Bill Maher: It was not the helicopter story that lost Brian Williams his credibility
It is amazing how good Bill Maher can be when he sticks to the types of subjects he is more apt for. This week’s New Rule was on point. He actually expanded on Jon Stewart’s recent critique of the media. “Brian Williams’ lie about the helicopter?” Bill Maher said. “That didn’t destroy his credibility with me. Ten years of wasting precious news time on bullshit stories, … That’s what destroyed his credibility with me.”
Exactly. We tend to concentrate on issues that while a bit salacious at the time, are the ones that least have an effect on us. Jon Stewart correctly implied that a derelict media allowing a path to the Iraq War was much more damaging than Brian William’s lie. Bill Maher called out all broadcast media for simply providing bubble gum type stories.
The assault on the media continues justifiably.
Transcript of the montage of clips
Brian Williams shouldn’t have to go away because he lied. He should have to go away because the NBC Nightly News sucks. And so does the CBS evening News with Scott Pelley and ABC News World Tonight.
Brian Williams’ lie about the helicopter? That didn’t destroy his credibility with me. Ten years of wasting precious news time on bullshit stories about car chases and bears in the swimming pool and store clerks fighting back and returning soldiers surprising their kids at the big game and Power Ball jackpots and stupid Spanish tomato fights. That’s what destroyed his credibility with me. …
I know what you are thinking. Who cares bill nobody watches broadcast news anyway. … No. Actually over nine million people watch Brian Williams every night, about twelve times more than CNN.
Delivering the news is a sacred responsibility. It is telling us the important things we need to know. It shouldn’t be a race to the bottom over who can attract more eyeballs with titillation. If it is let’s get it over and show porn in the last segment. …
And we are almost there. The new thing is just to show a Youtube clip that’s gone viral. It is like the news brought to you by your biggest stoner friend. …
You have twenty two minutes to bring us the world. How does that leave time for the four minute segment on the basset hound that found his way home?
Here is a crazy thought. Cut the story where the high school sweethearts reunite and get married at eighty and take an extra minute to link your endless weather stories to climate change. …
Last year the NBC Nightly News spent a total of 25 minutes all year on climate change, the most important issue of our time. This is journalistic malpractice. And it is why I never thought of Brian Williams as a reporter to begin with. Because every night it is the same thing on the news. A couple of minutes at the top for the big story of the day unless God forbid it’s going to snow. If it’s going to snow on the East Coast, you know, where they live, and then nothing else is happening in the entire world. …
This obsession with weather in the national news is especially bizarre because if there is one thing that isn’t national it is weather. Anyway after we get through with the weather report, and maybe some shots of whatever photo op the President arranged that day, it’s time for the medical segment which is usually on obesity and a great excuse to run endless footage of fat people whose faces we do not see. … And then they interview a doctor who says big fad leads to obesity. Thanks doc.
Then the twenty two minutes are almost up. It is time for everyone’s favorite part of the broadcast, the feel good human interest story because America, you’ve worked hard. You’ve had to sit through two, maybe three minutes of hard news. And you deserve a break. Something to make you feel ‘Gosh maybe the world isn’t so bad after all. ‘
Here is a story about a paraplegic climber who scaled a mountain, a latch key kid who ran a can food drive to cure cancer, the pitcher who won the big game to honor his dead twin brother, a hotel that welcomes guests with rescue puppies, a Minnesota high school basketball team on a winning streak, and old Black veteran who is blind but he still drives the school bus. Yes they are all great heartwarming stories. And there is a place for them. It is called Reader’s Digest.