Once again, the mainstream media is caught in a web of lies and deception, and this time, it’s NBC News that’s facing the heat. After the release of bodycam video of the October attack on Paul Pelosi, there is mounting criticism and calls for transparency from the network over the mysterious retraction of correspondent Miguel Almaguer’s report on the incident.
Days after the brutal attack, Almaguer appeared to cast doubt on the immediate danger Pelosi faced when police arrived at his San Francisco home.
The veteran reporter’s report was quickly retracted by NBC, with no explanation given, leaving the public to speculate on what was wrong with Almaguer’s reporting. The recent release of the bodycam footage was supposed to shed light on the truth, but it has only added fuel to the fire.
Many media watchdogs feel that Almaguer deserves an apology from NBC for the bizarre handling of the situation, and the public deserves a full accounting of what went wrong with his report.
NBC’s lack of transparency and evasive behavior only makes the network look even more suspicious. The fact that the network suspended Almaguer and deleted the video without providing any explanation whatsoever is a clear violation of journalistic ethics.
“If Almaguer screwed up, they should have been more specific on the what and how after handing down the suspension,” said Fox News contributor Joe Concha.
He added that standards are apparently based on who is and who isn’t expendable at NBC, given that the network employs Rachel Maddow, whose reporting on Trump-Russia collusion has been widely criticized as conspiratorial.
DePauw University journalism professor Jeffrey McCall previously blasted NBC News for an “insufficient” explanation of Almaguer’s suspension, and he believes the bodycam footage only makes things worse for the network.
NBC has a responsibility to explain its news standards and why Almaguer’s original report was pulled, but the network has not responded to such calls for transparency.
In conclusion, it is clear that NBC News has failed in its responsibility to provide the public with the truth. The network’s lack of transparency and evasive behavior only raise suspicions and cast doubt on the credibility of its journalism.
As Fox News commentator Griff Jenkins put it, “when Almaguer implies that Paul Pelosi is not in imminent danger, that just took us to a whole new area.” It’s time for NBC News to come clean and be honest with its viewers.
