Erik Wemple's Lonely Pursuit of 'Heckle' Fraudsters

Erik Wemple's Lonely Pursuit of 'Heckle' Fraudsters

BuzzFeed, The Huffington Post, and NBC News are all holdouts refusing to correct their dishonest reporting about the so-called “heckling incident” involving Neil Heslin, the father of a six-year-old boy murdered in Newtown. By posting the full, unedited video of the incident, Twitchy.com proved this story a lie two days ago. But these outlets still refuse to acknowledge an objective truth.

Moreover, to push this blatant lie even further, NBC News was caught yet again maliciously editing content to boost Obama’s agenda.

There’s no gray area here. Mr. Heslin respectfully asked a question of those gathered at the hearing. It wasn’t rhetorical. He paused for an answer. None came. Things got a little awkward. Heslin commented on the lack of answer. A few people then respectfully answered. Heslin then acknowledged the answer.

If that’s heckling, so is everyday conversation.

What we have here is a full-blown media scandal.

1. Much of the media spread this lie without verification.

2. NBC’s maliciously edited video of the event spread a lot further than MSNBC.

3. We still have major media figures refusing to acknowledge or to correct libelous reporting.

It makes sense for NBC News to stand by its lie, and the Huffington Post is openly liberal. But do you think BuzzFeed’s Ben Smith would be holding out if this was Fox News? But maybe it does make sense. Smith and his merry band of BenSmithers regularly appear on MSNBC. What’s a little truth and integrity compared to face time on top-rated, left-wing fever swamp.

The problem is that, as I’ve documented here, NBC and much of the media get away with this time and again and again and again. With impunity the media lies, deceives, and commits outright fraud. But why shouldn’t they? If you’re going after the Right or defending Obama, the Gang of 500 simply doesn’t care.

Worse still, media watchdogs like Howard Kurtz are too busy going after Sarah Palin, and Politico’s Dylan Byers (who’s filed exactly one story on the scandal) works for an outlet that’s even more dependent on MSNBC face-time than the BenSmithers. We don’t expect accountability or for any news outlet to pay a heavy price when it comes to left-wing bias. But outright fraud and lies?

I am happy to report, though, that Washington Post media reporter Erik Wemple has been all over this. He’s not pulling any punches either. I’m not sure what he can accomplish on his own … and he is on his own, but Wemple’s already posted five pieces on the incident and is asking tough questions.

We’re at a point where the media’s so corrupted that what happened this week has produced only a single member of the mainstream media attempting to do something about. You just know Dan Rather’s watching all of this and cursing himself over his timing.

But let’s give Wemple his due. It certainly can’t hurt our cause if those of us on the Right  pop our head out of the media battle to acknowledge something done right.

 

Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC               

 

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