The media is reeling after a WURD host admitted to using scripted questions provided by the Biden Administration. Headlines littered newsfeeds with conflicting information:
New York Post: Biden’s scripted-question scandal shows how lefty media helped cloak his incompetence
Axios: Radio host resigns after asking Biden questions sent by his campaign
Politico: Radio station parts ways with Biden interviewer for using questions sent in advance
Aside from Axios and Politico having slightly conflicting headlines about who cut ties first, the New York Post column takes aim at the industry hiding President Biden’s incompetency for years. However, if we took a real honest look at our history and who we are as an industry conflicting reports and cloaking the President’s competency shouldn’t shock you.
Since the time of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer (and even earlier), most, if not all, media outlets have taken a side. From political cartoons to misleading headlines, newspapers of the 1800s and early 1900s certainly shaped the parties and the country.
Political cartoons were savage, like Thomas Nast’s 1870 sketch of ‘The Chinese Wall Around the United States of America.’ My personal favorite is Art Young’s 1912 image ‘Poisoned at the Source,’ which shows the then Associate Press President pouring lies into the news pool. (Any of these ideas sound familiar? Glad to know the news cycle doesn’t change much)
These “penny papers” focused on murder and scandal with sensationalist headlines. Today, people vie for the Pulitzer Prize for alleged “achievement in journalism.” It should not come as a shock his eponymous award typically goes to progressive outlets.
Nor should we be surprised this “yellow journalism” has led to many journalists actually being activists in disguise. There are many notable anchors who have previously worked for a political party before joining a news outlet. Keeping this in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the first person to interview President Biden is a former Democratic advisor and member of the Clinton Administration.
I’m not knocking George Stephanopoulos. In fact, I find him to be an adequate anchor with center-left tendencies. I’m just not shocked out of all the anchors across all media the Biden team picked someone who worked within the Democratic Party’s ranks for Biden’s first post-debate interview.
In other words, President Biden’s handlers would have never picked someone who’s worked for the Republican Party as the first interview after his horrific debate performance.
Over the last 10 years, I’ve worked at multiple stations that have used provided questions, gave questions to interviewees in advance, or have been handed questions from a suit (meaning a member of VP suite or above) for an anchor to ask.
I am not defending the practice. I’ve always been personally mortified by it. However, we seem to live in an “I scratch your back you scratch mine” world. So when an outlet and anchor “part ways” because the anchor admitted to using questions provided by the subject’s camp there is one question everyone needs to ask: Did they part ways because this is unusual or is it because someone revealed what happens behind the curtain?
Unfortunately, we can’t always trust when an outlet says it’s an “abnormal practice,” because many unwritten standards within most media outlets conflict with ethical journalism.
For example, many outlets have written rules against using personal cell phones for work, yet many outlets don’t issue work cell phones. I don’t know a single journalist who doesn’t use their personal cellphone for calling sources, texting managing editors, and/or writing their scripts before going to air. The unwritten rules go against network policy it’s a sure-fire way protect the company when it’s your turn to get the ax.
Speaking of axes, many in the media are taking one to President Biden, calling for his resignation or at least to drop out of the race. Prominent members like MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and CNN’s Van Jones calling on the President to drop out of the race because of his debate performance has many questioning his health. What was once a conservative ideal now seems to have hit the mainstream.
For some in the media, they are being honest yet are breaking party rank, likely because they can. However, there are still some looking to protect the government institution by throwing softball or provided questions. When you lose the media, it’s a surefire way to lose an election.
So the media is reeling after a WURD host admitted to using some scripted questions provided by the Biden Administration. But is the reaction genuine or is it self-serving?
Krystina Alarcon Carroll is a news media columnist and features writer for Barrett Media. She has experience in almost every facet of the industry including: digital and print news; live, streamed, and syndicated TV; documentary and film productions. Her prior employers have included NY1 and Fox News Digital and the Law & Crime Network. You can find Krystina on X (formerly twitter) @KrystinaAlaCarr.
