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LATEST SUBMISSIONS

Even local talk-show hosts go too far

Friday, April 13 at 12:01 AM

By Bill Menezes, editorial director of Colorado Media Matters

A talk radio host calls a sitting member of Congress a “scum-sucking pig wench” on air. During another broadcast, the host labels a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff “a lying sack of c---.” A second talk radio personality supports a guest who calls the nation of Mexico “one of the most despicable countries on Earth,” and days later praises another guest who says an illegal immigrant seeking sanctuary in a church should be dragged out by her hair.

The preceding remarks were delivered on Denver talk radio shows, hosted by personalities such as “Gunny” Bob Newman and Peter Boyles. But the vitriol is not much different from that of Don Imus, the national talk radio personality suspended on April 9 and then fired on Thursday for making racially charged and bigoted comments — the latest in a career marked by such statements.

Imus’ firing for going — by his own admission — “over the line” raises the question of whether local talk radio hosts also sometimes go too far in their efforts to foster dialogue with their listeners. Newman, Boyles and their fellow talk-radio hosts such as Dan Caplis and Jon Caldara use the public airwaves to promote their positions on important issues such as immigration reform, ethnic tensions and politics. However, they frequently resort to inflammatory remarks and factual misinformation — that is, statements that can be proved untrue — to make their points.

Since the days of Alan Berg in the early 1980s, talk radio hosts have relied on ever more outrageous styles and comments to attract listeners. Constitutionally protected free speech generally includes outrageous opinions and commentary, and credible media watchdog organizations such as Colorado Media Matters have no interest in silencing such opinions. But what should the public make of radio hosts who routinely offer falsehoods stated as facts to support their opinions? Simply put: Is it all right for these local celebrities to use lies and smears to back up their assertions regarding ethnic groups, immigration or any other topic?

I don’t believe that it is. This is a line Denver broadcasters should fear to tread, yet Boyles and other talk-show hosts cross it frequently. Some examples of falsehoods and ethnic smears among the many that Colorado Media Matters has recorded from Denver-area talk radio:

Discussing the dangers purportedly posed by illegal immigrants, Boyles and guests on his show have claimed repeatedly that those immigrants kill on average 25 Americans a day. They cite Government Accountability Office (GAO) statistics that allegedly support those claims. In fact, there is no GAO report or study that substantiates that “25 a day” figure, and a review of Justice Department statistics also indicates that the figure appears to be bogus.

On numerous broadcasts Boyles repeated the assertion that a U.S.-born child of illegal immigrants entitles the parents to avoid deportation, despite the fact that federal law indicates otherwise.

On his Jan. 23 broadcast, Caplis repeated the falsehood that presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., attended a radical Muslim seminary, never correcting himself when the story was debunked three days later.

Newman on his Feb. 23 broadcast made the claim that a new Bank of America program offers “[C]redit cards specifically issued to illegal aliens,” a remark debunked by the bank’s own statements and credible news reports about the program.

Given the frequency with which these radio talkers use falsehoods to promote their opinions, the real question is: Will anyone hold them accountable for not telling the truth? Until listeners answer that question, we can expect the truth to be an infrequent guest on these shows.

READER COMMENTS

Mr. Media WATCHDOG,
While your watching P.Boyle and everone else, you've missed the million of illegals,
and all the drugs entering our country.
Come on "Stay Focused", You're watching the wrong people.

Posted by mg on April 17, 2007 11:31 PM

The main organization Media Matters gets its funding from multi-millionaire George Soros. He is a far left liberal looney who uses the internet to spew his hatred and misinformation against anyone who disagrees with his insane idealogy.He uses his blogsites and the officail sounding name Media Matters to spew his lies and hatred against people who are right about issues.
I don't know if Colorado Media Matters is a part of the George Soros money train. If they are they have no credibility in matters that are part of the media. They are hate mongers trying to deny free speech to anyone that diagrees with their George Soros mantra.

Posted by Can I get a Amen! on April 17, 2007 07:48 AM

Mr Menezes!!
Look! Now you are doing what you complain others are doing!!
"On his Jan. 23 broadcast, Caplis repeated the falsehood that presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., attended a radical Muslim seminary, never correcting himself when the story was debunked three days later. "

Exactly when was this rumor, story debunked. If you would take the time to
go to a reliable source, like Barrack 08 or
any of HIS sites you will notice that when
you read his early life history it is blank!!
He states: that his father was a Muslim who
became an Atheist. He never specifies
where he was educated for early school
or high school.
Never mentions it. It’s a complete blank.
Now that makes him look shady, and
like he is hiding something.
Pull anyone off the street and it is no
problem for them to state where they
lived, went to school, etc.
So why are you not checking information
more carefully as I did.
Excuse, me but that should be part of
your job, not jumping on a bandwagon and
trying to remove freedom of speech.

Posted by Caroline Creek on April 16, 2007 03:32 PM

People, how about suggesting a way fix or at least ameliorate the situation. Perhaps the FCC should make license holders accountable to a set standards on being stewards of the public airways. Not the 7 proscribed words or an errant nipple, but fairness standards and respect standards. Give hosts an allowance of 2 lies (inaccuracies) per month, with each lie requiring 50 retractions until the 3rd lie removes the host from the air. Make that rule apply to "news" too! Remove reporters after their 3rd inaccurate report, broadcast station loses it's license after the 10th inaccurate report. Allow humor, but only on humor shows, not on discussion shows. Allow opinion shows as long as signifcant differing views get their time. Most "talk shows" on the airways are more like eye goughing or Tar-and-feather parties. Opposing the views of the host are treated like a black at a lynching, 90 seconds of challenge followed by 90 minutes of reveling by the hosts and their dittoheads. Require an FCC group to immediately act on complaints, with resolution in 7 days.

Of course this would make broadcast much harder, and less profitable, and it would become a better trustee of the public airways. They might become a model and example of decent publc discourse. Who wants that, except Tipper Gore, the Silent Majority and most Americans.

Posted by Dave on April 14, 2007 08:26 PM

Has Bill Menezes monitored any broadcasts from the other side of the dial? The epithets he quotes host Gunny Bob and a *caller* to Boyle's show pale in comparision to the kind of tripe heard regularly on Air America.

So Gunny Bob calls a member of Congress a "scum sucking pig wench." Air America host Rhandi Rhodes likened the bungled evacuation of Katrina victims to the mass murders of Jews during the Holocaust.

Then Gunny labels a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff “a lying sack of c---.” Have you listened to MIke Malloy call our Commander in Cheif "the giggling killer" or the GOP "murderous sons-of-bitches."

So what's the lesson here? Is it "check the facts," as Menezes seems to advocate? If that were the case I suspect the "truth net" would be cast in liberal waters as well as conservative. But that's not what Menezes is calling for.

He is calling for the same thing that everyone else seems to be calling for in the media spotlightt: I am right, and you are wrong. My words are truth, and your words are lies.

Another case in point: when debating a conservative who is calling for border security, Rhandi Rhodes immediately pulls the race card:

----
HUGH HEWITT: We know that a lot of the people who came here illegally are doing back-breaking work ... but we've got to prevent jihadists getting here.

RANDI RHODES: I don't think Mexicans are terrorists. I can't believe what I just heard.
----

As long as the public forum embraces debates filled with hate like this, we will get more of the same.

Posted by Hat Trick on April 13, 2007 04:52 PM

I agree with Harry. Imus was a pretty tired liberal that only appealed to the NYC crowd. Liberals better watch out because they'll eat their own if they can get face time with the written media. Imus will testify to that. I'm surprised Mr. Menezes didn't rant about that Air America frump Randi Rhodes and Boulder KKZN icon Jay Marvin. Both are known to foam at the mouth when George Bush is mentioned. And, who should be appointed to keep an eye on the News and Post regarding fairness? Neither paper would know fairness if they saw it.

Posted by wally on April 13, 2007 03:52 PM

Once again...
Another leftist hatchet job from a paper claiming to be objective. Combine this with Joanne Ostrow at the Post and it results in two very good reasons why I will not be renewing my subscriptions to either paper. Call me when you file for chapter 11.

Posted by anthony703 on April 13, 2007 02:31 PM

Your article on talk show hosts, in many instances, could probably point fingers at any radio, tv and even newpaper reporter as well. Newspapers, purportedly, are responsible for reporting in an unbiased manner, and yet repeatedly will accentuate a quote from someone that is making a false or misleading statement, and make no attempt to report on the actuality of the facts - all in an attempt of the media to sway public opinion.

Here's corrections to your misinformation:
* US Rep Steve King stated that 9000 Americans were killed by illegals in 2006
*The GAO report stated that 27% of our national prison system is populated with illegals (even though they represent only 2% of the general population)
* a child born in the US by an illegal is a US citizen, and because of American sympathies, the mother usually will not be deported.
*Bank of America is still marketing to illegals (in their words to people without Social Security numbers), as reported by Fox News in Feb, "Bank of America declared on Thursday that it would not cancel its new credit card program for individuals with no Social Security numbers or credit histories..."

I realize the mission statement for Colorado Media Matters is to monitor "news or commentary that is not accurate, reliable, or credible and that forwards the conservative agenda". But shouldn't you provide readers with a little research of your own before posting misleading or inaccurate statements yourself?

Posted by Larry on April 13, 2007 01:12 PM

The Truth? We can't handle the Truth. The truth is that in our PC world, the smart choice is to never, ever mention anything about any person of color if you are white. Don't discuss racial policy. don't talk about sports players if they are black or is that African American (I don't know since I read that only 20 percent of people with very dark skin color prefer to be called Afican American). Don't say anything about hip hop or the racial makeup of prison populations. In short, if you are a white person, do not ever talk about anything that is even related to a black person. If you never say anything about people of color then you will never be accused of spewing racist remarks. Now, I'm sure that I will be called a racist for these remarks which only proves my point. I 'don't consider myself to be racist but then I won't be the only one doing the "judging". I'm not racist, I'm scared! Scared of being torn apart by the PC racist hunters if something I mutter is taken out of context and splashed on the front page. Here's some of the fallout from the racist hunters.... I have heard normally good men (white) say that they are afraid to hire a black person because of fear of reprisal in the event of discharge or firing of that person of color. They know before they hire a black person that they could never take any discipline action agaist them so they avoid hiring them. I'm not agreeing with them, I'm just reporting it. There are unforseen consequences of the PC racist hunters actions. I was really surprised to find out how many people must be listening to Imus. Shocked was more like it. I think his show is tired and he is not the sharpest pencil in the pack. But he has become the most important person on the planet to the racist hunters. Really, what a waste of effort. Imus shouldn't rate all this attention, his listener base will probably grow with all this free publicity. I was surprised to hear that he was still on the air!

Posted by Harry on April 13, 2007 11:34 AM

I almost stopped reading when I came to this phrase - "credible media watchdog organizations such as Colorado Media Matters."

Credible to who?

They can't admit their own bias so how are we to take them seriously? If you read their examples, their agenda is rather obvious. If they had stated any "falsehoods" spewed by those on the left, they might have been a little more believable. But we know that no left leaning talk shows ever use falsehoods, now do they? What is credible to CMM is anything which agrees with their left leaning viewpoint.

Boyles was correct. Despite what the law says, an anchor baby and the desire to not break up families means that the family will not be deported.

Falsehoods are used by those on both sides of the political spectrum. CMM is not honest enough to admit that and point out examples.

I'm not aware of any "media watchdogs" these days that are truly non-partisan. Are you?

Posted by on April 13, 2007 11:25 AM

It amazes me how narrow our thoughts are anymore. I think we need to take everything on the 50/50 theory. Half is always going to be wrong - so be it. What really torques my toes is that the two Denver newspapers refuse to acknowledge that there is an ILLEGAL immigration problem. The news has become so PC and lost it's spine to stand up for anything but mainstream, party aligned spewed poop. I listen to all of the talk shows listed and many times I have taken my God Given right to flex my finger and turn them off. IF we could just quit whining long enough to realize this is all it takes life would be much easier.
Imus was a scape goat, as Sharpton and Jackson begin the new McCarthy witch hunt I wonder who will stand up to these 2 men that have been charged with slander, referred to NY as "Himmie Town" and ruined lives of the Duke Lacrosse players. Great representation for our country. What's next, George Bush telling America that we are winning the war on terrorism? OOOPS, that already happened. Wake up America, grow a spine and speak out! Enjoy the snow!

Posted by Tom Hering on April 13, 2007 08:15 AM

Assertion that a U.S.-born child of illegal immigrants entitles the parents to avoid deportation, despite the fact that federal law indicates otherwise. Hah the law also states its illegal to enter the USA without the proper documentation. This paper is just pushing illegal immigration reform crap down or throats. The American citizens are starting to see thru the medias agenda. Hopfully its not to late.

Posted by John on April 13, 2007 07:49 AM

Wow Bill, using falsehoods to debunk falsehoods....what a novel idea!

Posted by Eric Medina on April 13, 2007 06:54 AM