Thom Warner cable?

Published October 24, 2014

by Gary Pearce, Talking About Politics, October 23, 2014.

Time Warner Cable News made more news than it intended with the “empty chair” debate. 

 

One media critic said TWC “orchestrated a phony scandal and boosted Thom Tillis's North Carolina Senate campaign by placing an empty chair for his opponent, Democratic Senator Kay Hagan, at an event it billed as a ‘debate’ -- though it had known for months Hagan would not attend. TWC's stunt resulted in widespread negative media coverage of Hagan and helped amplify GOP attacks on the senator in the midst of a race some experts consider a toss-up.”

 

The criticism came from Media Matters, a watchdog group that leans left. Yes, you could dismiss its critique as “liberal bias,” but reporters and editors here are asking the same questions.

 

The empty chair – one of the oldest and tiredest clichйs in politics – led The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer to pull out of the debate.

 

The N&O’s executive editor, John Drescher, said, “We had an honest miscommunication with Time Warner Cable News. We wanted to have a serious discussion with Mr. Tillis about the issues without any gimmicks. My understanding was that we would tell viewers every 15 minutes that Sen. Hagan had declined our invitation but that we would not have an empty chair.”

 

TWC’s interviewers certainly didn’t kowtow to Tillis. Tim Boyum and Loretta Boniti asked tough questions and had a chance to follow up and pin him down. Some viewers may think Tillis lost the debate to the empty chair, much like Clint Eastwood at the Republican National Convention.

 

TWC may have lost the debate, too. It’s in the difficult position of making news, not just reporting it. And the affair gave Media Matters a chance to dredge up “accusations of a cozy relationship between Tillis and the telecom company.”

http://www.talkingaboutpolitics.com/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ArticleView/mid/364/articleId/4191/Thom-Warner-Cable.aspx

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October 24, 2014 at 8:00 pm
Norm Kelly says:

This piece is written by Gary. How do we know Gary is a die-hard, way to the left lib? Simple. He describes Media Matters as 'a watchdog group that leans left'. Leans Left?!!!? Are you kidding me? If this grouped leaned any more left they would fall over!

Of course, we can always tell when ANY lib writes an editorial. When referencing a liberal/socialist group, there are either no adjectives preceding the name, OR the group is defined as 'leaning left' after the name. When referencing a conservative/right wing group, there are multiple adjectives preceding the name, OR there are pejoratives used after the name. But conservative groups are NEVER simply listed by name.

TWC has a cozy relationship with Tillis? Wow! This is news! This should be shouted from every lib roof top in Raleigh. I expect starting with the N&O rooftop. Is the problem that a media outlet has ANY RELATIONSHIP AT ALL with a conservative/Republican politician that has the N&D staff so upset? Is it because NO MEDIA OUTLET is allowed to have a relationship with a Republican? Is it that if there's not a D after the name, the media is supposed to treat that pol as if they have Ebola? We ALL KNOW beyond ANY doubt that the N&D feels this way about Republican politicians, and their editorials reflect this disease mentality. Gary shows this same disease mentality when referring to or writing about Republican politicians and/or conservative organizations. The bias of Gary and the N&D editorial staff is on regular parade. But will TWC be shunned by these other media types because they MAY NOT, at least once, treat Tillis like an Ebola carrier? Shame on the N&D and Gary once again. But we are not surprised. Nor do we expect these tigers to change their stripes.

And it WAS Bush's fault! Just in case you forgot!