ABC News Airs ‘Syria’ Footage That Appears To Be From A Kentucky Gun Range: The network was heavily criticized this week after airing footage it said showed an embattled Syrian border town — only for some viewers to point out it looked very similar to YouTube video from a Kentucky gun range. ABC News took down the video and apologized, but did not offer further explanation.
Mark Zuckerberg Defends False Political Ads On Facebook: The famous Facebook CEO said this week that the company will not fact-check or censor political ads — even if they contain false or misleading information — in the name of free speech. His defense has brought criticism as people point to the platform’s significant influence online, and the social harm caused when political leaders spread misinformation.
ESPN Avoids Politics Of The Inherently Political Hong Kong Story: After the general manager of the Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey, voiced support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, the NBA failed to fully support him. This attitude also extended to ESPN, where senior news director Chuck Salituro ordered employees to avoid any political discussions about China or the protesters in their coverage.
Rants & Raves: 10/18/19: The panel reviews this week in media.
On this week’s edition of Beat The Press, Emily Rooney was joined by Adam Reilly of WGBH News; Joanna Weiss of Experience Magazine; Dan Kennedy of Northeastern University; and Callie Crossley of WGBH News.
