Bias, not Balance at WOOD-TV

By: Lisa Van Houten

It’s no surprise that polls show that the majority of Americans do not trust the media. Only 34% of Americans trust the media to report the news “fully, accurately, and fairly.”  Long gone are the days when the news would objectively report current events and show both sides of an issue, without overtly injecting their own bias.

We now have a mainstream media that licks the boots of the liberal Left, using their platform to advance an agenda with no pretense of objectivity.  It’s obvious in national news coverage – just compare the coverage and coverup Joe Biden and Democrats receive compared to their Republican counterparts.

Liberal bias permeates local media as well, as a recent dustup at WOOD-TV, a local station in our area, proves.

WOOD-TV Assistant News Director Amy Fox, a rare journalist who still actually believes in showing both sides of a story, found herself in hot water from her own colleagues for daring to suggest that not every Pride event needs to be covered by the local NBC news station.  She wrote in an internal memo to her fellow “journalists” at WOOD-TV:

“We have already done a number of valuable stories about several Pride related events. But, we have also started to hear pushback from viewers who are not happy to see those Pride related stories.

“We know that West Michigan is a conservative area in many ways. We need to recognize that some stories related to LGBTQ issues are going to be controversial and polarizing in our community. While you personally may not agree with a certain position, people are entitled to their opinions and they are our viewers.

“If we are covering pride events we need to consider how to make the story balanced and get both sides of the issue.”

That all sounds quite reasonable.  Balance in reporting, showing both sides of an issue used to be standard operating procedure for journalists.

But that last line of her memo is what caused her colleagues to stage a mutiny.  WOOD-TV executive producer Luke Stier wrote on Twitter: “This memo was met with immediate pushback from our newsroom. The guidance is not being followed. The only two people involved in its creation have been removed from any discussions surrounding @WOODTV Pride coverage as our corporation conducts a thorough investigation.”  While WOOD-TV producer Kyle M. also tweeted: “It has been an awfully difficult week for our newsroom. The silver lining in this mess is that our staff is united in pushing back on this ridiculous and hurtful memo that was sent out.”

As the Detroit Free Press reported, Gary Weitman — the executive vice president of Nexstar Media Group in Texas which owns WOOD-TV — released a statement apologizing “for offending members of the LGBTQ community and WOOD-TV’s viewers,” and pledging to “take appropriate action as necessary to address this situation.”

When has a media group apologized for offending members of the Christian community?  Yet, regularly our faith is maligned and misrepresented by the media.

Weitman went on to state that Nexstar is “looking into the situation” and “the communication regarding the station’s coverage of PRIDE month activities in the area is not consistent with Nexstar’s values, the way we cover the news, or the respect we have for our viewers.” 

“Respect” – unless, of course, those viewers happen to be conservative or Christian. 

Weitman also added that “diversity, equity, and inclusion are among Nexstar’s core values. Our local TV stations are expected to cover and report the news of the day in an expansive and inclusive fashion, consistent with these values.”

Obviously “diversity, equity, and inclusion” doesn’t include true diversity and equal treatment of opposing viewpoints. 

It’s Amy Fox who best represented the “values” which Nexstar claims to espouse.  She showed respect for both the LGBT and Christian, conservative viewers.  She desired that the station include in their reporting differing points of view and equal treatment of issues – not the Marxist DEI which seeks to force group think and compliance with Leftist ideology.  And for her courage and adherence to true journalist standards, Amy Fox was fired.  Also fired was news director Stanton Lang who, along with Fox, distributed the memo.

We encourage you to contact WOOD-TV and urge them to put in action the values they espouse by respecting all their viewers and include true diversity of opinion in their reporting.  Let WOOD-TV know you support the standards of balanced and fair journalism which cost Amy Fox And Stanton Lang their jobs.

Contact WOOD-TV at (Sample Letter at the end of this article):

Phone:  616-456-8888   

Email: newsroom@woodtv.com (Julie Brinks, General Manager)

Mailing Address:

Julie Brinks, General Manager
WOOD-TV
120 College Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Contact Nexstar Media Group (owner of WOOD-TV) at:

Phone: 972-373-8800

Email: communications@nexstar.tv (Gary Weitman, Executive Vice President)

Mailing address:

Gary Weitman, Executive Vice President
Nexstar Media Group
545 E John Carpenter Freeway
Suite 700
Irving, TX 75062

Traditionally, the media is referred to as the “fourth estate.” That term is often attributed to British politician Edmund Burke, who said that “there were three Estates in Parliament, but in the Reporters’ Gallery yonder, there sat a fourth Estate more important far than them all.”  The media – the fourth estate – wields great power to influence and sway public opinion.  But for all their efforts to force-feed LGBT ideology down viewers’ throats and paint those who refuse to go along with it as bigots, there are still millions of people who see through the lies and deception.

There are numerous signs that the tide may have begun to turn as Budweiser and Target found out with plummeting sales and backlash after pushing the trans agenda.  Parents are rising up against LGBT ideology in schools.  Numerous businesses cut back on their Pride displays and promotions this year.  Christian singer/rapper Jimmy Levy has bumped Taylor Swift off the top spot on iTunes with his “Boycott Target” rap song.

As Fox News reports: “The Gospel artist’s “Boycott Target” song with “MAGA rapper” Forgiato Blow took the No. 1 spot on the iTunes sales chart when it dropped at the end of May, bumping Taylor Swift. About a month later, his Christian hip-hop song with “Reclaim the Rainbow,” by Bryson Gray and Shemeka Michelle, reached the top spot on Billboard’s rap digital song sales chart, knocking K-Pop singer Jimin of the band BTS from the top position.”

“Reclaim the Rainbow,” a Christian rap song Levy is also featured on, implores Christians to reclaim the Biblical meaning of the rainbow in Genesis, God’s covenantal promise, which includes the lyrics, “It is a promise, It isn’t pride.”

As Jimmy Levy stated:  “That shows that we’re the majority no matter what, the mainstream and Hollywood—and the industry wants to promote whatever agenda they want to promote and try to make us look like we’re the minority— people of God, patriots, Americans. It’s just not the truth. And no matter what, God prevails.“

While I wholeheartedly agree that “no matter what, God prevails,” I sadly disagree with Levy that we are in the majority regarding the opposition of LGBT ideology.  However, there is a growing pushback – especially against the indoctrination of children.  Yet the Left’s stranglehold on nearly every major institution continues.  The media, the military, much of the medical profession, education, big business, etc. are all infiltrated with those pushing a leftist agenda.  The only institution that hasn’t completely capitulated is the Church.

And that’s why Christians cannot be silent.  If we don’t speak out, who will?  It’s why we should dispute WOOD-TV’s implication that there is only one “approved” viewpoint regarding LGBT issues and that those who don’t kowtow to LGBT ideology are “bigots.”  By contacting WOOD-TV we’re showing that there is a growing resistance against their indoctrination.

Below is a sample letter to WOOD-TV and Nexstar.  (However, expressing your concern in your own words is even better.  See above for contact information.)

Sample Letter:

I’m writing to urge you to pursue balanced and unbiased journalistic standards. In reference to the controversy that ensued in response to Amy Fox’s memo at WOOD-TV, it’s actually Amy Fox who best represented the “values” which Nexstar, and by association WOOD-TV, claim to espouse.  She showed respect for both the LGBT and Christian, conservative viewers.  She desired that the station include in their reporting differing viewpoints and equal, objective treatment of issues.  If you truly respect your viewers, as Nexstar’s Gary Weitman stated in the Detroit Free Press, you would recognize that many viewers do not agree with the ideology promoted by LGBT Pride events.  The growing concern among parents regarding the indoctrination of their children and consumers’ response to Budweiser and Target prove that millions of Americans are tired of being told how to think.  True, balanced reporting would fairly represent a diversity of opinions.  I strongly urge you to objectively report the news, not use your platform to promote a one-sided point of view.

 

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