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Is News Being Skewed In The Name Of Diversity? Susan Lisovicz , CNNfn Anchor, The Biz: And now to one of American journalism's taboo subjects. Does journalism have its sacred cows? Topics where producers, reporters and writers must toe a certain line during its coverage. That's the subject of a new book called "Coloring The News". The book's author believes that news is now so heavily skewed in the name of diversity that balanced reporting is lost. Joining us now, in the studio, is William McGowan, author of "Coloring The News". Thanks for being with us. William McGowan, Author, "Coloring The News": Hi, Susan. Thank you for having me. Lisovicz: Basically, the premise of your book is that in the quest for racial harmony, racial diversity, it is so PC that it compounds an already existing problem in journalism? McGowan: Yes, what I look at is the crusade for diversity in the last 10 years in the news media, both print and broadcast. I say the good news about diversity is that it has opened the doors to a lot of talented minority journalists who may have had a hard time in the past getting in. The bad news, however, is it's also opened up the doors to political correctness, racial and ethnic hypersensitivity and group favoritism that undercuts the candor and the completeness and accuracy of the news on a lot of controversial subjects, particularly, affirmative action, immigration, race and gay rights. Lisovicz: That's a whole big chunk to bite off. But let's give examples, because that often can illustrate the problem best. For instance, we have a situation in Rome with the Roman Catholic Church. I guess it's not a situation, it's a crisis at this point. You say that actually is a good example of some of the PC attitude. McGowan: Oh, yes, you can see a real PC party line in the coverage of the Church's sex abuse scandal. Most major media have report this subject as a story involving pedophilia. And in such a way that it attacks traditional notions of celibacy and the bar on ordaining women. But, in fact, 90 percent of these cases are not pedophilia cases at all. What they involved are priests hitting on teenage boys. Post-pubescent teenage boys. So, basically the story line should be gay sex harassment against teen boys and not pedophilia. And yet, that is an issue that is so sensitive and most of the media is much more interested in protecting the cause of gay rights than engaging the true nature of the problem in the Catholic Church. Lisovicz: And you're saying that that sort of-that sensibility resonates in so many newsrooms that there are lots of examples like that, where viewers and readers don't get the real story? McGowan: Oh, sure. I think affirmative action is a good example of that. In California during the 1996 proposition 209, which banned racial preferences in state hiring in higher education. The "New York Times Magazine" did a profile, a cover story, of a black doctor, named Patrick Chavis (ph). Set him up on a pedestal as a the poster child for affirmative action. Says, you know, he's a black doctor, went back into his old neighborhood in Los Angeles and really helped poor, poor black people in that neighborhood. And without him they would have no doctor at all. Well, two years later, when Chavis lost his medical license due to egregious malpractice, he maimed several patients and killed one in a really gruesome death, "The New York Times" never reported that story. Lisovicz: Never even covered it. McGowan: No. And my point is that this shows a bias in favor of affirmative action, because once having elevated this guy, putt him up on a pedestal, there is an affirmative obligation to report contradictory information that puts that in a negative light. Lisovicz: And you, in fact, take issue quite a bit with "The New York Times", which, of course, is the leading liberal voice, I would have to say, in the United States. Why didn't they review your book? McGowan: Well, they went on the record to a reporter from the "San Francisco Chronicle." Chip McGrath (ph), he's the editor of the book review, he said he would not review the book because it's too critical of the "Times." This to me is the journalistic equivalent of the blue wall of silence. "The Times" never passes up an opportunity to lecture other institutions that they need to be more open to criticism. But when it comes to them, they black it out. Lisovicz: Well, a spokesperson did say that "The Times" does get thousands of books to review. McGowan: I know, but they're backtracking. This guy went on the record a month ago saying they wouldn't review it because it's too critical of them. And that spokesperson, it's just corporate patter. Lisovicz: OK. Well, William McGowan. We put the word out. "Coloring The News", how crusading for diversity has corrupted American journalism, that's your book, you're the author, thanks for joining us. McGowan: Thank you very much, Susan. Content and programming copyright 2002 Cable News Network To order a video of this transcript, please call 888-cnnfn-01 or order from www.fdch.com.
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