In another case of a journalist completely lacking self awareness, NBC Today anchor Savannah Guthrie admitted to The Hollywood Reporter that she tried “really hard” to stay unbiased in her job. But not before slamming viewers who didn’t share her own opinions as “biased.” “I try really hard to stay neutral,” she said. “But often that's not what you're finding on social media. You're finding people who are very opinionated and detect bias in anyone who does not share that opinion,” Guthrie added.
In the article published Monday, Guthrie speaks about being a media figure in the era of the 2016 election and the accusations of media bias. Guthrie claims that she’s “interested in fair criticism,” but what she gets on social media isn’t that.
GUTHRIE: There is often a different tenor to the criticism. Everybody gets 'You're biased.' But you may also get 'Why do you roll your eyes and make that face? Why does your voice sound so shrill? Why are you such a B?' Honestly, I'm interested in fair criticism. I'm not perfect.
But then Guthrie goes on to make an admission of sorts, that if a “very opinionated” viewer “does not share” the same opinion on a matter as her, they will probably “detect bias” in her reporting.
GUTHRIE: I try really hard to stay neutral. But often that's not what you're finding on social media. You're finding people who are very opinionated and detect bias in anyone who does not share that opinion.
This begs the question, if a viewer can tell what your opinion is on a matter to begin with, aren’t you reporting in a biased manner?
THR also quoted Andrew Lack, chairman of NBC and MSNBC News who seems to tell a tale of two different Guthries. First, he describes Guthrie as someone who “detaches” herself “on a personal level” from she thinks about Trump’s comments about women. But he then goes on praise Guthrie’s ability to detect other people’s “bullshit.”
Says Lack: "One of the things I really do love about Savannah is she's game. She's up for the question, and damn it, give me an answer. I admire that about her. She's got a very good bullshit barometer."
So does Guthrie stay above the fray or does she “call out” people she disagrees with’s “bullshit?” Seemingly even these media types don’t really understand what being an unbiased media actually means.
In the midst of this Guthrie does acknowledge there seems to be a “unifying” hatred of the media when it comes to viewers, however they felt about Trump:
"There are plenty of people who think the media created Trump, and there are plenty of people who think the media never gave Trump a shot," she notes. "The only thing that seems to be unifying everyone is their mutual hatred of the media."
Guthrie might look at her own reporting over the past year to see just how much she played a part in that.
For example, in a two-part interview with President Obama during the DNC, Guthrie asked the President if the prospect of Donald Trump having control of nuclear codes was “frightening.” She followed up by lamenting Trump’s “personal attacks” against President Obama, playing the part of a psychologist instead of a journalist:
GUTHRIE: Does it feel personal? I mean, Mr. Trump has made it pretty personal against you. I could give you a list, which I guess I probably don't need to.
Also during the DNC, Guthrie praised Bill Clinton’s speech as a “folksy retelling of their love story”, while bashing Donald Trump’s speech at the RNC as “a lot of doom and gloom.” During another reporting the DNC week, Guthrie asked if the chants of “lock her up,” “went too far,” and did it “overestimate” how much people didn’t like Hillary?
In another report on NBC Nightly News, Guthrie reacted with glee to Clinton bashing Trump, declaring, “She dropped the hammer on Donald Trump!” the next day praising the “total takedown” of Trump.
