Of the three morning shows on Saturday, only CBS covered the latest on the evolving Brian Williams scandal. Predictably, NBC’s Today again stayed silent. But so did ABC’s Good Morning America. CBS This Morning anchor Anthony Mason noted, “the New York Times reports NBC News is launching an internal investigation into the reporting of anchorman Brian Williams.”
Mason then downplayed the extent of Williams’s lie: “The inquiry follows Williams' on-air apology that he misled viewers when describing a helicopter ride he took when reporting from Iraq in 2003.” Saying the Nightly News anchor “misled viewers when describing a helicopter ride” is a generous way of stating that the journalist falsely stated his Chinook was struck by a rocket propelled grenade while under heavy fire.
On Friday, Good Morning America covered the story and insisted the scandal “tarnishes” Williams’s reputation.
Friday’s CBS This Morning saw the anchor “fighting for his reputation” after the Iraq lie.
On Friday, just like on Saturday, NBC was silent about Williams. The journalist did host NBC's Nightly News on Friday night. According to Media Research Center President Brent Bozell, Williams is "lying about everything."
A transcript of the February 7 CBS This Morning segment is below:
7:12am
ANTHONY MASON: The New York times" reports NBC news is launching an internal investigation into the reporting of anchorman Brian Williams. The inquiry follows Williams' on-air apology that he misled viewers when describing a helicopter ride he took when reporting from Iraq in 2003. It will look at on-scene reporting from New Orleans following hurricane Katrina.
