Angelo Mozilo

ABC Hints Rich CEO 'Deeply Tanned' from Sunbathing, But May Be Italian Complexion?

By Brad Wilmouth | March 7, 2008 - 22:41 ET

During a story suggesting that Angelo Mozilo, the former CEO of the mortgage company Countrywide, is unworthy of his millions of dollars and perhaps enjoys too much time lying in the sun, ABC's Dan Harris, possibly not picking up on the former CEO's Italian ethnicity which could be the source of his skin's dark complexion, remarked that Mozilo's "deeply tanned face" could become the "face of the mortgage mess." The story ran on Friday's World News with Charles Gibson, substitute hosted by George Stephanopoulos, with Harris beginning his report: "This may well become the deeply tanned face of the mortgage mess. The face belongs to Angelo Mozilo, the once-celebrated CEO of Countrywide, now facing allegations of predatory lending and rapacious greed." Harris also ended the report seeming to lament that Mozilo is not facing foreclosure on any of his homes: "If the sale [of Countrywide] goes through, Mozilo will walk away with about $40 million. And with not one of his homes in foreclosure." (Transcript follows)

Countrywide’s Mozilo Gives Up $37.5 Million; 'American Morning' Still Complains

By Jeff Poor | January 28, 2008 - 18:07 ET

In a class-warfare driven media, where the "haves" are often pitted against "have-nots," you would think an outgoing CEO giving up $37.5 million in pay would be celebrated.

Not quite. CNN's "American Morning" didn't think it was quite good enough when Countrywide Financial's Angelo Mozilo forfeited $37.5 million in severance pay because he said he felt it was the "right thing to do."

"It's another disconnect with Main Street," "American Morning" anchor Kiran Chetry said Jan. 28, 2008. "Because most people don't get rewarded when things go wrong at their job, and this is what we see with these CEOs."

"Over and over and over again," CNN's personal finance editor Gerri Willis added.

CBS Ignores Motives of Countrywide CEO Bashers

By Jeff Poor | October 31, 2007 - 18:21 ET

Profit takers beware – if you get too wise with your investing, the class warfare soldiers are coming after you.

Over the last year, Angelo Mozilo, CEO of Countrywide (NYSE:CFC), decided to periodically sell some of the stock he owns in the company he co-founded 40 years ago and what is now the nation's largest mortgage lender – part of a prearranged measure known as a 10b5-1 trading plan. This was all done to prepare him for his December 2009 retirement date.

Despite his upcoming retirement, that drew the ire of some liberal pro-union groups and CBS’s Anthony Mason, whereas anyone defending his decision to sell his stock was not found in Mason’s report.

BMI’s Dan Gainor Makes First Appearance on New Fox Business Channel

By Genevieve Ebel | October 18, 2007 - 16:20 ET

Dan Gainor, director of the MRC’s Business & Media Institute, appeared today on the new Fox Business channel. During the 3 o’clock hour of ‘Fox Business Live,’ Gainor contributed to the discussion of the media’s recent economic coverage on a segment called ‘Blasting Biz .’

On the eve of the 20th anniversary of Black Monday, Live’s anchor, David Asman, probed Gainor on why, despite a rising stock market, networks are still reporting all the bad news.

Video (2:01): Real (3.31 MB) and Windows (7.27 MB), plus MP3 audio (945 kB).