Networks Again Trumpet What NBC’s Williams Celebrates as ‘the Protest of This Current Era’
CBS and NBC led Wednesday night with glowing stories about the growth and diversity of the far-left “Occupy Wall Street” protests, though without any ideological label applied nor any critics allowed, a promotional approach the networks never provided in Tea Party coverage. “We begin tonight with what has become by any measure a pretty massive protest movement,” NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams announced. “While it goes by the official name ‘Occupy Wall Street,’ it has spread steadily and far beyond Wall Street, and it could well turn out to be the protest of this current era.” ABC’s Cecilia Vega touted how “it is a crowd that grows daily in size and diversity,” CBS’s Michelle Miller heralded “they’re gaining momentum and new recruits” and NBC’s Mara Schiavocampo trumpeted “the largest crowd yet, and more varied in age and background.” She assured viewers that “experts say though still largely undefined, the movement has a lot of potential.” Over a montage of pictures, Williams opened his newscast by applying rock lyrics from the 1960s to the events: Good evening. We begin tonight with what has become by any measure a pretty massive protest movement. While it goes by the official name “Occupy Wall Street,” it has spread steadily and far beyond Wall Street, and it could well turn out to be the protest of this current era. The lyric from 45 years ago in the Buffalo Springfield song For What It's Worth could also describe this current movement right now. Once again, “there is something happening here. What it is ain't exactly clear,” but it encompasses a lot of things: anger, frustration, disenfranchisement, income disparity, unaccountability and general upheaval and dissatisfaction. Again today, thousands took to the streets of this city. They're in the streets of other cities as well. ABC’s Vega highlighted how “thousands of union workers marched in solidarity in joining a common cause, blaming bank greed for the country's economic woes.” She then ran a clip of an iron union worker – the very same white man who also got a soundbite in NBC’s story. And NBC’s Schiavocampo on Wednesday night showcased the very same professor from Columbia University, Dorian Warren, as ABC featured in a report aired on Monday’s World News.
Posted by
on October 6, 2011. Filed under