Fox News Channel’s Tucker Carlson was agitated by the media’s recent ridiculousness when it came to falsely describing violent protestors as peaceful, ESPN’s Robert Lee Fiasco, and the criticism of wanting fair reporting during Thursday night’s edition of his show. So to break it all down he called on The Hill’s media reporter Joe Concha, who wasted no time in scolding the media for their off-the-wall antics. “The line between straight news reporting and opinion has been obliterated,” Concha exclaimed at one point.
“Reuters referred to left wing rioters as, quote: ‘Peace activists.’ The New York Times is furious that The Wall Street Journal’s editors are demanding fair reporting,” Carson announced as the led into the segment. “And that's just this week in America's press corps. Wow! Too much for a single television session. We can devote a whole network to that.”
One of the more intense topics of their discussion was regarding The New York Times’ shock and outrage at Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Gerald Baker’s call among his staff for them to stick to straight reporting and to cut out their editorializing.
Concha described the NYT’s reporting as them finding it controversial that an editor would want his reporters to be objective. “The New York Times obtains these e-mails from Wall Street Journal reporters as if it’s some big bombshell…” he argued. “Wow. The fact that that is somehow the exception rather than the rule is remarkable to me, Tucker.”
“Well, it is remarkable. What is extra remarkable is, you don't see it happening at other papers,” Carlson expanded. “But I haven't seen any other editors say to their reporters: ‘Look, just tell the story, just say what happened. Keep your editorializing out.’ I think that it’s an unusual thing now.”
The Hill media reporter wasn’t close to finished with his rebuke of the liberal media for forcing their opinions into their stories:
The line between straight news reporting and opinion has been obliterated. You can see anchors; people are supposed to play it straight. Now giving their feelings on a particular topic because they think it's ‘good for the country,’ in their mind. And no one wants to know their opinion, they just want the facts. And the fact that Gerard Baker is being criticized for this is, for the lack of a better word, deplorable.
Carlson was also disturbed over a recent case where a Reuters tweet with an image of violent anti-Trump protesters in Phoenix, Arizona described the group as “peace activists.” “Yeah, peace activists don't throw urine bottles at police or rocks or get arrested,” Concha mockingly explained. “And I think once you start causing violence and damage, Tucker, you're no longer a peace activist or protester. You've become a rioter. So, we have to start categorizing these things correctly.”
But Concha did want to “give Reuters credit,” because they saw the error in their description and issued a correction. “We have changed the caption of this photo, which inaccurately characterized anti-Trump protesters as peace activists,” he read from a new tweet. “So good job Reuters for owning up to it.”
“Good for them,” Carlson agreed.
And to close out the segment both Carlson and Concha joked about how the Russia investigation had ceased to be a major news story after consuming most of the airtime for months. “Yeah boy, before I went on vacation, it was the biggest story our life’s time and we were entering a constitutional crisis. Now I can't seem to find any coverage on it. It's really is quite remarkable,” Concha quipped.
Transcript below:
FNC
Tucker Carlson Tonight
August 24, 2017
8:49:49 PM EasternTUCKER CARLSON: Well ESPN punished an Asian-American announcer named Robert Lee for his name. Reuters referred to left wing rioters as, quote: "Peace activists." The New York Times is furious that The Wall Street Journal’s editors are demanding fair reporting. And that's just this week in America's press corps. Wow! Too much for a single television session. We can devote a whole network to that. But, The Hill’s Joe Concha will always try. He covers this stuff for a living. And he joins us now.
Joe, there is a lot going on. Let's start with the peace activists. I mean, that's just propaganda. That is not even news reporting, is it?
JOE CONCHA: Yeah, peace activists don't throw urine bottles at police or rocks or get arrested. And I think once you start causing violence and damage, Tucker, you're no longer a peace activist or protester. You've become a rioter. So, we have to start categorizing these things correctly. But give Reuters credit. We criticize but we condemn. An hour after my story went up on The Hill about this, they did send a correction directly to me and also to put it out on Twitter, with caps by the way: “We have changed the caption of this photo, which inaccurately characterized anti-Trump protesters as peace activists.” So good job Reuters for owning up to it.
CARLSON: Good for them.
(...)
CARLSON: So what do you make of this story about The New York Times ran a piece about Jerry Baker, who is the editor of The Wall Street Journal, scolding his reporters for not covering the Trump rally straight. He seemed to be scolded by the left for demanding straight news coverage.
CONCHA: Yeah, he was saying in straight news reporting that there was too much editorializing going on, there was too much selective criticism. And The New York Times obtains these e-mails from Wall Street Journal reporters as if it’s some big bombshell that an editor looked at a reporter who’s supposed to be objective and said: “Look, you have to take this out, this is too much on the editorial side. Let's play it straight, guys.” Wow. The fact that that is somehow the exception rather than the rule is remarkable to me, Tucker.
CARLSON: Well, it is remarkable. What is extra remarkable is, you don't see it happening at other papers. I don't think you’re seeing any other – and I don't know Joe baker by the way. I’ve never even met him, so I'm not carrying water for the guy. But I haven't seen any other editors say to their reporters: “Look, just tell the story, just say what happened. Keep your editorializing out.” I think that it’s an unusual thing now.
CONCHA: The line between straight news reporting and opinion has been obliterated. You can see anchors; people are supposed to play it straight. Now giving their feelings on a particular topic because they think it's “good for the country,” in their mind. And no one wants to know their opinion, they just want the facts. And the fact that Gerard baker is being criticized for this is, for the lack of a better word, deplorable.
CARLSON: Really quick, just in 20 seconds, because you’re watching TV all day long and reading everything. Did the Russia story disappear or is that my imagination?
CONCHA: Yeah boy, before I went on vacation, it was the biggest story our life’s time and we were entering a constitutional crisis. Now I can't seem to find any coverage on it. It's really is quite remarkable, Tucker.
CARLSON: It's weird. What a fickle group they are those journalists. Joe, thanks a lot for joining us tonight.
CONCHA: Good to see you.
