by CNNMoney shows. Sources with knowledge of the matter say the tape was placed there by ABC News for the purpose of its inclusion in the live shot.
The photograph, sent by an anonymous source, shows the tape running no more than 30 feet and tied to camera stands at both sides. In Davis’ segment, which was broadcast on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” it is impossible to tell where the tape ends.
“This action is completely unacceptable and fails to meet the standards of ABC News,” Julie Townsend, the vice president of communications at ABC News, told CNNMoney. “As soon as it was brought to our attention, we decided to take the producer out of the field, and we’re investigating further.”
