Media Matters - Westwood One

Media Matters - Westwood One http://mediamatters.org/tools/syndication/tag_rss/westwood_one This link is for use by RSS-enabled software to retrieve Media Matters items matching the term: Westwood One en-US Copyright 2009, Media Matters for America CNN global warming misinformation makes its way to The Radio Factor http://mediamatters.org/items/200812230010 On The Radio Factor, guest host Douglas Urbanski cited a December 18 segment from CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight to support the assertion, which has been widely discredited, that "man-made climate change" is "one of the biggest lies of our time" and in doing so echoed several of the debunked claims and suggestions about global warming included in that CNN segment. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812230010 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:22:21 EST On The Radio Factor, Chicago Trib.'s Kass falsely claimed Rezko's wife "b[ought] the Obama dream house" http://mediamatters.org/items/200812110009 On The Radio Factor, John Kass falsely claimed that Rita Rezko, wife of Antoin Rezko, "b[ought] the Obama dream house" in what Kass called "that shady real estate deal." In addition, Kass, who was also featured on ABC's World News and the CBS Evening News in reports about the scandal involving Gov. Rod Blagojevich, suggested to Bill O'Reilly that President-elect Barack Obama must be tainted by corruption because he comes from Chicago. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812110009 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:55:13 EST O'Reilly falsely claimed Army Field Manual "bans any questioning that would make a suspect uncomfortable" http://mediamatters.org/items/200812100017 On The O'Reilly Factor, Bill O'Reilly claimed that "[t]he Army Field Manual bans any questioning that would make a suspect uncomfortable in any way," echoing his previous assertion that "[t]here is no interrogation under the manual. No unpleasantness." In fact, the Army Field Manual includes an entire section on "Interrogation Operations," as well as a chapter listing and describing "Approach Techniques and Termination Strategies" for use in interrogations of detainees, including several techniques intended to make detainees "uncomfortable." http://mediamatters.org/items/200812100017 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:17:25 EST Conservative radio hosts continue to promote discredited claim that Obama has yet to prove he was born in the U.S. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812030008 Radio hosts Brian Sussman, Mark Davis, Lars Larson, Bob Grant, Jim Quinn, and Rose Tennent repeated the discredited claim that President-elect Barack Obama has not produced a valid birth certificate and is not eligible for the presidency because he is not a natural-born citizen. In fact, the Obama campaign posted a copy of Obama's birth certificate on its Fight the Smears website and reportedly provided the original to FactCheck.org, whose staff concluded that it "meets all of the requirements from the State Department for proving U.S. citizenship." A Hawaii Health Department official also reportedly confirmed that the birth certificate Obama's campaign posted is valid. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812030008 Wed, 3 Dec 2008 13:01:58 EST Larson rewrote history to dispute Media Matters item documenting his falsehood on autoworker pay http://mediamatters.org/items/200811250020 Lars Larson responded to a November 22 Media Matters item by misrepresenting what he had said five days before about autoworkers' hourly compensation. Larson claimed on November 24, "[T]hey [Media Matters] were saying that if you count just what is being paid to the worker and to his pension and for his medical care, that it doesn't add up to $73 an hour and they're right, but that's not what I said. I said that the total cost of having that worker on the assembly line is over $73 an hour." In fact, as Media Matters documented, Larson falsely claimed on November 19 that American automakers are "paying $73.73 an hour to those people with salary and benefits." http://mediamatters.org/items/200811250020 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:37:40 EST Attacking Media Matters, O'Reilly falsely claimed he said "Coleman's victory was certified by the state ... which is absolutely true" -- but it's not http://mediamatters.org/items/200811210012 Attacking Media Matters on his radio show for noting that his previous claim that Sen. Norm Coleman "was certified the winner" in the Minnesota Senate race was false, Bill O'Reilly repeated the falsehood, claiming: "[W]hat I said was, Coleman's victory was certified by the state because it was. He had 215 more votes, which is absolutely true." In fact, the Minnesota State Canvassing Board did not "certif[y]" a "victory" for Coleman or Al Franken, having authorized an automatic recount of ballots for that race; Minnesota election law states that "no certificate of election shall be prepared or delivered until after the recount is completed." http://mediamatters.org/items/200811210012 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:33:55 EST O'Reilly suggested that without Prop 8, "a man can have 27 wives"; CA Supreme Court disagrees http://mediamatters.org/items/200811190017 While discussing the campaign for Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriage in California, Bill O'Reilly asserted that if states allow same-sex couples to marry they would be required, "under equal protection," to allow polygamous marriages. In fact, the California Supreme Court explicitly stated that its May 15 decision that California's ban on same-sex marriage violated the state's constitution did not extend to polygamous marriages. http://mediamatters.org/items/200811190017 Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:36:41 EST Conservative media attack Obama over reported intention to close Guantánamo Bay facility http://mediamatters.org/items/200811120012 Conservative media figures have baselessly asserted that President-elect Barack Obama's reported intention to close the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay would result in the release of terrorists and place the country at risk. In fact, news reports state that Obama is considering trials for some detainees and the potential release of others who have been cleared. http://mediamatters.org/items/200811120012 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:52:37 EST Larson plays spoof "Barney Frank for President" ad encouraging people to vote for "Barney Fag" http://mediamatters.org/items/200811030018 Radio host Lars Larson played a spoof "Barney Frank for President" advertisement, in which a person said: "Now remember, this Erection Day -- Election Day, vote for Barney Frank for President. I'm Barney Fag -- uh, Frank and I approve this massage -- message." Larson also baselessly suggested that Frank allowed his relationship in the 1990s with a Fannie Mae official to improperly influence his conduct as a member of the House Financial Services Committee. In fact, Frank repeatedly took actions over the years to strengthen oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. http://mediamatters.org/items/200811030018 Mon, 3 Nov 2008 19:42:38 EST Dismissing fundraiser and ignoring McCain's appearances on radio show, O'Reilly claimed "McCain has nothing to do with G. Gordon Liddy" http://mediamatters.org/items/200810220013 Speaking with a caller to his radio show who noted that Sen. John McCain "accepted money" from G. Gordon Liddy, and that Liddy "held a fundraiser for him in 1998," Bill O'Reilly declared that "McCain has nothing to do with G. Gordon Liddy -- nothing," and added that comparing the ties between McCain and Liddy that the caller referenced with Sen. Barack's Obama's ties to Bill Ayers is "ridiculous." However, in addition to the connections the caller referenced, McCain has repeatedly appeared on Liddy's radio show during the presidential campaign, and McCain recently said that he was "not in any way embarrassed to know Gordon Liddy." http://mediamatters.org/items/200810220013 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:44:09 EST O'Reilly falsely claimed Obama did not vote to condemn attacks on Petraeus and Kerry http://mediamatters.org/items/200810090021 On his radio show, Bill O'Reilly falsely stated that Sen. Barack Obama did not cast a vote on a Senate amendment denouncing both an ad by MoveOn.org that targeted Gen. David Petraeus and "Swift Boat" attacks on Sen. John Kerry (D-MA). In fact, Obama voted in favor of an amendment sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) that denounced the MoveOn.org ad and character attacks on Kerry, former Sen. Max Cleland (D-GA), and other veterans. http://mediamatters.org/items/200810090021 Thu, 9 Oct 2008 19:32:24 EST O'Reilly claimed "women's privacy" is "the new mantra" which allows for "infanticide" http://mediamatters.org/items/200809300022 After airing a clip on his radio show of actress Ashley Judd stating that "Senator [Barack] Obama has a 100 percent voting record for women's privacy and reproductive health," Fox News host Bill O'Reilly asserted that the phrase "women's privacy" is the "new mantra" which allows for "infanticide." http://mediamatters.org/items/200809300022 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:31:11 EST Media conservatives baselessly blame Community Reinvestment Act for foreclosure spike http://mediamatters.org/items/200809300012 Several conservatives in the media have recently blamed the Community Reinvestment Act for the current financial crisis -- when, in fact, the CRA does not apply to institutions making the vast majority of troubled loans underlying the crisis. It applies only to depository institutions, such as banks and savings and loan associations. Experts have estimated that 80 percent of high-priced subprime loans were offered by financial institutions that are not subject to the CRA. http://mediamatters.org/items/200809300012 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:05:08 EST O'Reilly on Rep. Frank, Sen. Dodd: "I swear to God, if they were in this room right now, I would hit them" http://mediamatters.org/items/200809250021 Discussing the current financial situation on his radio program, Bill O'Reilly said of Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd, "I swear to God, if they were in this room right now, I would hit them. Dodd and Frank -- the House Finance and Senate Finance. They knew. Don't point a finger at anybody, I'll break that finger off." http://mediamatters.org/items/200809250021 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:59:12 EST O'Reilly falsely claimed 60 Minutes asked McCain, but not Obama, about the "financial disaster" http://mediamatters.org/items/200809230009 On his radio show, Bill O'Reilly falsely claimed that during interviews conducted by 60 Minutes, Sen. John McCain was asked about the financial crisis on Wall Street while Sen. Barack Obama was not. In fact, 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft asked Obama several questions about the financial crisis, including, "What caused it? Who's to blame?" and "Do you think that Secretary of the Treasury [Henry] Paulson has done the right thing?" http://mediamatters.org/items/200809230009 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:35:30 EST