Rant #2,428: Say, Say, Say

Journalism today is a far cry from what it was, and most importantly, what it should be.

Case in point is the latest incident, which happened on network TV no less for millions of people to witness.

The CBS Evening News has been struggling with ratings since, seemingly, Walter Cronkite left this anchor duties a generation ago.

Through numerous hosts and formats, it continues to flounder in the ratings, well behind similar head to head offerings on NBC and ABC.

The latest host of this show, Norah O'Donnell, was so sought after by CBS to helm this show that for also the first time in a generation, the show moved its base from New York to Washington, as O'Donnell wanted it.

The very comely O'Donnell is normally an excellent journalist, but let's be honest about it; she was also chosen for her role because she and the camera have formed a positive relationship, and she is quite fetching, with the goal of drawing in both female and male viewers.

Anyway, after a relatively quiet couple of months as the show's anchor, she made news the other day, and when the anchor of a TV news show is actually the one making news, well, you know the show is in trouble, or at least something is awry in Washington, in this case.

During a Tuesday night segment on sexual harassment allegations against tenor Placido Domingo, O'Donnell was caught on what is called "a hot mic," meaning her microphone was not turned off when the segment ran.

O'Donnell was heard to say, as Domingo was saying that his relationships with the accusing women were consensual, "Sounds like somebody else here ... " as the segment ran.

Look, this has happened before, it will happen again, but journalists are supposed to keep their thoughts to themselves, in particular when it comes to an open case like this, where Domingo has only been accused of acting inappropriately, with nothing to come of it yet.

Thus, in this country, he is supposedly 'innocent until proven guilty," but in O'Donnell's case, he is already guilty as sin, and after this incident, how can she report on this case objectively?

O'Donnell, in her hot mic moment, might have been referring to her former broadcast partner on her former gig with the CBS Morning News, Charlie Rose, who was removed from the program after he was alleged to have behaved inappropriately years ago toward others.

CBS has since scrubbed the video of O'Donnell's hot mic moment, but it was clearly heard by millions when it happened, and it can be heard again around the Internet if you need to hear this for yourself.

Look, we know that everyone has an opinion on every subject under the sun, in particular nowadays, where people get enraged at the drop of a hat.

This is a serious allegation against Domingo, but O'Donnell should also realize that she loses her credibility when she mouths off like this, even if it was just an innocent mistake by her, which it clearly was, as well as by CBS technicians working the show, who should have shut her microphone off during this segment.

Mistakes happen, and this was a giant mistake by O'Donnell and CBS. For this newbie anchor to gain the credibility that she so craves, wants and needs to make this how a success, this was a major step backwards, and I know that she and CBS will be careful the next time, so there is no next time.

But journalists, in this day and age of fake news, really should watch what they write and say, because they are making themselves look foolish when they, even innocently, become judge, jury and executioner by what they write or say.

That is clearly what happened here, and next time, O'Donnell should go with the credo that we are taught in childhood but often ignore as adults: "If you have nothing good to say about something, don't say anything."

O'Donnell should heed those words wisely for now on, and keep whatever thoughts she has in her head.

I might or might not be here tomorrow. I have something to do early in the morning that would preclude me from writing a Rant, but I just may be able to squeeze it in, so yes, please check back here tomorrow to see if I can get it done.

Thanks for staying with me this week. It has been something of a long week, let's just say, and I cannot wait for it to end, and hopefully it will end with a nice end of the week Rant.

Keep your fingers crossed.