Nothing like making news that fits, is there?
Off Wing Opinion: NBC To Sting Its Broadcast PartnerSo - NBC's going to try to paint one of their prime draws as being racist, prejudiced entertainment. I'm sure this will tickle the NASCAR folk no end.Via Michelle Malkin, we get news that NBC is soliciting Muslim volunteers to participate in a hidden camera sting operation. The idea here is that the camera team would follow two Muslim men to a NASCAR event to see if they trigger any "discriminatory comments or actions while being filmed". The operation would take place 2-3 times this Summer, with a story to be aired later this year.
I'll leave the media bias charges to somebody else, but here's another angle that folks in the sports biz ought to think about: What in the world are the folks who run NASCAR going to think about this when they find out?
Last time I looked NBC was still one of the circuit's broadcast partners, and now NBC News is attempting to provoke a racial confrontation at a NASCAR race, one that is sure to not only paint certain individuals as racists, but paint the entire NASCAR culture as racist too.
If I were at NASCAR HQ, I'd be blowing a gasket about now, and getting on the phone to NBC Sports in New York. After all, this is ocurring against a backdrop of NASCAR's increased efforts to bring minority drivers and owners into the series, and expand its appeal outside of the traditional Southern fan base.
But you've got to wonder - what are they thinking aside from 'We've got to fake up a good story'? That they've got to run a sting operation 5 YEARS after 9/11 would seem to indicate that they can't find any real examples of prejudice to document.
Are they going to argue that this is 'fake but accurate'?
J.
Comments (4)
This is irresponsible and foolish.
Obviously the show won't have good ratings unless there are "incidents" to report.
Whoever came up with this idea is obviously into stereotypes, and is bettig that southern whites are ignorant, racist rubes.
That a network would allow such a show to exist says much of their "values" and good sense, which is to say, none.
With good editing they can paint all NASCAR fans with their own ignorant misconceptions.
And for what purpose?
So they can get ratings and feel morally superior?
Morons.
Posted by Ben USN (Ret) | April 5, 2006 3:44 AM
Posted on April 5, 2006 03:44
Talked to my sister in NC about this. She's the big NASCAR fan.
She says there are no NASCAR events scheduled in VA this coming weekend, but there were last weekend.
Could be reason to look more closely at this story. Could be it's too late.
Posted by F451 | April 5, 2006 7:11 AM
Posted on April 5, 2006 07:11
Ben -
No, it's perfectly in keeping with the idea that news is something which must be created, scripted and edited to get the proper response from the viewer. And it's something that's gone on for decades to a greater or lesser extent. It's just that with the Internet it's now a lot easier to find out about it.
J.
Posted by JLawson | April 5, 2006 10:15 AM
Posted on April 5, 2006 10:15
Ron -
Man, I sure hope not. Let's hope this idea gets spiked hard.
J.
Posted by JLawson | April 5, 2006 10:27 AM
Posted on April 5, 2006 10:27