‘We are Supposed to be in the Business of Calling Out Spin, not Creating It’

Jun 7

Media companies need to communicate truthfully about the inside workings of their organization just as much as they do in the reporting on that they do, says one fellow media member. Ethics, responsibility and truth matter, all the time for media companies and their employees, not just when it is convenient.

“Isn’t the news business supposed to be different? After all — they, we — are supposed to be different for calling out the spin not creating it.”

Dan Abrams, NewsNation host and Mediaite founder, didn’t respect how “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd announced he is choosing to step away from the show after nine years at the desk, Ken Meyer reported at Mediaite about Abrams response.

It wasn’t so much about what he admits the public doesn’t care about but the root problem: a media member and news agency being deceitful.

Todd’s claim wasn’t plausible according to Abrams and he forcefully spoke to the contrary, saying that Todd “was clearly forced out of the role and replaced” by Kristen Welker, NBC’s chief White House correspondent.

Abrams asserts that what Todd and NBC are communicating is “almost certainly a lie” because there were reports going back to late 2022 that Todd’s job security was on the line. Abrams remembered back to when Todd had said that that he wouldn’t be leaving his post “anytime soon.”

“Almost certainly a lie” — pretty damning criticism that no media professional or organization wants associated with their name, yet a skewering label that Abrams is confident is factually correct.

“That was eight months ago,” Abrams argues as he lays out his case and what he sees is evidence of a misdirection communicated.

“That is pretty soon. Look, ratings were down for the show. Among the three broadcast Sunday shows, it’s gone from number one in the key demo and second in total viewers to last in total viewers and second in the demo. They had already canceled Todd’s daily show on MSNBC, and NBC was probably under pressure to replace a White male host of a show that was both suffering in the ratings and which was blasted by many on social media.”

At the root of Abrams’ upset was ethics and responsibility about how news — including internal workings of a media organization — is packaged and presented to consumers.

“Here’s what does matter,” Abrams says pointedly. “That a news operation that is supposed to be seeking out the truth and providing its viewers and readers with accurate information, calling out fact from fiction. And yet, they are almost certainly creating a fictionalized version of what happened.” ‘

That should not, cannot be happening if trust, credibility and reputation matter because once that’s compromised or lost, people long remember and hold tightly to difficult-to-change judgments.

“If we want — we need — the public to trust us in the news business,” Abrams ask viewers, “how can the entities themselves lie or spin their own news?”

Maybe that question is best posed to the higher ups in media outlets. It’s one that requires a direct, honest answer.

Michael Toebe is the founder and publisher at Communication Intelligence. He has written for newspapers, magazines and newsletters and also is a reputation specialist at Reputation Quality.