NBC Makes Mockery of McKay Legacy

This past year saw the death of legendary sports broadcaster Jim McKay. McKay made his mark in history when he anchored the round-the-clock coverage of the killings of Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorist group Black September at the 1972 Munich Olympics. At the time no one said, "Why is Jim McKay doing this? He''s a sports guy!" McKay, a man of considerable gravitas, made it all seem seamless. One can only wonder what McKay would think of NBC's coverage of this year's games. My "what would McKay think" moment happened not when I was watching the Olympics, but during a recent edition of the NBC Nightly News.

A story appeared about a reporter's search for a woman who had been "disappeared" by the Chinese police. Her crime was to protest the bulldozing of her home to make way for Olympic facilities. She was one of as many as two million who saw their homes destroyed. The reporter searched and searched for this woman, and came up empty. They don't call it "disappearing somebody" for nothing.

If her "crime" in this scenario, was non existent, and the crime of the Chinese police is horrifying--then what of the crimes of NBC? Why take a story like this and outsource it to the news department while the sports commentators present a picture-perfect Western fantasy of Chinese growth and profit potential? This story should have been integrated into the coverage of the Olympics, so the world could know the price paid by the poorest members of Chinese society--a price of course paid through extreme coercion.

Of course we know why NBC sports has been more pliant than the US wrestling team. GE is underwriting the games, telling us incessantly how they bring good things to life--like the latest in surveillance equipment, which is being put to good use right now in Beijing. That's GE for you, great with "the things." But people? Not so much.

Comments (44)

1. Happy-Jomama-My guess is that this Pulitzer prize story will be much ado about nothing and will go the way of the rest of the Pulitzer prize stories that people think have great relevance,but go nowhere. These stories are a dime a dozen every POTUS election cycle.

   Posted by i'm nobody at 08/21/2008 @ 6:16pm

2. Posted by i'm nobody at 08/21/2008 @ 6:16pm | ignore this person | warn this person

   it recieved a passing, dismissive mention on cbs nightly news. it was a rove/mccain response to the obama campaign's ad highlighting how mccain did not know and may have fibbed about how many homes he and his wife own.

   ok, on topic...

   zirin's criticism of nbc's choice of who covered this story rings a tad stretched if not shrill. perhaps it was the weak link to the munich tragedy...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 08/21/2008 @ 7:12pm

3. Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/21/2008 @ 5:52pm

   Uhhh I HIGHLY doubt a go no where education initiative would lead to a crippled Presidency. How many businesses did George Sink before he became President?

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/21/2008 @ 7:48pm

4. Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/21/2008 @ 5:52pm

   That subject has been talked about. As intimate as you guys try to make it out to be it's not that intimate. Bill Ayers has been brought up repeatedly. Jesus you guys are flailing more and more as of late.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/21/2008 @ 8:38pm

5. Happy did you see the sprinters who got their Medal taken away and Usain Bolt beating Michael Johnsons record?

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/21/2008 @ 9:03pm

6. It is kind of fascinating to see this article by Mr. Zirin, expressing angst at both the Communist Chinese and at what he sees as NBC's complicity in not reporting about it much.

   Now, there may be plenty of people not too thrilled about Communist Chinese, for sure, but this seems an odd location for too much of that.

   The reason is, on many other issues involving many other countries, if a conservative expresses angst at a foreign government or some kind of foreign entity (as far as what is being done to that entities' people or to other people), or even goes further to say that they represent a threat and then if they even go further and do something about the threat that in their opinion exists, then they are taken to the woodshed by bloggers at The Nation as well as countless others on the political left, in a big big way.

   For an example, see the reactions to the activities of Bush, George W., of Crawford, Texas by those on the left and many at The Nation.

   Really, this gets confusing beyond belief. Who sets the ground rules as to when a foreign entity or people are doing something wrong, and the ground rules as to whether the response to those people or our activities with those entities and people are wrong?

   I guess the answer is: Those on the political left are the referees.

   In other words, if conservatives proposed and President Bush carried out a boycott of the current Olympics then I would imagine there would be no angst by Mr. Zirin about communist Chinese.

   Instead, America would be taken to task for provoking Chinese, and for being "hypocritical" because after all, who is America to judge considering all the "wrong" our country is guilty of!

   Posted by sjchermak at 08/21/2008 @ 9:12pm

7. GE, please buy ISNS at $20/share!

   Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/21/2008 @ 4:54pm

   it's pathetic you flaunt ownership in a company that treats america as its toilet.

   alas.......

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 9:55pm

8. Posted by sjchermak at 08/21/2008 @ 9:12pm | ignore this person | warn this person

   well...it IS a self proclaimed lefty rag...er...progressive magazine...lol...

   but yeah, perhaps its just the nature of the beast but sometimes i get the impression of shrill partisan negativism on the part of this rag i love.

   not that they should stop the muckraking, but perhaps a shoutout to those in the corporate world who are good citizens and not automatically assuming the worst intentions on the part of corporate america would be refreshing and credibility building.

   although...

   a) would the cons who post here notice/acknowledge such?

   and...

   b) i am not suggesting going lightly on corpamerica where it is indeed wrong...

   but in the above example, assuming that ge influenced nbc news (who is responsible for that great "liberal" bugaboo, MSNBC...lol) to cover this story on the NATIONAL NEWS rather than as a sporting news story...or actually comparing it to the unique and specific circumstances of mckay's coverage of the sensationalist and shocking events at the 72 olympics...

   just dont seem to fly...you know?

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 08/21/2008 @ 9:56pm

9. The woman who lost her house or whatever is NOT the story of the Olympics...and if you wish to make it the story, then send the news division over there to make it ...or beter yet YOU go over there and cover it for the Nation...

   Posted by JOMAMMA at 08/21/2008 @ 5:41pm

   yeah!

   who gives a fuck about 2 million displaced people?

   we need spectacle!

   enjoy "your" medals.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 9:58pm

10. i have no idea what we little people can do in response,

    Posted by Zero at 08/21/2008 @ 7:06pm

    pay 17% more and help your neighbours.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 9:59pm

11. "conservatives" no longer have "failed businessman!" or "bad personal morals!" to throw at candidates they don't like. with george walker bush as the shining icon of their political world, they have consented to be governed by a total failure, a miserable, cocaine- and alcohol- abusing womanizer and draft dodger who ran business venture after business venture into the ground. and then went on to become one of the most miserably failed, immoral, and loathed presidents in American history

    Posted by Zero at 08/21/2008 @ 8:20pm

    keep people afraid and the strangest things happen.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 10:01pm

12. In other words, if conservatives proposed and President Bush carried out a boycott of the current Olympics then I would imagine there would be no angst by Mr. Zirin about communist Chinese.

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/21/2008 @ 9:12pm

    dude,

    you need to relax.

    like mr. bush.

    take another vacation.

    and another one.

    now, watch this drive.........

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 10:04pm

13. Hello Zero and Frosty Zoom, too:

    Kind of got out ahead of yourselves, here, eh?

    Zero said "alcohol- abusing womanizer" in reference to President Bush.

    Now, with regard to most former alcoholics, it would be deemed "insensitve" or "cruel" or whatever to bring up their past background after they have successfully given up the alcohol.

    Except, of course, if the person's name is George W. Bush, then it is OK, by leftist rule, to make that kind of remark.

    The rules are different as applies to one particular person that apply to all else.

    Kind of like how it is definitely NOT OK to commit sexual harassment, unless one's name is William Jefferson Blythe Clinton, then it is OK. Rules for one person different than for all else.

    And speaking of that, about Zero and the "womanizer" remark:

    With all the vitriol that has been thrown up at George W. Bush these recent years, that is one thing no one has ever accused him of. Certainly if there had been any hint of that in his background, the media would have hyper-examined it, especially after having gone through the Clinton spectacle.

    And certainly it would have been hyper-commented on at The Nation and other leftists sites and magazines.

    Yet there has been nothing, clearly Zero got carried away here - essentially Zero's comment is unadulterated B.S.

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/21/2008 @ 10:21pm

14. Posted by sjchermak at 08/21/2008 @ 10:21pm

    george bush is the finest president since bill clinton!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 10:32pm

15. Happp's dreamsicle: McCain & the beeress

    FOUR MORE YEARS

    ONTO IRAN!

    Posted by winyahn at 08/21/2008 @ 10:46pm

16. What's good for GE, is good for America....something like that!

    Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/21/2008 @ 10:51pm

    yep.

    apple pie, baseball, pcbs......

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 11:15pm

17. oops,

    i forget irradiated testicles!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 11:16pm

18. Polychlorinated biphenyl

    just rolls off the tongue..........

    Polychlorinated biphenyl

    1.3 million pounds.

    mmmmmmmm!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 11:26pm

19. want a glass of milk, happy?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 11:26pm

20. goose bumps on my neck!

    Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/21/2008 @ 11:23pm

    We hope you have a safe and successful season!

    Early Canada Goose Season

    No one should eat Canada geese using the waters in the City of Cedarburg. The DNR has issued this health advice to protect you from exposure to PCB's in Canada geese taken in this area.

    http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/regs/Goose04.pdf

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 11:32pm

21. Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/21/2008 @ 11:32pm

    and g.e. destroyed the hudson river.

    <<<<<<>>>>>>

    Walt Whitman (1819–1892). Prose Works. 1892.

    I. Specimen Days

    166. Hudson River Sights

    But there is one sight the very grandest. Sometimes in the fiercest driving storm of wind, rain, hail or snow, a great eagle will appear over the river, now soaring with steady and now overhended wings--always confronting the gale, or perhaps cleaving into, or at times literally sitting upon it. It is like reading some first-class natural tragedy or epic, or hearing martial trumpets. The splendid bird enjoys the hubbub--is adjusted and equal to it--finishes it so artistically. His pinions just oscillating--the position of his head and neck--his resistless, occasionally varied flight--now a swirl, now an upward movement--the black clouds driving--the angry wash below--the hiss of rain, the wind's piping (perhaps the ice colliding, grunting)--he tacking or jibing--now, as it were, for a change, abandoning himself to the gale, moving with it with such velocity--and now, resuming control, he comes up against it, lord of the situation and the storm--lord, amid it, of power and savage joy.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 11:47pm

22. try that Frosty instead of asking someone else to cough up another 17% on top of what they already pay...you, old sport, are part of the problem, trying to offer a solution to those already paying their share..and yours.

    Posted by JOMAMMA at 08/21/2008 @ 11:37pm

    jm, what on earth are you talking about?

    i am not talking about tax, you you you.

    i was referring to the fact that i would rather pay 17% more for a good and see that my neighbour has a decent job under safe conditions than to hide inflation on the backs of desperate people.

    why are you obsessed with my income?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 11:51pm

23. Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/21/2008 @ 11:48pm

    why do you hate the hudson river so much?

    it used to be one of america's jewels until YOUR company destroyed it.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/21/2008 @ 11:53pm

24. ...my milk tastes funny...

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/21/2008 @ 11:56pm

25. Even with the Hudson River "destroyed", I'll bet your Honda that folks living in the Hudson Valley live longer today than the late 19th Century!

    Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/21/2008 @ 11:53pm

    of course.

    take less, conserve more.

    what's the hurry?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/22/2008 @ 01:00am

26. Even with the Hudson River "destroyed", I'll bet your Honda that folks living in the Hudson Valley live longer today than the late 19th Century!

    Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/21/2008 @ 11:53pm

    we can do better.

    mr. edison was a generous fellow. he's sure helped me.

    however, their comes a point when industrial processes need to be kept in check, usually because said processes eventually (sometimes) fall into the hands of someone whose greed leads them to make monetary decisions that they know will harm others.

    anyhoo,

    jm seems to think i'm for BIG GOVERNMENT. nope.

    see, in a frosty world,

    we'd need no military. who do i want to kill? defence budget $0

    we'd need just a few traffic cops. heheh budget $notmuch.

    health care: chip in folks, thanks.

    environment: hell ya! run by scientists and a few mba types.

    energy: we sure as hell wouldn't be burning hydrocarbons any more. public money to help smart people help all of us.

    welfare: no way! getoffyourbuttifyoucanandplanttreesfare, sure.

    trade: no subsidies, no tariffs. however, if someone's trying to sell me something they've obtained or made by unfrosty methods, well no thanks, i'm not shopping today.

    monetary policy: REAL MONEY. 100 (say) commodities distributed more or less equally globally forming the basis of money. in mexico, trade your frosties for silver, in the ukraine for pyrogies.

    credit: a one time fee for use of money. 10%, say. no interest. god says it's bad.

    regulated banks and finance.

    a few other things. most stuff should be decided locally.

    big government? balderdash!

    SMART GOVERNMENT! ¡SI!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/22/2008 @ 01:19am

27. Hello Frosty Zoom,

    Some miscellaneous comments,

    You said "george bush is the finest president since bill clinton!"

    I am finally making progress! Obviously I have a long way to go in convincing you and others, but you have to take progress where you can find it, and it is just a small movement in the right direction by you, but at least it is a start!

    You said "i was referring to the fact that i would rather pay 17% more for a good and see that my neighbour has a decent job under safe conditions than to hide inflation on the backs of desperate people."

    Except that since paying tax is not how jobs are created, your neighbor will not have a decent job under safe conditons because of your 17% more. You can do what you want, and pay your 17% more to the government if you want to, but you can achieve the same result as giving 17% more to the government by going into your bathroom and flushing your money down the commode!

    You said "see, in a frosty world, we'd need no military. who do i want to kill? defence budget $0 "

    Well, if the defense budget is $0, then all budgets would shortly be $0, because we will be dead after the terrorists kill us. And with no defense, the Russians, Chinese, North Koreans, and maybe even comrade Hugo Chavez in Venezuela would get into the act too, to lighten the load on the terrorists. American Military Budget = 0 so American Population = 0 or even if not 0, then Americans Living Free in a Democracy Population = 0.

    Problem is that will never fly, at least with some people. In another thread, I mentioned the license plates in New Hampshire say "Live Free and Die", so even if the American Defense Budget = 0, New Hampshire will still fight back if attacked, thus the New Hampshire Military Budget will have to go way up.

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/22/2008 @ 06:43am

28. To expand upon my comment, Frosty Zoom's desire for the defense budget to be $0 is a classic example of how liberalism works.

    Transfer of responsiblity to somebody else.

    Europe spends money on their socialist utopias rather than in preparation to defend themselves, but if they ever get attacked they know we will defend them.

    Now Frosty wants $0 for our defense budget, so if we ever get attacked one segment of the American population, the people of New Hampshire, would have to defend us.

    Europe transfers responsibility for their own defense to us.

    Frosty wants Americans to transfer responsibility for our defense to the citizens of New Hampsire, who will not give up if attacked.

    This is the lesson for the day in the course Liberalism 101. Going to The Nation website is essentially just that, like taking a course called Liberalism 101: How Liberalism Works, Liberal Thought and Behavior.

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/22/2008 @ 06:59am

29. Poor Dave!

    Its a good thing the Olympics only happen every two years. The Horrors invoked by NBC and GE no doubt induce blood pressure levels in Zirin that take that long to bring back to normal.

    And I thought these games were to be watched and enjoyed. Guess I just don't get EXCITED ENOUGH OVER THE EVIL MACHINATIONS OF BIG BAD BUSINESS PERPETRATED AGAINST DEE PEEPLE!!!!! EEEIIIIYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

    (drink some de-caf, dave..have a smoke..relax)

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 08/22/2008 @ 08:05am

30. FROSTY??

    You said George Bush is the greatest president since Bill Clinton?

    Are you being complimentary or insulting?

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 08/22/2008 @ 08:09am

31. Frosty wants Americans to transfer responsibility for our defense to the citizens of New Hampsire, who will not give up if attacked.

    This is the lesson for the day in the course Liberalism 101. Going to The Nation website is essentially just that, like taking a course called Liberalism 101: How Liberalism Works, Liberal Thought and Behavior.

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/22/2008 @ 06:59am

    jeez, you are obsessed.

    i was referring to a world of frosties. frosties have no desire to neither kill nor steal, so why protect against them.

    i'm not talking about the "real" world with all its inherent barbarisms.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/22/2008 @ 08:28am

32. Hello Frosty Zoom,

    You said "jeez, you are obsessed.

    i was referring to a world of frosties. frosties have no desire to neither kill nor steal, so why protect against them.

    i'm not talking about the "real" world with all its inherent barbarisms."

    Whatever. I don't know what the purpose of your comment about world of frosties would be because we don't live in that world, but whatever. I am getting a little dizzy, I have to admit, I guess blogging on The Nation website should be limited to a half-hour per day or something, to give ones mind a chance to recharge and recover before the next day's blogging.

    Nevertheless, even if it is totally independent of your comment, the things I was saying are features of Liberalism that Europeans do practice, and as we all know a lot of liberals here look at Europe and think the United States should be like Europe, thus the comment still does have some relevance as a general comment about liberalism, even if it has nothing whatsoever to do with you.

    Is the world of frosties anything like Oz? Even Oz was not a perfect world of peace, the Munchkins were threatened by the Wicked Witches (of the east and of the west, the north and south were good witches), and Dorothy provided that protection, and defeated both witches.

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/22/2008 @ 10:16am

33. Actually, as far as Oz goes, the Wizard of Oz actually turned out to be like Jimmy Carter, the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Sacrecrow, Dorothy and probably even Toto expected a lot out of him and he was capable of nothing.

    But Dorothy, on the other hand, turned out to be like Ronald Reagan and yes, George W. Bush and Tony Blair, and defeated the threats.

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/22/2008 @ 10:20am

34. sjchermak-What threats did Reagan,Bush,and Blair defeat?Please,list real threats and not some weak third world dictator.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 08/22/2008 @ 10:33am

35. Hello i'm nobody,

    This is some of what I have been talking about, how this website makes one dizzy.

    Honest to God, the subject you raise has been hashed and rehashed so many times beyond belief in the public domain, but you still ask the question for what purpose I have no idea, because you know ahead of time you will not agree with the answer you provide, but you continue to ask the question anyway.

    OK, here are the answers then I will do myself a favor and log off this merry-go-round for a while.

    Ronald Reagan - defeated the Soviet Union. If the significance of this is not Blatanly Obvious to you then there is no point in elaborating.

    George W. Bush and Tony Blair - defeated Saddam Hussein who the world did not know where he stood on WMD, and who the world knows know was going to remake WMD again and sell it to terrorists who would have used it to kill people, probably many people, and who also ran his own people through shredding machines unless he had them in rape rooms or called them out of meetings and shot them, then after all was said and done threw them in mass graves while at the same time he was trying to stir up as much trouble as he could such as rewarding families of terrorists who killed Israelis, etc.

    Good bye for now

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/22/2008 @ 10:50am

36. typo correction before I leave-

    I meant "answer I provide" rather than "answer you provide"

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/22/2008 @ 10:51am

37. sjchermak-Reagan had little to do with the fall of the USSR.If saddam had had WMDS he would have used them against Iran and not sell them.It's Pakistan that has such weapons and it's Pakistan that could easily fall under the control of AQ, and not Iraq.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 08/22/2008 @ 11:00am

38. EVERYBODY,

    I have to admit, I broke my own rule-

    I returned to this website even though I said I would wait until the next day.

    I am glad I did, I was in for a treat!

    Here it is, the classic of all classics, the all time whopper in the history of The Nation website, number one on David Letterman's Top Ten list of The Nation whoppers, provided by .... i'm nobody!

    =========================

    "sjchermak-Reagan had little to do with the fall of the USSR.If saddam had had WMDS he would have used them against Iran and not sell them"

    =========================

    Now don't anybody burst the bubble for a while, but sometime down the road somebody needs to post in and tell i'm nobody that......

    SADDAM DID USE WMD AGAINST IRAN!

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/22/2008 @ 11:59am

39. Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/21/2008 @ 10:39pm

    My point is Happy. The only reason you want to talk about it, isn't because it's an issue needing discussion because it already has been discussed. You just want to do the old Republican battle tactic of repeat it till someone believes it. Even if the repetition is saying that's untrue. Same thing Bush did to McCain when he said that he had an illegitimate daughter. It wasn't true but he repeated it enough. The accusations about Bill Ayers are over-inflated at best. Pure lies at the worst. You know it. Stop with the Republican tactics and try having the candidates talk about oh I don't know, ISSUES.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/22/2008 @ 12:01pm

40. SADDAM DID USE WMD AGAINST IRAN!

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/22/2008 @ 11:59am

    yeah, because reagan gave him the satellite photos about where to use them:

    A covert American program during the Reagan administration provided Iraq with critical battle planning assistance at a time when American intelligence agencies knew that Iraqi commanders would employ chemical weapons in waging the decisive battles of the Iran-Iraq war, according to senior military officers with direct knowledge of the program.

    Those officers, most of whom agreed to speak on the condition that they not be identified, spoke in response to a reporter's questions about the nature of gas warfare on both sides of the conflict between Iran and Iraq from 1981 to 1988. Iraq's use of gas in that conflict is repeatedly cited by President Bush and, this week, by his national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, as justification for ''regime change'' in Iraq.

    The covert program was carried out at a time when President Reagan's top aides, including Secretary of State George P. Shultz, Defense Secretary Frank C. Carlucci and Gen. Colin L. Powell, then the national security adviser, were publicly condemning Iraq for its use of poison gas, especially after Iraq attacked Kurds in Halabja in March 1988.

    http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?

    res=9D03E0DB133DF93BA2575BC0A9649C8B63

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/23/2008 @ 02:17am

41. Is the world of frosties anything like Oz?

    Posted by sjchermak at 08/22/2008 @ 10:16am

    what i'm trying to tell you that humans are stupid little animals that need to do some serious evolving soon.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/23/2008 @ 02:20am

42. what i'm trying to tell you that humans are stupid little animals that need to do some serious evolving soon.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/23/2008 @ 02:20am

    Nestle's Quick neutralizes pcbs in milk.

    Does mutating count, or just evolving?

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/23/2008 @ 02:28am

43. The Nation really needs to start banning people who spam comment sections with completely off-topic right-wing rants. It clogs up the whole thing to the point where you can't even find the real comments. Plus, if I really wanted to hear that kind of nonsense, I'd be surfing the Free Republic, not The Nation.

    Posted by NuisanceMan at 08/23/2008 @ 4:01pm

44. quit being a nuisance.

    why would you want to inhibit freedom of expression?

    enjoy it while it lasts........

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/23/2008 @ 6:36pm