“A Journalistic Crime Against Accuracy?” Broadcast Reporter Regrets Election Night 2000 Coverage (2001)

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crime when the suspect was white. Ladies and gentlemen, regrettably last November, I was part of one of the most egregious acts of news media distortion, which you saw. You heard it. You felt it. You were confused, saddened, and angered by the television network election night coverage. I remember reporting Gore had won Florida. No, it was Bush. Bush has won Florida. No, it's, it's too close to call. Believe me, I am not comforted, not comforted for one nanosecond, by the fact that all networks committed the same journalistic

crime against accuracy. We all did it because all of us use the same source for exit polling data to make our projections. CNN launched a major investigation and now has in place new procedures and backup independent polling plan to ensure that never again, never again will such mistakes happen. The other networks also have moved to prevent this happening again. But, to an immeasurable extent, that night we lost, we lost some of what is most precious to any journalist or news agency. We lost credibility with our viewers. We lost credibility with our listeners. Credibility is all we have. Credibility is all we

have. Lose it, and you might as well take down your shingle. That was the most regrettable night of my career. Congress had every right, every right to haul television network executives before a committee and demand explanations to the American people. We are accountable because ours is a crucial role in this democracy. We are accountable because ours is a crucial role in this precious democracy. The First Amendment is not a security blanket from mistakes and inaccuracy. You know, I wonder what Murrow would have done and

said that November 7th night. There we were, intoxicated with the fever of competition, rushing, rushing to be first. To all of you who see me and can hear my voice, to all of you majoring in journalism and communications, never ever forget this: Being second and right is better than being first and wrong. ... ... Edward R. Murrow inspired me. From that inspiration when I was 13 years old to this moment of honor in his name tonight,

his spirit has been most real. Murrow's spirit will be unforgiving and disrespected if we fail to be the people's honest broker. Thank you. Thank you.

“A Journalistic Crime Against Accuracy?” Broadcast Reporter Regrets Election Night 2000 Coverage (2001)

Bernard Shaw was an esteemed American journalist who was one of CNN’s main anchors of election night coverage of the 2000 presidential election. The following year, the Edward R. Murrow School of Communications at Washington State University presented him with the Edward R. Murrow Excellence in Journalism award. In his acceptance speech, Shaw confronts the dangers of television news distorting reality, and ultimately speaks out against the horse-race coverage style of live television reporting on November 7, 2000. In this clip, Shaw reflects on his role in what he calls “one of the most egregious acts of news media distortion” and “a journalistic crime against accuracy.” He recounts the pressures of competition and the rush to be first to project a winner on election night, and implores Americans and aspiring journalists to learn from that moment just how important the role of news outlets is to maintain trust and credibility for the sake of democracy.

WSU Presents | Northwest Public Television (Television station : Pullman, W.A..) | April 18, 2001 This video clip and associated transcript appear from 37:34 - 42:01 in the full record.

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