BIG STORIES :
News Corp. | Phone Hacking Scandal | WikiLeaks | Barack Obama | Julian Assange | 2012 U.S. Election | Religion | See All
iMEDIAETHICS.org
Seperator
 
Tips Facebook Twitter Twitter Twitter RSS Feeds
 
Home | | Contact Us

Political Reporting Ethics News :
Daily Media Pick
Comments (0)
Print Tweet Email

Ellen Show Takes Down Video with 'Not Correct or Current' Claims about Mayor Cory Booker

By: Sydney Smith
May 05, 2012 05:30 PM EST
 
Ellen Show Takes Down Video with 'Not Correct or Current' Claims about Mayor Cory Booker
 
(Credit: Ellen.Warnerbros.com, screenshot)
 

The Ellen DeGeneres Show took a video segment embellishing claims about Newark, New Jersey mayor Cory Booker off its website, the NJ Star-Ledger reported.

As the Star-Ledger explained, when Booker appeared on the show, Ellen's "producers rolled out an introduction for Booker that rivaled any comic book hero."  

The Star-Ledger noted that it had questioned the introduction as "some of the claims were either false or exaggerated" and that during the segment, Booker "did nothing to correct them publicly." 

In an April 25 post, the Star-Ledger detailed its questions and fact checks of the show's introduction. In that story, Ellen DeGeneres Show publicist Melissa Little Padgitt said, "The information about the piece came from various sources" and Booker spokesperson Anne Torres denied providing the claims about Booker to the show.

A couple of the claims about Booker and the Star-Ledger's fact checks:

  • Ellen: Booker "reduced crime by 50 percent"
  • Star-Ledger: Only 11 percent
  • Ellen: Booker "lives in the projects"
  • Star-Ledger: No

Since then, the video has been removed and the show's publicist Padgitt explained to the Star-Ledger that the show removed the segment "once we learned some of the information was not correct or current."  There doesn't appear to be any correction published on the Ellen website.

According to the Star-Ledger, Padgitt again explained "the show had gotten the information about Booker 'from various sources' but would not offer specifics."

WNYC reported that Torres "said she provided the show with a fact sheet -- '55 Top Accomplishments in Five Years' -- that appears on the city's website. The fact sheet does not mention crime stats."

We have written to Mayor Booker's office seeking more information about these errors and will update with any response. We have also written to Ellen publicist Padgitt asking if the show published or aired any correction and will update with any response.

UPDATE: 5/7/2012 2:37 PM EST: Ellen senior publicist Padgitt responded to iMediaEthics' e-mail and wrote: "The show took down the video once we learned some of the information was not correct or current."  We have written again to ask if any correction or note was published to inform readers about this.

Line
Print   Print
Line
Twitter   Tweet
Report an Error Report an Error
Email   E-mail
Link Send a Tip
 
 
  RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
 
Checkout iMediaEthics Resources for Educators, a helpful section for colleges, institutions, students and teachers.
Ethics Codes Case Studies Sites We Like
Ethics Codes Case Studies Sites We Like
 
   DAVID MOORE ON POLLS [See All]   
9 in 10 Americans can be classified as Racist against Either Blacks or Whites?  What the AP Poll on Racial Attitudes really tells Us, Part 2.
PollSkeptic Report:   9 in 10 Americans can be classified as Racist...
What the AP Poll on Racial Attitudes Really Tells Us, Part 1
PollSkeptic Report:   What the AP Poll on Racial Attitudes Really Tells...
David Moore
PollTalk Blog:   3 in 10 Voters Believe Armed Revolution Might Be...
   MORE BY THIS AUTHOR [See All]   
   SIMILAR TOPIC
 
CNN Covers Up Error in Cleveland Kidnappings Case: Amanda Berry NOT Ariel Castro's Daughter's Best Friend
CNN Covers Up Error in Cleveland Kidnappings Case: Amanda Berry NOT Ariel Castro's Daughter's Best Friend
CNN's Michael Martinez made an error in his May 12...
 
Sports Reporter Fired after 'Tremendous Amount of Sex' Freudian Slip
Sports Reporter Fired after 'Tremendous Amount of Sex' Freudian Slip
Comcast SportsNet Chicago fired sports reporter Susannah...
 
Toronto Star's Front-Page Apology 1st in 18 Years, Story was 'Entirely Wrong,' Public Editor Says
Toronto Star's Front-Page Apology 1st in 18 Years, Story was 'Entirely Wrong,' Public Editor Says
 
Bronx 5-Alarm Blaze Fact Check Shows Sloppy Local Reporting, Not Just In National Breaking News Coverage
Bronx 5-Alarm Blaze Fact Check Shows Sloppy Local Reporting, Not Just In National Breaking News Coverage
It is easy to critique the media for errors during...
 
   TWITTER
   FACEBOOK
   LATEST STORIES [See All]