On Media Blog Archives Select Date… December, 2015 November, 2015 October, 2015 September, 2015 August, 2015 July, 2015 June, 2015 May, 2015 April, 2015 March, 2015 February, 2015 January, 2015

MSNBC's Sandy Hook 'hecklers'

Video from Media Research Center, the right-wing media watchdog group.

MSNBC ran a video clip yesterday that portrays the father of a Sandy Hook victim being "heckled" during a legislative hearing.

Martin Bashir, an MSNBC host, ran an edited clip from the hearing, which omitted the father's request to hear from the audience. Bashir then referred to the audience members as "hecklers." But the full tape, provided above by Media Research Center, the right-wing watchdog group, shows that the father had solicited the audience members' participation. The father then said, "We're all entitled to our own opinion, and I respect their opinions and their thoughts."

MSNBC has been dogged by accusations of selective editing before. In June of last year, the network edited footage of a campaign event at which Mitt Romney was discussing touchtone screens at a local chain store to illustrate the advantages of competition in the private sector. Instead, MSNBC depicted him as being naively amazed by the advent of touchtone screens. (MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell later aired the complete, unedited footage.)

MSNBC spokesperson Lauren Skowronski did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Bashir's video. An MSNBC source has told The Washington Post's Erik Wemple that the network is "reviewing the video in question."

UPDATE (1:18 p.m.): The Associated Press also labeled the audience members "hecklers," but reported high-up that the father had solicited their comments. The AP referred to these audience members as "advocates for gun rights." MSNBC referred to them as "gun nuts."

UPDATE (4:50 p.m.): MSNBC addressed the Sandy Hook video edit in the same manner as it addressed the Romney video edit, running the full video but issuing no apology. From guest-host Ari Melber: