Title: See how ABC honors America Source:
Mainetv.net URL Source:http://www.mainetv.net/abc.jpg Published:Jul 4, 2015 Author:Bob Celeste Post Date:2015-07-04 13:17:52 by BobCeleste Keywords:None Views:5473 Comments:29
A boycott of the ABC television network is encouraged because the executives at ABC news are said to have told reporters they could not wear American flag lapel pins or any other patriotic insignia. The network said that ABC should remain as neutral as possible.
The Truth:
Rumors that ABC News has banned American flag lapel pins have been swirling ever since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The claim was based in truth at one time, but it has drifted more toward fiction over the years.
The 9/11 attacks resulted in a wave of patriotism that had not been seen in decades. The shared enthusiasm for the country and flag were widespread.
It created difficulties for reporters, however, who try to professionally earn and keep peoples trust by avoiding personal partisan displays while reporting in the news. Many media outlets struggled to preserve their image as journalists while at the same time appearing unpatriotic in a time of crisis. Some journalists elected to wear American flag lapel pins on air, and the debate started.
CBS, NBC and CNN did not have a lapel pin policy in place before or after 9/11, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Reporters for those stations regularly wore American flag lapel pins on air while covering 9/11.
When word got out that ABC News had banned American flag lapel pins, the network became a lightning rod for criticism. However, the eRumor began to drift away from the truth almost immediately.
The network never specifically singled out American flag lapel pins it prohibited its reporters from wearing any lapel pin on the air.
Viral message claims ABC News has ordered reporters and news anchors not to wear American flag lapel pins or other patriotic insignia.
Description: Rumor / Viral message Circulating since: June 2008 Status: TRUE (in 2001) / MISREPRESENTED (see details below)
Example #1:
Email text contributed by an AOL user, June 25, 2008:
ABC News Bans Flag Lapel Pins
Yesterday, the brass at ABC News issued orders forbidding reporters to wear lapel pin American flags or other patriotic insignia. Their reasoning was that ABC should remain neutral about "causes".
Since when is support for preventing our death & destruction some sort of a "cause"? Since when is patriotism to be discouraged. I urge you to boycott ABC and its sponsors and affiliates. And those that advertise with them.
Were slowly losing everything our country stands for, and everything our men and women fought and died to preserve.
Please forward this to as many as you can.
Analysis: Please note that when the message above says ABC News banned flag lapel pins "yesterday," it's referring to a date in 2001. This was not a recent event.
And although it's true that ABC News instituted such a ban shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the network's stated reasons were more cogent than what is indicated above.
According to ABC spokesman Jeffrey Schneider, the network saw it as necessary to protect its reporters' credibility, as well as their personal safety abroad.
"We cannot signal through outward symbols how we feel, even if the cause is justified," he said in a statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Overseas, it could be perceived that we're just mouthpieces for the U.S. government, and that can place our journalists in danger."
Fact check: Flag pin ban about bias, not patriotism
FACT: Media have long had policies on not wearing flair on-air.
By Carole Fader Mon, Jun 28, 2010 @ 4:45 am
Times-Union readers want to know:
Is it true that ABC has banned its employees from wearing flag pins?
Its baaaaaack.
This chain e-mail is once again making the rounds of e-mail inboxes. It first appeared after the Sept, 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, when many Americans expressed their patriotism, and has cropped up from time to time since. It does not refer to a current event.
Essentially, the e-mail is true. But a few clarifications must be made.
Journalists usually do not wear pins, ribbons or any other symbol that might compromise their credibility as objective, impartial recorders of events. News departments of television stations have long had a practice or policy that on-air personnel should not display partisan adornments, including patriotic ones.
After 9/11, Snopes.com reports, some network news journalists expressed a desire to bend that rule, setting off a national debate on the subject:
First, does ABC still have this policy in effect? "The network never specifically singled out American flag lapel pins it prohibited its reporters from wearing any lapel pin on the air. "
If yes, does it include US flag pins?
My comment is this, snopes is no longer a trusted source when it comes to anything political.
You are equating honoring sodomites who have, by their own behavior, gotten a deadly disease with showing respect and honor for the symbol of the United States? Absolute nonsense.
You are equating honoring sodomites who have, by their own behavior, gotten a deadly disease with showing respect and honor for the symbol of the United States? Absolute nonsense.
So if they wore an American flag pin while attacking President Bush for the Iraq war - you would be OK with that?