Brian Williams Lied About Being Shot Down in Iraq?

[SStarr33]

Pilot who said it was true is recanting:

http://money.cnn.com/2015/02/06/media/stelter-iraq-pilots/index.html

 

[jillycat]

It looks like three pilots have said they were the pilot.

 

[SStarr33]

It looks like three pilots have said they were the pilot.

http://deadline.com/2015/02/brian-williams-pilot-retracts-helicopter-cnn-story-1201367528/

Krell responded that “The information I gave you was true based on my memories, but at this point I am questioning my memories that I may have forgotten or left something out,” adding, “For the past 12 years I have been trying to forget everything that happened in Iraq and Afghanistan; now that I let it back, the nightmares come back with it, so I want to forget again” and that the men quoted in those news reports with a differing account “deserve respect.”

Stelter told viewers he now wishes he had not aired Krell’s comments yesterday, but insisted he’d vetted the pilot. “He said repeatedly that his memories were very clear,” Stelter told viewers this morning of his conversations with Krell on Thursday. “He’s revising his story so we want to make sure we’re revising ours.”

 

[FDLibra]

Looks like NBC News is investigating now. From the helicopter to his Katrina story, it seems like he "misremembers" alot. I wonder if he'll be on tonight? http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/02/06/brian-williams-katrina-coverage-in-question/22980005/

 

[Snick1946]

Some of you may recognize me as a poster often on the Left side of the aisle. Having said this, I may surprise some by stating I find BW's position untenable- he needs to start checking the want ads.

Since this story broke I've been checking out his background on what I can locate on line. I don't want to sound like I am pushing conspiracy, but something is odd about his ascent to power in the news world. He has no degree in broadcasting and per one source he only got 18 college credit hours. He went from being a bus boy at a Perkins to being a reporter on a small station in Kansas then after a short time went to NBC. I am sure it's not as simple as that- point is- it almost seems that someone helped him get where he is. I question how bright the guy is. Maybe that warm smile is really one with nothing behind it?

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

He needs to go. If he was on ET it would be one thing. But this is THE nightly news. Supposed to be factual reporting..

 

[FDLibra]

Huh, guess he would have a "good bs meter." Seems like he's been peddling some. Good thing Brian isn't a puppet. :liar: I didn't know that he doesn't have a degree in broadcast/journalism. Normally that wouldn't bother me, but he sure could've used an ethics class.

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

I really don't care about his education. I know that bothers some but I believe that people can start little and move up and do a better job than someone that went to school for the field.

 

[SophieRose]

Some of you may recognize me as a poster often on the Left side of the aisle. Having said this, I may surprise some by stating I find BW's position untenable- he needs to start checking the want ads.

Since this story broke I've been checking out his background on what I can locate on line. I don't want to sound like I am pushing conspiracy, but something is odd about his ascent to power in the news world. He has no degree in broadcasting and per one source he only got 18 college credit hours. He went from being a bus boy at a Perkins to being a reporter on a small station in Kansas then after a short time went to NBC. I am sure it's not as simple as that- point is- it almost seems that someone helped him get where he is. I question how bright the guy is. Maybe that warm smile is really one with nothing behind it?

When Peter Jennings (ABC News) died, it was reported he was a college dropout. Since then I've been surprised to find other news people without degrees or completely unrelated degrees.

 

[i.b.nora]

This NYTimes article from 2002 talks extensively about Brian's early career path and his educational background.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/27/nyregion/in-person-the-life-of-brian-annotated.html?pagewanted=1

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

He needs to go. If he was on ET it would be one thing. But this is THE nightly news. Supposed to be factual reporting..

That's a good point.

That's what bothers me the most...he's the lead NBC nightly news anchor! It's not as though it's just one of the field reporters, for gosh sakes.

 

[SStarr33]

I really don't care about his education. I know that bothers some but I believe that people can start little and move up and do a better job than someone that went to school for the field.

Well IMO, the guy is not too bright since he told one of the guys who was there that it what happened was just like Saving Private Ryan. GMAB

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Good grief, I feel like a dinosaur watching the meteor hit.

I can remember when Walter Cronkite was the most trusted man in America.

He must be writhing in his grave, and rightfully so.

 

[Snick1946]

Good grief, I feel like a dinosaur watching the meteor hit.

I can remember when Walter Cronkite was the most trusted man in America.

He must be writhing in his grave, and rightfully so.

Williams is a far cry from Cronkite. Walter was a real broadcast journalist and truth was sacred for him. BW seems to have been revealed as a smiley entertainer with a news broadcast gig.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Exactly Snick!

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Williams is a far cry from Cronkite. Walter was a real broadcast journalist and truth was sacred for him. BW seems to have been revealed as a smiley entertainer with a news broadcast gig.

BBM for focus.

This sentence in the context of quoting my post kind of feels like you are sniping at me.

I expect I'm mistaken on that, but just in case: that was my point as well. A far cry indeed.

I'm old enough to remember a time when journalism was widely viewed as a field in which strict ethics and the pursuit of truth were the prevailing values.

Hence, journalists were considered indubitable sources of information since it was assumed they had checked, double checked, and triple checked anything that they took public.

Nowadays, though, journalists as a group have about the same credibility as used-car salespersons.

I find that sad, not to mention scary.

 

[Charlie09]

<modsnip>.com is your friend )

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

In a memo to staff, NBC News president Deborah Turness addressed the scandal directly.

"This has been a difficult few days for all of us at NBC News," she wrote.

She said "we have a team dedicated to gathering the facts to help us make sense of all that has transpired. We're working on what the best next steps are -- and when we have something to communicate we will of course share it with you."

The memo by Turness was one product of a nearly day-long meeting of top NBC News executives.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/02/06/media/brian-williams-scandal/index.html

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

"Anyone who has been in a vehicle hit by an IED has that moment forever burned deep into their soul, into the fiber of their being," said Michael Ware, the former CNN foreign correspondent who dealt with PTSD
from his time spent reporting in Iraq. "I can only imagine being in a chopper hit by ground fire, fearing it will plummet to earth, is far, far worse -- unmistakable to remember and beyond impossible to conflate. Surely?"

"It would be hard not to step down, in good conscience, after such a painful misstep," Ware added.

Carlotta Gall, the North Africa correspondent for the New York Times, told CNNMoney that print journalists are "probably the greatest sticklers" when it comes to the Williams scandal.

"This is the problem of TV anchor stardom," Gall said. "That's what warps journalism, really, and takes it into show biz. That's when the mistakes and the embroidery come. Any trained journalist knows we're not the story."


(From above link)

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

If NBC loses its foothold among viewers ages 25 to 54, the key news audience for advertisers, it could cost parent company Comcast Corp., which installed Turness to focus on making the news division more profitable.

While the evening newscasts are bleeding younger viewers, &#8220;Nightly News&#8221; remains the most-watched among the three networks&#8217; news shows, thanks to Williams, who is &#8212; or at least was until his tall chopper tale &#8212; the most popular evening news anchor.

&#8220;If what he&#8217;s apologized for is all there is, the problem will go away,&#8221; news analyst Andrew Tyndall told The Post. &#8220;If he withheld other things and it comes to light, he&#8217;s in deep trouble.&#8221;

Even before the Williams scandal, news rivals were closing the ratings and advertising gap.


http://pagesix.com/2015/02/06/why-nbc-wont-fire-brian-williams/?_ga=1.31602302.1173471576.1422135095