Did WBZ-TV cross the line on July 4th concerning public safety?

[A Joseph Ross]

I don't know what would be so wrong with telling the audience -- local 
and national -- that there's been rain or that they're showing a tape of 
the rehearsal.  I suspect that a lot of people wouldn't care one way or 
another, but they shouldn't be dishonest about it.

This isn't the first time CBS has done strange things.

During the Gulf War, when Israel was hit by Iraqi missiles, Dan Rather 
reported that an Israeli retaliation was under way.  He kept it up for 
some time, while other networks were saying nothing about an Israeli 
retaliation.  There was no Israeli retaliation. Eventually Dan Rather 
stopped reporting it, but he never corrected his earlier reports.

I've told this story before, but in January 1979, the day Ed King was 
inaugurated as governor, I was on the State House Steps, along with 
other Dukakis supporters for the outgoing governor's traditional walk 
down the front stairs.  I also had a transistor radio in my pocket with 
an earpiece in one ear.  At noon, Dukakis came down the front stairs, 
and at the same time WEEI cut away from local coverage for the CBS 
network news.  By the time the network news was over, the crowd was 
disbursing, and many of us were following Dukakis down to the Greek 
restaurant near Faneuil Hall where the party was to be held.  And WEEI 
said that Dukakis was about to take his walk down the front stairs of 
the State House. And they pretended to be carrying it live.

-- 
A. Joseph Ross, J.D.|92 State Street|Suite 700|Boston, MA 02109-2004
617.367.0468|Fx:617.507.7856|http://www.attorneyross.com