Ohio TV Anchor On Anti-Obama 'Special': 'I Had No Choice'

[meegbear]

Source: tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com

An Ohio local TV news anchor who participated in an anti-Obama program on the eve of election day took to social media on Tuesday to defend herself from critics. Yolanda Harris, an anchor at ABC affiliate WSYX in Columbus, insisted several times that she “had no choice in the matter.”

As TPM reported, WSYX was one of at least three television stations operated by the Sinclair Broadcast Group that aired “election specials” Monday night. The specials featured segments and packages produced by the parent company but presented by local news teams. While not completely devoid of positive talk about Obama, the programs featured some of the most partisan criticisms of the President and little, if any, criticism of Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

“Did the administration lie about terrorist attacks on a U.S. consulate in Libya on September 11th?” Harris said at one point during WSYX’s 6:30 broadcast on Monday, which ran instead of World News with Diane Sawyer. “Everyone from the State Department to the White House wanted you to believe it was a protest over an anti-Muslim movie. The U.S. ambassador and three others died in that attack. The administration alleges misinformation for blaming the deaths of four Americans on a movie. But the truth finally surfaced amid claims our government knew of the terrorist attack all along.”

TPM’s report on the special prompted a number of people to tweet angrily at Harris, who served as a co-anchor on the WSYX program with Bob Kendrick. Tuesday afternoon and evening, Harris responded simply and civilly on Twitter, sending a number of messages including the following: “I understand. I had no choice in the matter,” “didn’t have a choice dude,” and “I guess you’re the better person. I need my job.” Eventually, Harris appeared to tired of the comments.

Read more: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/11/yolanda_harris_wsyx_obama_sinclair.php?ref=fpb

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“Enough nasty comments about the election special,” Harris tweeted at 9:14 p.m. EST. “Had no choice. Not defending myself any longer. I’ll take the hits. Enjoy your evening.”

Minutes later, Harris posted a similar note on her Facebook page.

<snip>

Forgot that douche Sinclair was still around.

[jberryhill]

1. You always have a choice, coward

[Javaman]

23. +1000 nt

[Actionman]

24. Agree 100%

[Blue_Tires]

32. thank you....

Looks like Harris and his station manager slept through their ethics class in J-school...

[femrap]

37. Hard to give up one's income when

you have children to house and feed. BTW, Sinclair owns 2 of the 4 stations in Columbus, OH (where I live)....ABC and the Fox.

Obviously, you haven't worked in a miserable Corporate setting. I have....and the employees are treated like shit. Boss says, "You do as I say or you're fired and I'll make sure you don't work in this industry again."

Ever had anyone say that to you???

I cut her some slack because I've been there.

Why are going after the victim....go after Sinclair. They're the ones forcing her to do it. Geez!

[jberryhill]

40. Yes, I have

And am now self employed and better off.

[femrap]

42. Did you have people

dependent on you...kids, a mortgage, elderly parents?

It's very difficult to find good Broadcasting jobs these days....do you want her to start her own TV station so she can be self-employed.

Come on.

Good for you...maybe you're one of the lucky ones. Not all people have the same situations. Obviously this woman felt very bad about having to participate in this Monday night show, but I am not one to judge others as severely as you are. You have no idea of her circumstances nor have you walked in her shoes.

Whatever.

[jberryhill]

43. Yep

Two kids, an ex, a mortgage, and three more by a second marriage.

Furthermore, we aren't talking about some sort of unskilled labor here, but an accomplished broadcasting professional.

I've been in some very tight shoes, my friend, and have had to make that choice between keeping them on or putting a foot down.

[joshcryer]

59. Not everyone has that sort of courage or perseverance.

So while it's great that you did or do or gained it during the process, perhaps this is a learning experience for this woman.

[jberryhill]

60. She didn't learn shit

Here's the question I wasn't asked here:

"Haven't you ever done some dumb shit thing which was wrong, you regret, and wouldn't do again?"

I'd also answer that question affirmatively.

And you know what? Every dumb shit stupid thing I've ever done is because *I* deliberately decide to do a dumb shit stupid selfish insensitive thing that I should not have done.

Every one of those mistakes I've made in life is a mistake I made. It's not some cosmic result of circumstance, or some overpowering external compulsion. It's because I, of my own volition and will, took the easy route, did something self-centered and stupid without regard to the consequences it might have on others.

You have to own your shit. You have to be honest with yourself about your failings.

If you can't do that, you can't learn anything.

What she learned is "blame someone else".

[joshcryer]

62. Don't you think she should be allowed time before making that judgement?

Yeah, on first glance, it appears she didn't learn shit because of her hostile rejection of criticism, but we don't know for sure. She claims she's been unable to sleep, for instance, perhaps, if it is true, she's having a soul search right now.

I don't know, I just don't feel it's necessary to be so condemning of her at this point in time.

[PSPS]

54. It's not hard at all ... if you have moral principles.

It is cowardly to blame others for one's lack of moral principles. It's even worse to blame the mere presence of others, especially children, for one's lack of moral principles.

[femrap]

58. So let the

kids move into the car and eat snack food. Good. Yeah.

Judgmental talk is so easy.

I'm done. I'm tired of dealing with males who make $1 for every 77 cents women make...or who have inheritance or a big stash of money because they can save money since they make more $$ than women.

And don't email like your other posse dude.

[jberryhill]

61. That reasoning is toxic in the long run

...and what you end up with is a child who grows into an adult who knows that you have to feed the machine that kills your own soul because, well, that's just the way it is.

We're talking about a HIGHLY paid, talented on-air personality here. We are not talking about someone working multiple minimum or sub-minimum wage jobs here, and struggling paycheck to paycheck.

So the takeaway here is that you would eagerly do what you "had to do" to ensure that women continue to make 77 cents on the dollar, as long as you continue to get your 77 cents.

You got your 77 cents, yes? Then don't complain. After all, you have to do it. Accept it with a shrug and wait for someone to come change it for you.

For 85 cents on the dollar, would you take a raise and dig your own grave?

[ProudProgressiveNow]

50. Yup..nt

[and-justice-for-all]

51. That is what I was going to say...nt

[wordpix]

56. "no choice" may mean she was bought off. R's love to throw their $ down the toilet

[WCGreen]

2. She could have refused and sued the bastard...

She lays down with dog she will get fleas...

[Occulus]

28. A Fox reporter in Florida thought the same thing a while back

And the end result was a ruling that essentially gave Fox the right to lie to its viewers at will.

Sometimes the stand-up thing to do is the WRONG thing to do.

[frylock]

31. yes, but now fox is on record stating that they lie

[MrBig]

47. That won't put food on the reporter's table

It's definitely noble to stand up for your beliefs and possibly sacrifice your career, income, etc for what you think is right, but I don't blame people who aren't willing to take those risks, either because they are looking out for themselves or their family that depends on them.

[onenote]

41. Sued them for what?

I have nothing positive to say about Sinclair, which is a cretinous company both in its political views and in the way it does business generally (which I know first hand from having been involved in business negotiations with them). They have taken advantage of lax enforcement and gaps in the FCC broadcast ownership rules to become the largest owner of broadcast television stations in the country (with ownership or control over 70 stations).

But on-air personalities at local stations typically work on "at will" basis -- in other words, the station has the right to fire them for any reason or no reason (so long as its not something like racial discrimination).

[exboyfil]

3. Probably will lose her job anyway

What she should have done was state, while this was going on, that it was coming from the corporate overlords and a credible news organization would at least try to present balance.

If you are going to lose your job, at least do it by grabbing a Heinekein and slidng down the chute.

[xtraxritical]

34. Exactly who are the "corporate overlords" at ABC? Is it still Disney?

[onenote]

38. What does Disney have to do with this?

This is an ABC affiliate owned by Sinclair, which owns stations all over the country affiliated with various networks. It calls the shots for its local programming on its network affiliated stations, not the network. The only stations running this crap were Sinclair stations.

[Liberalagogo]

39. The station is owned

by Sinclair Broadcasting, not ABC......big difference in who the corporate overlords are.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

4. I don't fault her. People have to do things they don't want to do for a paycheck...

Jobs don't grow on trees.

[dumbledork]

13. Yes...those pesky principle$

...

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

5. Ms. Harris, like so many of the journalism majors I went to school with....

....didn't get into the business because they have integrity.

[Supersedeas]

16. Bingo

[Uncle Joe]

6. She openly acknowledged what we already knew.

The corporate media is first and foremost the corporate media.

Thanks for the thread, meegbear.

[still_one]

7. we understand, you were only following orders. Which says volumes about the media in this country

[Joe Bacon]

29. I'm sure that there's a gig waiting for her at Fox News

First, she's going to have to dye her hair blonde...

[Botany]

8. She had to do it to keep her job

It is a very right wing company ..... In 2004 they were busy
spreading Swift Boat lies.

She has family and deep roots in central OH and she might not want to
give up everything for her principals

[dawnie51]

9. I live here, I get channel 6..

Yolanda Harris has been with them for years and years. Plenty of time to look for work elsewhere, if they are forcing you to do things you know are morally bankrupt. Ms. Harris is an attractive African American woman, with lots of experience. She could work for people with integrity, but she has chosen to stay right on the Sinclair network. Sinclair pulls this crap every election, nothing new, she knows what she needs to do, but won't do it.

[BouzoukiKing]

22. You may be mistaken.

Not that I'm supporting Ms. Harris - it was her choice to work for, and support, a morally bankrupt organization.

But - tell me this: a lot of well-known newscasters/talking heads have left more mainstream media outlets to work for Fox. The benefits are well-known. The money is apparently fairly good, comparatively. The exposure is tremendously better. But how many even moderately high-profile Fox people have been successful at leaving Fox for more mainstream media outlets? Do you think 75% of them wouldn't jump at the chance to get out of what is truly the ultimate walled garden? Of course they would. But they've damaged their reputations so badly that they just can't get hired.

So no - I don't believe that Ms. Harris could "...work for people with integrity...". I don't think that's possible for her, and most like her. Fox is where reporters' dreams go to die.

She is basically a dead foot-soldier in an ongoing war. Others in the profession will see this more and more clearly - they already do, actually. The quality of people who choose to work for companies like Fox or Sinclair has been sliding for awhile now; and will continue to do so at an accelerating pace.

This is a good thing. Ms. Harris' ultimate fate is probably not: and even though I have some sympathy for that, I enjoy how the overall picture is developing.

[BlueNoteSpecial]

10. I watched this "special" from both WSYX in CMH, & WRGT...

...in Dayton, typical hollow and void hyperbole. Ms. Harris was not all in on this, this was evident to me. Now...the "anchors" on WHIO in Dayton last night, at 11:20pm, including the weatherman, were just beside themselves, asking, "How can they call Ohio for Obama so early", while shaking their collective heads horizontally. They were, most assuredly, "all in", on that, the little repuglicant's.

[leftlibdem420]

46. I'm never even been to Ohio

It took me a minute to look at that map and no that Ohio was over for Romney. What part of Toledo-Cleveland-Columbus do these people not understand?

[LTR]

11. I don't blame her

In any job, including and especially the media, people sometimes have to do things they detest. And I don't think this will hurt her career. Most media people will understand, especially since Sinclair has a pretty crappy reputation in the news game.

I thought Sinclair had given up on all that right-wing nonsense when they got rid of Mark Hyman years ago, after their Kerry attacks killed their stock price. Old habits die hard.

[KeepItReal]

12. Just shows what people will do for a paycheck.

She claims she was just trying to keep her job. Sad.

You can read her twitter thread: https://twitter.com/yolandaharristv

[barbtries]

14. she'll take the hits

to her professional reputation.

[Pab Sungenis]

21. Precisely.

Any credibility she had as a real journalist is now gone.

[antiquie]

15. Smiths and Jerks

but no Sinclairs.
Who's the douche?

[JBoy]

17. She "chose" to post this tweet the day before the election:

https://twitter.com/yolandaharristv/status/265562938373468160

ABC 6 Is protecting your tax dollars, so wait until you see how we caught people selling food stamps online

Does the station also force her to make partisan tweets?

[PuppyBismark]

18. Face Reality, she had no choice and still keep her job

The fact that she even went public with this takes more courage than many of us have. She chose a profession that depends upon her employers to continue working. She is not a pundit but rather a reporter working for the 3rd best station Columbus which is the 38th media market in the country. She has a family to support and really had no choice should she want to continue to work for the station, or for that matter anyone else in the industry.

Our outrage should be pointed to Sinclair and to the rules that allow such domination of our public air waves.

I say, sorry Yolanda, you had to do that and thanks for letting us know what you feel.

Which one of us at DU would be willing to risk their job let alone their ability to continue in their industry at this point in the economy?

Chill.

[Bluenorthwest]

27. Gee, is it really unusual that a person depends on employers for work?

Many people face ethical dilemas in the work place. She made the choice that she is not a journalist or reporter, but just a reader of copy delivered to her, no matter how false or pernicious. She's a spokesmodel for hire. Wave a buck, she'll shill anything and claim he had no choice.

[leftyohiolib]

19. fox news on line 2 for you ms harris

everyone has their price

[dawn frenzy adams]

20. WSYX the terrible

WSYX is own by Sinclair Broadcasting. It is a notoriously right-wing company. It also has Fox Affiliates. Mark Hyman, is the vice president for corporate relations. Some of you may remember his extreme right-wing commentary on a segment called the Point.

As far as Ms. Harris is concern, her police husband has been arrested for sexually abusing teenage girls. This occurred at a high school where he worked security.

[LTR]

49. Hyman got pushed out years ago

After Sinclair's stock went in the crapper following his ridiculous partisan escapades. Last I heard he was toiling at some TV station in Dayton doing lame-ass news commentaries and blaming his failed career on cheese-eating surrender monkeys.

Sinclair, however, is still a right-wing company that owns TV stations with notoriously bad news operations. They often rank in last place in their markets.

[Bluenorthwest]

25. She did that for $$$$. She had full choice.

Harris is one of those people who thinks their income is so sacred that if you wave a buck, she'll do or say anything. Many others in such positions have made the right choice, and taken the consequences.
The worst sort of person in media are those who are like Harris, $ not just important, but the only important thing. And her pay is local market. So she's inexpensive to lease out to the GOP.

[southernyankeebelle]

26. I don't know who this woman is or even seeing the program you all are talking about.

However, I think people need to get off her back already. She has a job that many people would love to have in her place. If she is married she has to contribute to her family income. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. We all have been placed in a position at one time or other to do things we don't want to do but have to do. Get over it. You can tune in or tune out that is how we should deal with the situation.

[Bradical79]

35. She's sacrificing us to save herself

Her participation in the conservative media propaganda machine hurts OUR jobs and economy. Why the hell should she get a free pass because HER job might be in jeopardy? She's decided to use her position as a TV anchor to save her own skin at the expense of others. I understand it's a tough decision to make, but that doesn't mean she gets to be immune from harsh criticism when she decides to throw the rest of us under the bus so she can keep her comfortable life.

[southernyankeebelle]

48. Funny you and millions more who saw this show knew they were lying. You went and voted

for your man. They didn't sway your vote. So who did she really hurt? Some sent her an email and called her on it. Done.

[Bradical79]

64. So you don't think the media influences the way people vote?

[southernyankeebelle]

67. Well if this movie was suppose to move people from blue to the red column I'd say it didn't work.

[Bradical79]

30. She basically works for Fox News, and is a long time employee

of the local Fox affiliate. I remember Yolanda from when I was a kid and she was the host of the "Fox 28 Kids Club". She became a news anchor in the 90's and the local Fox and ABC affiliates use the same news crew (same studio and everything).

[alp227]

45. WTTE, the Fox station in Columbus, is a Sinclair station not owned by Fox.

A common confusion around DU is to confuse local Fox stations (most of which aren't even owned-and-operated by the Fox parent company anyway) and the national Fox News channel.

[Bradical79]

65. I know, they're branded as Fox News

and share the same conservative philosophy, but they're an affiliate. They are separate companies, I should have been clearer. They are partners in crime, not the same entity.

My point was that the ABC affiliate is owned by the same company as the Fox affiliate, and re-brands their ABC 6 news program for the Fox 28 station, and they push very similar Conservative agendas as the national Fox network. So you are basically getting the same type of slant as you would with Fox News, using the Fox name. It's easy to see why people don't distinguish between the two all that well.

[SoapBox]

33. Yolanda...

you've got a majority of America, that voted to move Forward, that you can seek employment in...

[jerseyjack]

36. That she apologized, ---- she's gone.

[alp227]

44. Wow, Sinclair really used journalists to present partisan bullshit?

What, they didn't have the money to produce a cheesier version of Stolen Honor? COWARDS. Other TV stations would've preceded the show with "the following program does not necessarily represent the viewpoints of station management or editorial staff." But at least Sinclair admits it's a Fox News/murdoch wannabe.

[Blue_Tires]

53. Sinclair has a LONG history of this

I remember in '03 (?) when they pre-empted a "60 minutes" that was going to take a harsh view of the Iraq invasion for a pre-made cheerleading piece...

I'm shocked they still have a license to broadcast...The FCC was getting gutless and toothless even dating back to the Clinton years, but the George W. era truly made it into an irreversible joke

[alp227]

55. You mean the nightline show in 2004 where Ted Koppel read names of war dead?

[Blue_Tires]

63. yeah, that was the one...

And Sinclair has done that more than once, too...

[Nine]

57. Well I have less sympathy than for Cleveland miners but more than for Fox News "journalists"

I guess she's somewhere in between a working class stiff worried about putting food on the table (like the miners who stood behind Romney because they feared losing their jobs) and a celebrity journalist selling out for millions. This isn't really about her decision but about Sinclair's actions.

[Bradical79]

66. I sympathize with her, but she should still get called out

From a psychological perspective, I understand exactly why she did what she did. Unless you are very wealthy, it's difficult to throw away a well paying career. I also recall reports of her husband being a real dirt-bag cop who cheated on her and also had something to do with assaulting young teenage girls earlier this year. I'm sure she's not the most mentally tough person out there.

Still, when you put yourself up there as a journalist/broadcaster, you have to own whatever it is you say regardless of your financial or personal situation. If you go on TV and knowingly lie to the public for money, you will get a lot of grief if caught, and it will be well deserved. If her career is destroyed, tough beans. She can get a job at McDonald's, or go back to school and find career in something else like the rest of us who have a hard time finding work.