New York - GE: Fox's Bill O'Reilly Report About General Electric `maliciously false' |
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News Source: AP
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New York - General Electric Co. called a Fox News Channel report about the company supplying terrorists with material used in bombs “irresponsible and maliciously false” on Wednesday, as a feud between Fox’s Bill O’Reilly and MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann kept sizzling.
It was the first time that GE, the parent company of NBC News and MSNBC, had publicly responded to accusations made by O’Reilly on his Fox show.
Olbermann also kept up his attacks, naming O’Reilly one of his “worst persons in the world” on Tuesday’s show. The two men have taken their feud to a new level ever since The New York Times reported on Aug. 1 that the chief executives of both parent corporations of the cable news channels — News Corp. as well as GE — had encouraged them to cool things down.
O’Reilly said on Tuesday that his show’s sources say there is a federal investigation into whether American companies supplied components being used in roadside bombs aimed at American soldiers. He said that radio frequency modules inside some bombs were part of a shipment made by a U.S. company to Corezing International, a Singapore company that does business with Iran.
O’Reilly said that his show “has been told, but cannot confirm, that the General Electric corporation is under suspicion in the case.”
GE spokesman Gary Sheffer said he was surprised by the report, given O’Reilly’s admission that he could not confirm GE’s involvement.
GE does not do business with Corezing, and does not produce the radio frequency modules that were described in the report, he said.
“We usually do not respond to the misleading and inaccurate claims made on this program because very few people take them seriously,” Sheffer said, “but tonight’s report took this smear campaign to a new low.”
A Fox News spokeswoman, Irena Briganti, had no immediate comment about GE’s statement. FBI spokesman Steve Kodak said the bureau does not comment about any investigations it may be doing.
Sheffer said he believed O’Reilly’s report was tied to the MSNBC feud.
Briganti did not comment on GE’s assertion that O’Reilly’s story was done because of the feud. Fox issued a statement last week about GE and NBC: “Both organizations are covered as news warrants.”
Olbermann, for his part, has named O’Reilly one of his “worst persons of the world” three times in the seven shows he’s done since report of the supposed truce. He condemned O’Reilly on Monday for spending too much time talking about O’Reilly’s own ratings.
“As a reporter, I wouldn’t send Bill O’Reilly to cover a john overflowing,” Olbermann said.
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Read Comments (14) — Post Yours »
1
Aug 12, 2009 at 07:00 PM OMG Says:Report as Inappropriate
Bill O'Reilly is nothing more then a rebel rouser and self promoter
2
Aug 12, 2009 at 07:24 PM Avrohom Abba Says:Report as Inappropriate
The underlying but unspoken issue is really that O'Reilly constantly attacks NBC for its twisted way of repoting news and that is always pro Obama. Finally, NBC fought back, through its parent company which owns NBC....that's GE. So the head of GE puts O'Reilly down to pay him back.
However, that still does not change the facts. The fact is that NBC will do whatever it can to make Obama look good, because that's how they get interviews with the president almost whenever they want. Also, NBC would not look too good if it went against Mr. Obama, after they pushed so hard to get him elected. Therefore, even though I do not like Mr. O'Reilly because henever lets anyone finish their sentence, still, in this case of NBC being a fake news station, I agreee with O'Reilly.
3
Aug 12, 2009 at 09:53 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ The underlying but unspoken issue is really that O'Reilly constantly attacks NBC for its twisted way of repoting news and that is always pro Obama. Finally, NBC fought back, through its parent company which owns NBC....that's GE. So the head of GE puts O'Reilly down to pay him back.
However, that still does not change the facts. The fact is that NBC will do whatever it can to make Obama look good, because that's how they get interviews with the president almost whenever they want. Also, NBC would not look too good if it went against Mr. Obama, after they pushed so hard to get him elected. Therefore, even though I do not like Mr. O'Reilly because henever lets anyone finish their sentence, still, in this case of NBC being a fake news station, I agreee with O'Reilly. ”
You are correct about MSNBC, but you failed to mention that Fox is exactly the same, just on the other side. Fox would find a reason to criticize Obama if he were to cure cancer!
4
Aug 12, 2009 at 11:40 PM Liberalism is a DISEASE Says:Report as Inappropriate
I have a solution.... Keith Overbite (host of Countdown To No Ratings) should be sent back to ESPN where he could joke around again with all his "farbitertness."
5
Aug 12, 2009 at 08:03 PM Charlie Hall Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ The underlying but unspoken issue is really that O'Reilly constantly attacks NBC for its twisted way of repoting news and that is always pro Obama. Finally, NBC fought back, through its parent company which owns NBC....that's GE. So the head of GE puts O'Reilly down to pay him back.
However, that still does not change the facts. The fact is that NBC will do whatever it can to make Obama look good, because that's how they get interviews with the president almost whenever they want. Also, NBC would not look too good if it went against Mr. Obama, after they pushed so hard to get him elected. Therefore, even though I do not like Mr. O'Reilly because henever lets anyone finish their sentence, still, in this case of NBC being a fake news station, I agreee with O'Reilly. ”
No, NBC is not "always pro Obama". They feature Patrick Buchanan as a commentator, and Buchanan is not only an anti-Obama right winger, he is an even bigger anti-Semite than O'Reilly.
6
Aug 12, 2009 at 08:01 PM Charlie Hall Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Bill O'Reilly is nothing more then a rebel rouser and self promoter ”
He has also made anti-Semitic comments on his program.
7
Aug 13, 2009 at 01:35 AM Arik Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ No, NBC is not "always pro Obama". They feature Patrick Buchanan as a commentator, and Buchanan is not only an anti-Obama right winger, he is an even bigger anti-Semite than O'Reilly. ”
Oreilly is NOT an anti-semite, that's just an out and out lie! So MSNBC puts on Pat Buchanan, Fox puts on Alan Colmes. two idiot, two channels, we're even
8
Aug 13, 2009 at 07:41 AM Read Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ You are correct about MSNBC, but you failed to mention that Fox is exactly the same, just on the other side. Fox would find a reason to criticize Obama if he were to cure cancer! ”
You obviously didn't read read O'Reilly's atricle this weekend. He wtote a GLOWING piece on how Obama is a role model for all children. Guess what he got flack for going soft on Obama. I'll take O'Reilly "lookin out for me" every day of the week.
9
Aug 13, 2009 at 10:53 AM OMG Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ He has also made anti-Semitic comments on his program. ”
I stopped watching him years ago
10
Aug 13, 2009 at 04:27 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ The underlying but unspoken issue is really that O'Reilly constantly attacks NBC for its twisted way of repoting news and that is always pro Obama. Finally, NBC fought back, through its parent company which owns NBC....that's GE. So the head of GE puts O'Reilly down to pay him back.
However, that still does not change the facts. The fact is that NBC will do whatever it can to make Obama look good, because that's how they get interviews with the president almost whenever they want. Also, NBC would not look too good if it went against Mr. Obama, after they pushed so hard to get him elected. Therefore, even though I do not like Mr. O'Reilly because henever lets anyone finish their sentence, still, in this case of NBC being a fake news station, I agreee with O'Reilly. ”
I believe you have gone off point on this nonsense when describing how NBC appears to report with regard to political information.. At this point the discussion has little to do with the parent companies. What it really comes down to is integrity in reporting or in this case the lack of by O'Reilly. It does not matter what the broader history of the networks has been because good reporting begins and ends with the reporter. If O'Reilly could not substantiate the information about General Electric before publicly reporting it the action is nothing more than the spreading of rumors which if found to be untrue could cause harm. The spreading of a rumor could be viewed as simply reckless or done with the intent to harm.
The honest truth about any news report is this. None of us should generate closed opinions on anything we hear or read in the media. Everything we see is a summarized interpretation of the real truth which we may never know not having first hand access to what is really going on in any given situation. Therefore it is in our best interest to always keep an open mind to new information as it presents itself to us.
As a side note the term "Radio Frequency Module" is a meaningless term which may indicate a lack of understanding on the subject. Descriptions such as Transmitter Module, Receiver Module or even Transceiver Module would be more applicable to this story but the phrase "Radio Frequency" in simple terms is a channel on your dial..
11
Aug 13, 2009 at 08:17 PM dan Says:Report as Inappropriate
GE owns and directs NBC, NBC by direction of GE only reports what benefits OBAMA and GE, so would I believe O'Reilly over NBC/GE, do I believe GE would sell parts to build bombs to kill our troops and innocents, YES. You guys need to wake up.
12
Aug 13, 2009 at 11:42 PM PMO Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ GE owns and directs NBC, NBC by direction of GE only reports what benefits OBAMA and GE, so would I believe O'Reilly over NBC/GE, do I believe GE would sell parts to build bombs to kill our troops and innocents, YES. You guys need to wake up. ”
Yeah... and FNC has nothing to do with the anti-Obama groups? Give me a break. All the cable news channels are in it for somebody. That is abundantly clear. For MSNBC, it is the Democrats... for FNC it is the Republicans... for CNN it is the Socialists.
There are only 2 journalists left on cable news with any integrity at all. Chris Wallace at FNC and Joe Scarborough at MSNBC. The rest are just "infotainment".
It is so sad that the greats like Tony Snow and Tim Russert are gone... they were the standard bearers for those channels and kept them somewhat honest. Now it is just a disgusting free-for-all of innuendo and name calling. Things like "I'm not saying Obama kills babies in his basement... but you be the judge" are just plain stupid. Olberman and Shuster are puppets of the left, Hannity and Smith are puppets of the right, and Glen Beck just makes up anything that his intellectually retarded audience will believe - Like that healthcare reform is secretly a plan for Black Reparations - odd considering the plans being discussed were initially proposed by Richard Nixon... you know that raging Black liberal from the 70's. (sarcasm intended there)
13
Aug 19, 2009 at 12:39 PM #10 Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ GE owns and directs NBC, NBC by direction of GE only reports what benefits OBAMA and GE, so would I believe O'Reilly over NBC/GE, do I believe GE would sell parts to build bombs to kill our troops and innocents, YES. You guys need to wake up. ”
I would like to comment on entry #11.. It is stated correctly that GE is the parent company for NBC.. However implying that GE is knowingly producing and selling equipment for the purpose of killing American Troops is a bit of stretch. If you truly believe that this is the case please enlighten all of us here with research supporting the claim. And do it for this reason.
It is common knowledge that GE is made up of many divisions each with it's own product lines. These products touch many aspects of our day to day lives including medical, industrial and consumer products. If the claim regarding "Radio Frequency Modules" were to be true GE would risk loosing their entire customer base virtually over night because the core of that customer base is right here in the United States.
The modules which are at the center of this discussion are essentially inexpensive throw away commodity type transmitter/receiver pairs similar to those used to open car or garage doors. These are simple devices produced by many manufactures from across the globe. They are also of low dollar margin and would have very little effect on the bottom line of GE when compared to the large systems GE produces. Where large systems generate the bulk of GE's income what incentive would GE have to produce small low margin modules for this use and just how much benefit would GE get from the production of the modules if it did? The answer is relatively very little and in business the benefit must outweigh the risk..
Further.. I would also open the challenge for the publication of series of images taken from a new undamaged "Radio Frequency Module" as well as it's internal components. The series of images should also include comparisons to the remains of 'used' module as well. If General Electric is producing the modules for general purpose use it should not be difficult to find them available in the market place. All electronic devices whether in component or module form can be traced back to their original manufacturer and further back to the manufacturers of the components which they are made of. Any markings should be clearly visible such that we may all see without doubt that the modules in question have been somehow produced and sold by GE for harmful purposes.
Support O'Reilly's claims with this kind of evidence and GE could cease to exist. However stating only that you believe O'Reilly blindly just further perpetuates the rumors and clouds the more important issues.