Mistakes Happen

It would be an understatement to say that I am not a fan of the mainstream media. People that know me have heard my complaints for years. Last month we had the doctored photo scandal involving an individual who had either a political or possibly a career agenda. Regardless of motive, someone documenting an event with an agenda can only result in tainted coverage. A thank you should go out to the members of the blogging community for spotting what the geniuses at Rueters missed hundreds of times.

Today we had CNN anchor person Kyra Phillips talking in the restroom about relationships and slamming her sister-in-law during a televised speech by the president. Her microphone was left on. Mistakes happen? Who is in charge of microphones at CNN? You would think that after the infamous “Go balloons! Go balloons! Go balloons! I don’t see anything happening… Jesus! We need more balloons. I want all balloons to go, goddammit… There’s not enough coming down! All balloons, what the hell! There’s nothing falling! What the f@#k are you guys doing up there?” episode with Don Mischer at the Democratic convention in ‘04 that the microphone guy would be paying close attention.

So, the microphone guy missed it. Wasn’t anybody else at CNN even listening to the damn speech? The bathroom chatter went on for over a full minute. What about Kyra Phillips, does she have an on/off switch herself? What in the hell is an on-air personality doing in the bathroom during a presidential speech that she is reporting on? Mistakes happen, again and again and again.

When the kid at Burger King leaves the cheese off my Whopper I get torqued off and move along. That is a mistake. This CNN garbage is unprofessionalism. If you are in an occupation that is called a profession you should take your job seriously. If you are a professional you are being trusted to do a job that not everybody is qualified for. The technician who was responsible for the microphone should be fired and Ms.Phillips should be fired for being in the john talking about her sister-in-law during the speech.

These are serious matters. The public should not be forced to read between the lines of constant editorializing that permeate modern reportage. Give me facts, let me form an opinion. We should not have to suffer news professionals that don’t show us enough respect to care about the quality of what they present.