Shep Smith Apologizes For "Lack Of Balance" In Fox News Report (VIDEO)

Shepard Smith apologized for a "lack of balance" on a story aired during his Fox News show today. Reporter Shannon Bream was covering the campaign for governor in New Jersey when she snagged an interview with the Republican candidate Chris Christie, but when Smith asked her when she would interview the the Democratic candidate, and current Governor, Jon Corzine, Bream replied, "We have in multiple requests, and when it comes in, we'll let you know."

Smith was not happy to hear that: "Wow. I didn't know that was about to happen. My apologies for the lack of balance there. If I'd had control it wouldn't have happened."

WATCH:

Comments

[lonemoderate]

Have you ever watched Shepherd Smith's show?

It is the last news program left. And by that I mean one that reports on news, not never-ending sensationalized coverage of a single topic a week.

And that includes Fox, MSNBC and CNN.

CNN International is another story altogether - genuine reporting, genuine insights and a lack of opinion infusing everything. But I guess, we Americans, no longer need any of that. We prefer our news handed to us packaged to tell us how to think in line with our chosen ideology. It's just sad.

[iplaw]

The Democrat would have to be an idiot to give FOX an interview. They have a long history of creative editing and taking comments out of context to make liberals look bad, though usually it just makes FOX look yellow.

[joeneri]

How do we know the field reporter wasn't lying when she claimed to have made interview requests to the Corzine campaign?

[iplaw]

Would you give FOX an interview if you were the Democratic incumbent?

[MeddlingMonk]

Her lips moved.

[profproof]

She clearly said she has put in requests to speak to the democrats. If you put in requests to speak to democrats and they are to scared to come on and talk then you can't complain that you don't hear from democrats on fox. It's as simple as that.

[Liberal Angel]

It's not about being "scared", it's about having what you say not twisted and you being lied about. FOX is a bu//$h!t network.

[iplaw]

It is about being scared. Until libs start filing libel suits against FOX they will continue their campaign of yellow journalism. Statements made with "actual malice" are not protected even for "public figures" under tort law.

[iris1850]

I think you have failed to take in context the war on fox news by the white house and others in the left wing press. Shep was engaging in sarcasm towards these people. It was probably in reference to the president not going on fox news and freezing them out, so other dems, such as Corzine, are doing the same .

[swimbiker]

Nice attempt at spin. It was obviously that he has been stung by the accusations of bias at Fox and he is trying to move to the center instead of being so obviously rightwing-slanted.

[iplaw]

More likely he wants a back up career plan. He may consider his future at FOX uncertain and wants to be able to point out that he has not always towed the party line.

[24hourrifle]

i have to think that shep could gain much more credibility and more journalistic freedom at another network.
im sure fnc pays him well,however,fnc would never let anyone go too far in criticism of any republican.

i would really like to see smith completely untethered.

i know plenty of you all will mock me,but i have to say,i think-along w/shep-oreilly is the only other person at fnc with any credibility.

[swimbiker]

Well, you were doing fine until you intimated that Bill O'Reilly has any credibility. This is the man who repeatedly called Dr. Tiller "Tiller the Baby Killer" and then when Dr. Tiller was killed, O'Reilly disavowed any responsibility for his words and then denied that he had ever called the doctor those names. So, no credibility for Bill!

[profproof]

tiller was a baby killer wasn't he?

[ssfahrer]

I've been saying that Shepard Smith should QUIT Fox and join CNN, CNBC, or some other channel, ever since he said he was "scared" about the 'hate mail' coming in to Fox's inbox re: the Dems, etc. Recall that, folks? QUIT NOW, SHEP-- before they THROW YOU OUT!

[zeeshan809]

He often spreads disinformation.

US Forces Secretly Helping Taliban:
http://next-world-war.blogspot.com/2009/10/helicopter-rumour-refuses-to-die.html

[emmacop]

As opposed to the "fair and balanced" Huffington Post?

Give me a break.

[uncomplicatedlife]

Unlike Shep, no apoligies here.

[swimbiker]

Do you not understand the difference between a "news" station which calls itself "fair and balanced" and a website that merely collects news stories but doesn't broadcast the news?

Please come back when you understand the difference.

[Liberal Angel]

When's that ever been the slogan here? Do you know who Arianna Huffington and Ryan Sekoff are? They are no righties, and never have claimed to be. This is a left-wing blog, and anyone with a neuron should know that.

[JamesinDentonTX]

Fox is not comparable to HP, and you know it. Further, all opinions are not of equal value.

[jilrita]

FOX is about to get even less balanced if the Obama administration has its way. With calls out to Dems to ignore this farce of a "news" station, I think you will be seeing fewer lefty pols appear on Fox. This is a brilliant way to cut them off at the knees...just ignore them. Hopefully we will see their viewership dwindle until they understand that their vitriolic hatred no longer has $$ appeal. We should ALL turn our backs on them and their sponsors. Just wish that Obama would do the same with the Repubs he is trying to negotiate with.

[djcrsn]

last time I checked, Fox pulls higher ratings than CNN and NBC COMBINED

[spyboyz]

That's because it's the ONLY wingnut station so ALL the repugs flock to it. They're not spread out like the open minded

[alanevil]

Last time I checked, Survivor had higher ratings than any news network or program. Is that how you gauge truth?

[JamesinDentonTX]

Britney Spears outsold many talented musicians. Popular does not equal good. It's only cable news anyway, the old networks still dwarf cable news for viewership. But, if you would rather be riled up than informed, then go right ahead.

[bahowell]

This is NOT a lack of balance Shep! It's not Fox's fault that the Democrat Congressman won't return phone calls and isn't available for an interview.

Besides, "the TRUTH" is NOT made up of a combination of "left and right, right and wrong". The truth stands on its own and doesn't require an opposing view in order to be valid.

[Vixter]

What a bass-ackward view you seem to have. I was under the impression that news reporting was supposed to be fair & balanced. Obviously the fair part is out the window,,,but for you to say that 'news' shouldn't be balanced either?? That is beyond the pale.

[joeyfoto]

First, Jon Corzine is the Democratic Governor of New Jersey; second, when a politician who is running for re-election does not return the phone calls of reporters on a major cable network, it is reasonable to ask what his or her reason might be. Do you think that a Democrat might know in advance that he won't get a fair shake from FOX?

If you claim FoxNews is a reliable news outlet and not the media arm of a conservative political movement, you are either clueless or dishonest. I have a recommendation. Force yourself to listen only to BBC World News for a week and to read only the Financial Times, then go back to Fox News. I'm not asking that you confine yourself to a "liberal" press but simply to quality centrist to center-right journalism. Then, after that week, you tell me if you see that FoxNews is slanted, hysterical crap.

Fox news is terrible journalism. good journalism does not mean that you can't have a point of view; it means that you air other positions fairly and then let the reader or viewer decide. FoxNews doesn't do that.

[iris1850]

I wonder would you say the same of MSNBC or is it only the more conservative viewpoints that you want to squash. Isn't America big enough for every viewpoint to be expressed in the media? Left, right, center shouldn't matter, but freedom of speech, which is constitutionally guaranteed, or have we all forgotten that?

[wkillpatri]

Uh, I hate to nit-pick(well, that's a lie, LOL), but the conversation is about candidates for Governor, not Congressmen. I'm not sure Rep. Scott Garrett would be an appropriate spokesmodel for Corzine.
Believe me, Jon Boy isn't my favorite pol. But he's smart, tough and willing to do the hard work tax-and-spend Republicans won't do. NJ's recent Governors have an indisputable track record: Republicans spend; Democrats try to repair the damage.
In 1982, Gov. Kean (R) went on a two-term spending spree. We bounced him out and put in Florio (D). He survived only one term by insisting on a balanced budget. We Jerseans didn't like that. So we installed Missy Christie Whitman* (R) who immediately engaged in another 8 years of financial chicanery by spending wildly while covering it by draining public assets, including state workers' and teachers' pension funds.
Enter McGreevy* (D). No saint, he; but he hard-lined state finances before stepping down amidst a scandal. Next up, Corzine, one tough SOB -- at least fiscally. Again, the people of NJ don't like facing the truth. There are two choices: raise taxes or cut services.
We continue rejecting reality and prefer the pretense of a third option offered by Republicans ... cut taxes, increase spending and your check is in the mail. If we fall for this yet again, we deserve what we get.
*Apologies for disregarding NJ's string of gubenatorial stand-ins -- DiFrancesco, Farmer, Bennett and Codey.
Enuf said.

[iris1850]

I think you are over generalizing by saying that repubs spend and dems don't. Perhaps you should look at the records of both and you will find that they all spend our money without a thought.

[businesshugs]

Opposing views are what elections are abouts, dontcha think?

[swimbiker]

It wasn't the truth, Shep was talking about, it was the lack of balance. You don't know that the congressman wouldn't return phone calls--you are just making that up.

[Oldsop]

How many times does this need to be said: Beck, O’Reilly, Hannity are not Fox News; they are opinion shows just like Keith, Rachael, and Chris Matthews.

Fox News people include Chris Wallace, Brit Hume, Shep, etc.

There is a difference, and if you don’t think so then you have never watched them and you speak from ignorance. Worse, you have missed the truth and your resultant world view is skewed into error.

[ssg13565]

I have watched Chris Wallace and Bret Hume. I see no difference.

Do serious news casters usually smirk when the report the news?

[Oldsop]

If you see "no difference" it is because you are wallowing in your bias. pfft.

[bobdcat]

Fox should trade Shep to CNN for Lou Dobbs and a kook to be named later.

[lab221]

Bo, I totally agree with you. CNN should have Shep and give and I mean give Lou Dobbs to Fix Noise.

[knightoftheroundtable]

The only news I trust is that which I see with my eyes happening right in front of me.
Walter Cronkite, come back, we need you.

[Oldsop]

Yeah right: check out the following website to see how unbiased Kronkite was:

http://www.mrc.org/Profiles/cronkite/welcome.asp#Proud%20of%20News%20Medias%20Liberal%20Persuasion

[feliznavidad]

There is a difference between "biased" and "perceptive." I'm sure Cronkite's observations annoyed the right -- but as usual, the right-wingers were on the wrong side of history. Events have proved that Cronkite's observations were astute.

[WriterGuy]

The MRC collection of quotes all date from long after Cronkite was off the air, and says nothing about whether or not he showed any bias as a news anchor.

Journalists are human beings, and have their own judgement. But good journalists -- and no one has ever said Cronkite was not a good journalist in his day -- can separate personal opinion from the news.

Oh, and if you're going to slam a dead guy, at least learn to spell his name right.

[thesimulacra]

Uh, from what I read of that terrible webpage (seriously, get a web designer guys), those are all comments he made as a commentator or as the subject of an interview. The guy is allowed to have an opinion, even if you don't agree with it, you know. If you actually bothered to find something that evidenced him _reporting the news_ in a biased way, then your argument might actually hold some water. As it is, you missed the point entirely.

[KatieHW]

Shep Smith is way too good to be at FOX. He has respect for journalistic ethics, and he has integrity--the only person like that I'm aware of at that network. He must feel like the Lone Ranger over there.

[Braveheart1]

I agree; I like Shep Smith. He was the only one at Faux News that covered the Katrina disaster in a professional manner.

[alanevil]

Yeah, but that eyeliner's gotta go.

[iris1850]

Wow, I amazed that people have missed Shep's sarcasm in this piece.

[swimbiker]

That's because there is no sarcasm in his comments. You are trying to spin it, but it won't work. Sorry about that.

[Daw8it]

http://defoxamerica.com/ by: Brave New Films

pass it on.