Ain’t this some bullshit. The US government lies to us every day with impunity, but Brian Williams does it on NBC News and he’s suspended for 6 months without pay and vilified by the American people for being a liar and making a mockery of journalistic integrity. I mean, is he a liar who made a mockery of journalistic integrity? Sure. But at the end of the day, him lying about being shot in a helicopter in Iraq doesn’t affect our day-to-day lives, while the people in political office are responsible for countless deaths and injustices and yet there they sit, comfy, seen as heroes (at least in their own eyes).
Anyhoo… Brian Williams is out at NBC News for a few months. He made up a bunch of tall tales over the years – for what reason, no one is really sure. Probably to seem cool and important, I’m sure. Here’s the scoop from TMZ:
NBC released a harsh statement, saying, “Brian has jeopardized the trust millions of Americans place in NBC News. His actions are inexcusable and this suspension is severe and appropriate.”
The suspension is immediate and without pay. Lester Holt will continue substituting for Williams.
In making the decision to suspend and not fire Williams, NBC News honcho Deborah Turness said they considered the good work Williams did for 22 years.
Now, don’t get me wrong – Williams should absolutely be punished and this is more than fair, 100%. Frankly, if he’s capable of lying about inconsequential stuff like this, what else has he lied about in his time? I don’t really trust him as a reporter anymore (not that I ever placed any particular trust in him, just that we should be able to trust our reporters to provide unbiased and honest coverage). My point is that this has been front page news day in, day out since the story broke that he’s a liar, while actual bigger, more important issues are swept under the rug. Just seems a bit ridiculous.
Well, the point is that he lied while reporting. Which is his job. Reporting facts. And it wasn’t inconsequential stuff, there was a piece in the Washington Post about all the inaccuracies and “misrememberings” about his reporting on Katrina. Things like saying there were gangs roaming the Ritz Carlton, and dead bodies floating down the street (in two inches of water apparently), etc etc. He is a bad reporter. So, he’s suspended from his reporting job. Makes sense to me.
I mean, I suppose those other things are true, politicians lying causes death, indirectly or otherwise, but you could say that about anything. And it still shouldn’t have any bearing on his dereliction of duty, right? Be a heck of a get out of jail card otherwise. Did anyone die? No? Who cares! Woo hoo! Do whatcha want!
When a main part of your job is to be 100% honest, his suspension (from the #1 evening news program) is appropriate.
I’m rarely OK with someone losing their job when they make a mistake (we’re all human), that doesn’t harm someone else. Will be interesting to see what happens after 6 months.
News journalists have to be credible, when you’re not you get fired, period.
Really? Are you THAT stupid? A REAL journalist is supposed to have integrity. WTF has his total lack of integrity got to do with ANYTHING else in the world? What a sad sorry excuse in life.
Why should he not be fired? I’ve gotten fired for lesser things at jobs! You can’t be dishonest at companies!! …and you can’t bend the rules. I’ve been working for 35 years and in my experience, if you do the slightest thing wrong, companies will use you as a scapegoat to scare everybody else into obedience. I have had to eat cans of beans while I looked for other work. I have paid dearly for my mistakes. Companies don’t play around. I have, and everybody else in the world has had to suffer the consequences of making a mistake. Why should Brian Williams be any different?