[UPDATED] Claremore Progress’ Bias Evident in Tea Party Report
21April 16, 2009 by Tyson Wynn
[UPDATE—April 17, 2009 at 1:30 p.m.]
In response to my (and others’) claims that the Claremore Progress’ audio report posted on their site was inaccurate (see original post below), whoever Twitters for the paper as WillRogersPaper just tweeted this:
Some RC folks upset as being characterized as being “angry” while at TEA Party and not in street. Todays Progress
And as proof that participants were demonstrating in the intersection, they offer a link to this twitpic (click for big):
Let’s do a little analysis, shall we? What you see here are not tea party demonstrators protesting in an intersection, though the Progress intends you to think that. You see one man (“Born Free – Taxed to Death”) standing off the curb, though not being a hindrance to traffic, holding his sign. The rest of the people in this picture, which the Progress obviously intends you to interpret as protesters in an intersection, are actually crossing the street at the designated point (i.e., the crosswalk). You see a couple young men transporting signs (obviously not waving them) crossing from east to west, and another group, appearing to be mostly women, crossing from west to east. Notice they all have a raised foot, caught by the camera in the action of walking across the street, at the legal place to do so (presumably after receiving the illuminated “Walk” indication). The woman in the red hoodie holding up her sign is on the sidewalk (notice her height). All in all, a weak attempt to substantiate a fabrication with a misleading picture. Seems the Progress continues to ratify everything people have been saying.
This goes perfectly to my previous point. One can report what actually happened, or because of bias, agenda, or just sloppy journalism, they can report what they want and offer up a clearly mischaracterized picture as support.
I reassert my previous points: protesters were not demonstrating in the intersection, the demonstrators were certainly not a disturbance to traffic, they were not angry, raving maniacs. It was an orderly demonstration by patriotic Americans, which–judging by the public response as it happened–has significant support. Guess it’s too much to ask that the Claremore Progress get it right, or at least correct the record when they are shown to be wrong.
Oh, and just one question for Progress reporter Krystal Carman, who received photo credit for previous Progress pictures and presumably this one: “Did you cross the street, and if so, where? If you were photographed doing so, would it be fair to accuse you of practicing the craft of alleged journalism (or photography) in the intersection?” Didn’t think so.
[End of Update]
[Original Post]
I was on the scene at yesterday’s Claremore tea party. Loyal readers will recall I provided audio reports from the scene throughout the morning demonstration. I did this using a nifty little program called AudioBoo. Lo and behold, today I see that the Claremore Progress has updated its report about the tea party by uploading an audio report using AudioBoo. I wonder where they got that idea? I don’t mind being a trendsetter. But, the Progress is missing the point. The beauty of technology is that it allows one (in this case, me) to do reports from the scene of the action as it happens. It’s a waste of the technology to use it as the Progress has.
What did they do? Well, according to the Progress website:
Progress Managing Editor Randy Cowling and Staff Writer Krystal Carman talk about the event.
Click the play button below to listen to their commentary.
What a joke! Were these people even at the same event I was? Aside from seemingly missing the metaphorical meaning of a tea party, they seem to be awfully concerned with the distraction to traffic. I was at the 11 a.m. event the entire time, and I never once saw anyone in any intersection. There were ROCO sheriff’s deputies on scene who I witnessed showing demonstrators where they could and could not stand (from the sidewalk out). If there were ever anyone in an intersection, the deputies would no doubt have dealt with it. Demonstrators were lining the streets at intersections, but that is not being in an intersection, and they were certainly not a distraction to traffic. In fact, if you listen to my reports from the scene, you will hear lots of honks of support from the allegedly distracted passersby.
Further, I spoke with several people there, and no one was emotionally angry. Sure, people are passionate about where they stand. But it was no hateful crowd ranting and raving. It was a very collegial and good-spirited gathering. Again, if these were raving lunatics, you could have heard that in my reports. Judge for yourself. It’s also shocking to hear the surprise in their voices as they share that the public is allowed to exercise their First Amendment rights without a permit. Maybe the Progress should be required to get a permit to exercise theirs.
And finally, I would challenge the numbers quoted. There were far more than 50 at the 11 a.m. event, and if they’re off by that much once, how many other things are being slanted by this rag? I’ve alleged the Progress‘ bias for a long time, and these two hacks have proved my point. For too long, certain papers (which are rapidly dying) have reported the news after the fact and after it has passed through a less-than-objective filter. And in print, they can use certain verbiage that makes them seem fair. Audio is another thing. You can hear the bias in the Progress‘ audio report. Just give a listen and judge for yourself.
Category 1st Amendment, Claremore, Fair Tax, Liberal Rags, Media, My 2¢, News, OK, Oklahoma, Politics, Socialism, Taxes | Tags:
21 comments
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Blows me away. They are just dripping with obvious condescension. But you have to remember. When you come anywhere near to criticizing the Left’s imperious leader, than you are, by default, angry and irrational.
Boy, Krystal Carmen needs a good course in observation or maybe some new contact lenses! I was at the 11:00 rally and I didn’t see one angry person! Nor was *anyone* in an intersection! Good grief – it just goes to show you why so few in Claremore actually read that rag.
The public was highly supportive of the rally with honks, thumbs-up signs, and waving. I only saw one negative person – and he gave a polite thumbs-down.
I dropped by on my lunch break to see how the Claremore Tea Party shaped up. Being opposed to the protests myself, I just found a parking spot, enjoyed my sandwich from QT, and watch the protest. I must say the report they gave is pretty sloppy at best. When I arrived at 11:30 or so, there were probably 30 people (I knew I should have counted) and by the time I left, there were well over 50 spread out all over the area. I don’t know much about the Progress, but this doesn’t seem to be an accurate report. One should be to oppose something and still be able to report it accurately (like I just did).
Josh,
Don’t faint: I agree.
I would like to have attended, but various matters kept me on campus. Certainly, I will yield to Tyson’s testimony. At the same time, I would hypothesize that the Progress’s erroneous reporting was probably due to inexperience rather than ideology. I don’t know the Progress’ reporters, but I doubt that they have had many opportunities to report on these kinds of political events.
Personally, I applaud all efforts to communicate politically, even when I personally disagree.
I would add, however, that Gov. Perry down in Texas has verged off into the land of the loony with his insinuations of secession. Frankly, as the horrors of the Civil War attest, I am of the view that open advocacy of rebellion should disqualify a person from holding political office.
Tyson, do you have an opinion on the Right Honorable Gov. Perry’s supercharged flights of rhetorical fancy?
Prof,
Well, many have alleged a bias on the part of the Progress for some time, as noted in my last interview from the scene (of course, the total opposite may be true post facto). This behavior seems to ratify people’s beliefs. There was some talk that the new editor was going to provide some semblance of objectivity. Frankly, I think even rank amateurs should know better.
As for Perry, I’m monitoring the situation. If and when I have something substantive to share, I’ll make a blog post. For now, I want to keep this comment stream on topic. I encourage all my readers to share their opinion here.
That said, will you read the Fair Tax book if I buy it for you?
Sounds like they were just commenting on what they saw, not necessarily disparaging the event.
Only if they were at a different event. And you can’t possibly have listened and hold that they were making an objective report.
I’m a self-confessed right-winger and I managed to get some of the facts correct. As an “alleged” newspaper, don’t they have some responsibility to remove their personal opinions from a news report?
I am appalled at the obvious bias and apparent attempt to misrepresent what these people were doing – legitimately protesting outrageous governmental overgrowth. These 120 + group of people were protesting respectfully and legally, so why are these Claremore Progress reporters so vehement in their attempt to represent this group of citizens as an angry mob of disrespectful and intimidating crazies? The picture of the protesters “protesting in the intersection” as they allege, only proves these *reporters* own anger at true conservatives. When they don’t have facts to back up what they want to represent, they have to resort to the make-believe. The photo shows very obviously that the people were crossing the intersection to get into position at the corner – unless the reporter wants to allege that the protesters were also all standing on one leg while protesting! I wonder how long the Progress photographer had to wait to get that photo?
Well, that’s just one more reason I don’t subscribe to the Claremore Progress. What an unprofessional attempt at discrediting a legitimate grassroots effort.
I am not surprised that the Claremore Progress has gone so far out of the way to misrepresent the Tea Party. What I don’t understand is why people continue to support such absolute trash? I do not buy, read or advertise in the Claremore Progress.
Like I said, Krystal needs some new specs. I wonder what journalistic aspirations she has. Is she hoping to be a “real” journalist someday or just an “info babe”?
It’s so obvious that these citizens were crossing the street – legally. And if anyone is familiar with the area, it is, I believe, a side street rather than a major intersection.
If I could use smilies here, I’d have one with my eyes rolling! The Claremore Progress is more irrelevant every day.
[TW: like this?]
I personally saw Ms. Carman take these photos. She may have taken others beyond my view. The ones I saw her take were taken from the driver’s seat of her car, which she pulled up next to my vehicle while I was enjoying the scene of the protest and my delicious club sandwich and vitamin water from QT. As I stated earlier, I was opposed to most of the ideals of the Tea-Partiers, but that said, this was a very poor job of reporting regardless of the excuse. It is too bad we can’t see more fair minded journalism. Even editorials can give an opinion without denying basic facts.
Just an extra note: I know that the woman in the car was Ms. Carman because of the photo used on the Progress’s front page. I saw the man pose and the photographer take that picture.
Josh,
We’re on a roll here. We can’t go on agreeing like this or the planets might collide. Thanks for contributing to the discussion.
You’re wrong, Tyson. That feels better.
“Our reporters will continue to report on events in Rogers County with objectivity and clarity. Just because some might not agree doesn’t mean events didn’t happen. It may mean they have a different point of view.” – Randy Cowling, Claremore Progress April 17, 2009.
Yes, it will be business as usual at the Claremore Progress. We can continue to expect the same level of journalistic expertise as we have always had. Too bad we don’t have a newspaper like the Oologah Lake Leader which, although I may not always agree with the editor’s leanings, I *can* trust his journalistic integrity.
While the Progress claims “objectivity and clarity”, those who have been in Claremore for very long know otherwise. Just because they want to claim to be objective and clear doesn’t make them so. I can call a dog a cow all day long, but if it barks, the people know it’s a dog – my “point of view” doesn’t come into play when we are speaking of the little practiced art of telling the truth.
The Progress needs to face the truth that its credibility has been tarnished for some time now. It has had many opportunities to turn that reputation around (including this episode), but it always seems to dig itself a deeper hole. What a shame…
Joanne Hines commented on Facebook:
When I looked at the photo and listened to the audio, I came to the conclusion that the comments made by the reporter are due to ignorance. Our right to free speech provides for protests to be held. To lawfully hold a protest, one must honor private property, thus, you may not protest on private property unless you are the owner. You are allowed to hold your protest on public property (i.e. right-of-way), as long as you do not interfere with the normal flow of citizen traffic. To be in the street is to interfere and to create a hazard to yourself and others. That is why being in the street is not allowed. However, being on the sidewalk is perfectly fine and in good form. If you are in the sidewalk, and someone wishes to pass by, you must give them room to pass. It is as simple as that. From what I saw in the photo and heard in the audio, the protestors were just fine. And, this brings up a very important issue – anyone who intends to report something had better make sure they research their facts first.
Apparently the Progress staff is ignorant of the fact that the Tea Parties are non-partisan events. Conservative Democrats, Libertarians, Independents, Constitutional Party members and Republicans have attended the Tea Parties in Tulsa, and I would imagine the same would be true in Claremore. In other words, these protests are AMERICA’S Tea Parties. It would behoove the Progress to start reporting objectively because their futures, as well as the futures of their children and grandchildren, are just as much at risk as anyone else’s.
Tyson, I will happily read anything you chose to recommend. You don’t even have to buy it for me. I don’t really have anything else to add except that I read the editor’s commentary in the Sunday Progress, and his account of the OKC meeting was certainly positive.
Again, I generally defer to the people who were there.
Prof,
Glad you agreed because it has been purchased and is laying here in my desk waiting to be addressed!
Yes, I posted about the publisher’s report. Very level.
And, you can find guest columnist Tyson Wynn on the Op-Ed page of the April 21 paper.