WBBM Criminalizes 4-Year Old

CBS Television Station WBBM in Chicago is being criticized for airing a misleading the video of a 4-year old boy saying he wanted a gun. The boy made the comment, after being asked loaded questions by a freelance photographer, because he wanted to be a police officer.
The Society of Professional Journalists says the decision to edit the video "reveals a lack of understanding of the very basic tenets of journalism."

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  News & Politics

[Bob Butler]

I'm the reporter at the Maynard Institute who broke the original story and the followup. From what I understand the photographer thought this was a good story because the kid wanted to be a police officer. My hat's off to him. I've seen some comments that say the station apologized so what's the big deal? The station admitted it made a mistake. That's not an apology.

[Iwatchtrek]

Are you a woman?

[Bob Butler]

uh, no!

[Cindy A.]

Hate the Media. I don't watch the news. It's all lies meant to perpetuate more lies from their sponsors.

[thegoodlifeorganizat]

The major issue is that this story is part of a larger narrative that is being told about our young people. This narrative frames young people, and especially young people of color, as being part of the problem when in reality they are part of the solution. This video demonstrates that news is not objectively giving us facts, but subjectively telling stories that get us to believe this myth of "the problem of youth". This is why we need to hold these folks accountable, and share counter stories.

[basimpsn]

Did you notice the Station didn't blured the 4 yr old face...I tell you :-(

[Matthew Davis]

Are you blind?

[7Eightyone]

Zimmerman, as well as his sister both listed themselves as "white NON hispanic" when they were arrested in the past.

[drunkinneworleans]

Yea what about Zimmerman they they edited the tape and made him look racist oh yea hes not black hes a "White Hispanic" fuck you liberal racist scum

[1989Muppet]

It shouldn't happen in the first place. You can't just apologize every time you are reckless.

[OeditpusRex]

Good point. I didn't think of "citizen journalists." Pity that so many stations encourage them now.

[Julia Griffin]

though that often depends on the station/market. it seems as though this was just a photog out on his own, and he turned it in to be edited without giving instructions.

[Julia Griffin]

okay, so you respond to racism with anti-semitism? this has nothing to do with the race/ethnicity/religion of the editor/station manager besides the fact that he/she clearly wasn't black. Anyone of any race can choose to be ethical or unethical, and this racist station chose to be unethical for ratings in order to create a crime-related narrative. Can we please combat racial and ethnic stereotypes rather than perpetuating them? isn't that what this story is about?

[Julia Griffin]

this four year old may come from a different environment than you, and I'd say the photographer knows more about this little boy's situation than you. not only that, but the way in which he spoke with the boy was most likely to be making the boy more comfortable talking to him. cameras can be scary for kids.