See below for comments – by Waldo Jaquith, Linda Perriello, Coy Barefoot (of the Center for Media and Citizenship at the University of Virginia) and others – on NBC 29’s disgraceful “interview” with neo-Nazi Richard Spencer that aired last night. Why did NBC 29 do this? InsideNOVA reporter Alex Koma’s comment is on point, I think: “It’s a cliched answer, but having spent time in that newsroom, it’s simple: ratings, ratings, ratings. A leg up over Newsplex/the DP.” That’s what the corporate media is all about — clicks/eyeballs/$$$$/zero ethics or good judgement. And we wonder how Donald Trump got elected “president?” The corporate media is a big part of it.
In which NBC-29 gets in way over their heads. https://t.co/QuAmJwD6Vj
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
Bingo! https://t.co/BmALFMspe4
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
He’s a terrorist. Why is @NBC29 giving him air time? (Rhetorical question.)
— Aileen Bartels (@AileenBartels) October 11, 2017
“Gosh, I’d love to hear more from Richard Spencer, ideally by being beamed into my living room.” —absolutely nobody
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
The entire nation is outraged about Richard Spencer being given a platform in Emancipation Park…so @NBC29 is giving him a bigger platform?
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
What did NBC-29 want out of this? To give Spencer a chance to persuade folks in Charlottesville that Jews and POC are inferior?
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
It’s a cliched answer, but having spent time in that newsroom, it’s simple: ratings, ratings, ratings. A leg up over Newsplex/the DP.
— Alex Koma (@AlexKomaIN) October 11, 2017
When a media outlet chooses ratings over the wellbeing of its community, that’s a bad sign for its role in the community.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
And not on the day when thousands of us held our breath while schools were on lockdown. https://t.co/q9QGz4ycsx
— Paige Perriello (@paigeperriello) October 11, 2017
Facebook was full of parents of Charlottesville students *freaking out* today.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
Tonight’s @NBC29 advertisers include @BlueRidgeHonda, @MichaelandSon, Albemarle Health and Rehab, Jim Price Auto, and @EdWGillespie.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
Jesus God https://t.co/0KbvPoOxgg pic.twitter.com/H3bzM14H65
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
Henry Graff got *played*. @NBC29 might as well have smeared vaseline on the lens.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
If you had any hope that maybe this interview with Spencer might actually be good—no, it’s exactly as terrible as you’d guessed.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
@NBC29 is acting as a full-on mouthpiece for Richard Spencer and his Nazi mission, not challenging him in any way.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
Here, Spencer tells Graff exactly how and why he’s using him and @NBC29. Graff blithely reports this. pic.twitter.com/iZNPk4W0S1
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
What is this “idea whose time has come”? Graff doesn’t ask. (Hint: It’s murdering Jews and PoC in concentration camps.) pic.twitter.com/CqBF34DQQq
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
*Nowhere* in this interview does @NBC29 ask or even mention what Spencer’s beliefs are, or what he’s promoting.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
lolwut https://t.co/HT5YvHp5Ye pic.twitter.com/njoCJeYtmX
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
.@NBC29 owes an apology to their viewers for what was, at best, a blown opportunity and, at worst, propagandizing for Nazis who attacked us.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
Not to put to fine a point on it, but @NBC29’s framing is that reasonable people disagree about whether Jews should be gassed.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
“Are people of color fundamentally inferior, suitable only to work as beasts of burden? We report, you decide!”
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
Most of the on-air staff will move on to bigger markets. But some of y’all intend to stay here. We’ll remember this.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 11, 2017
Congratulations to @CBS19News for *not* getting this interview with Spencer—Nazis looked for an easy mark, and it wasn’t you.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 12, 2017
Here’s a funny thing missing from @NBC29’s piece about Richard Spencer—no mention that one of Spencer’s fellow Nazis murdered Heather Heyer.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 12, 2017
There’s no mention that Spencer’s guy plowed a car through a crowd and seriously injured dozens of people.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 12, 2017
You take *anybody* in Charlottesville, and give them a chance to talk to Spencer, that’s their #1 topic. Graff didn’t touch it.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 12, 2017
I think we deserve to know: were there ground rules for this interview? Did Graff agree in advance to lob softballs at Spener?
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 12, 2017
Folks say that @NBC29 was set up in Emancipation Park before Spencer & co. even arrived the other night. How’d that happen?
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 12, 2017
The softball interview, pretending that Spencer is just interview subject, arriving early…it sure *looks* like a trade for access.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 12, 2017
Basically, @NBC29 is either incompetent or completely reckless. (Or, I suppose, malicious.) I want to know which.
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 12, 2017
Hey, maybe somebody at @NBC29 should talk to whatever media outlet reported *this* piece. They could learn stuff. https://t.co/GyKKJmekNt
— cvillenews.com (@cvillenewscom) October 12, 2017
Coy Barefoot
“nbc29. shame. tawdry. anti-Charlottesville.”
“On the very day our schools went on lockdown to protect OUR CHILDREN from death threats by these Nazis, the town’s big tv station broadcasts a flattering, un-critical “interview” with their leader- with absolutely no mention of the murder of Heather Heyer?! Are you f-ing kidding me?! Tells you everything you need to know about the leadership at 29 and in their newsroom. it’s way beyond disgusting. It’s self-serving bs. And as a dad whose child was in a locked down school today, IT PISSES ME OFF.”
Linda Perriello
“I’ve just watched NBC29 especially local news for decades. I just signed off permanently. Really Henry Graff? You thought this guy needed a platform on your TV station? Today all of my grandchildren were locked down in their schools and escorted to cars by armed law enforcement in large part because of the this guy’s lethal ideas to which you gave 4 minutes of airtime unchallenged. Compromised. Newsplex will now be my local source for news.”
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
