NBC News apologized today for the way a 911 dispatcher’s conversation with George Zimmerman concerning Trayvon Martin was edited for broadcast last week. The edited version made it appear that the neighborhood watch captain’s decision to follow Martin in the Sanford, Fla., housing complex might have been racially motivated. Zimmerman subsequently shot the unarmed 17-year-old during a struggle. Martin’s death has resulted in nationwide protests. Following a Fox News before-and-after broadcast comparison of of the unedited and edited version, NBC News launched an investigation. “During our investigation it became evident that there was an error made in the production process that we deeply regret,” NBC News representative Lauren Kapp said in a statement. “We will be taking the necessary steps to prevent this from happening in the future and apologize to our viewers.” The segment Today broadcast last week ran as “Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.” The full conversation ran as: “Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. Or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about. Dispatcher: OK, and this guy – is he black, white or Hispanic? Zimmerman: He looks black.”
- Why don’t people post the home addresses of NBC employees like Chris rock and Rosie did? I think there is real criminal culpability here, when “news” organizations are trying to start a race war. They all live in gated communities in NYC, you know.Comment by T a black — Tuesday April 3, 2012 @ 6:37pm PDT
- RIGHT ON!Comment by fred holyman — Tuesday April 3, 2012 @ 8:27pm PDT
- I couldn’t agree with you more……this is just inexcusable, and gives anyone with half a brain the determination to NOT listen to main stream media for anything accurate. If enough people turned them OFF, they’d go out of business….when profits plummet, they might have second thought about broadcasting BS……Comment by Puter — Wednesday April 4, 2012 @ 9:28am PDT
- Doesn’t matter. Zimmerman was told by 911 NOT to follow Trayvon and he did it anyway. Still WRONG! And GUILTY! At least enough to let a jury decide.Comment by Dr. Dave Hanson — Thursday April 5, 2012 @ 11:33am PDT
- I hope Zimmerman sues NBC and becomes a very rich man! What will Jessie and Al do when there calls for Hoodie Marches, Hoodies at voting polls, etc turns in to the White Hoodies making a come back. From all I see this is what they’re trying to make happen.Comment by Sir Justice — Thursday April 5, 2012 @ 2:09pm PDT
This is pretty pathetic on NBC’s part. The paranoid/joking side of me has commented that it almost seems like the media has been trying to start a race war by the way they have presented this case. It’s scary to think a statement that was meant to be hyperbole, might actually have some merit.
Comment by Zoso — Tuesday April 3, 2012 @ 5:34pm PDT So, when will media decision makers stop sound biting for ratings and attention? When it hits their home? When it’s THEIR kid that goes to jail? When it causes…I don’t even want to put that energy out there. What they’re doing is selling our society out for ratings and attention. You reap what you sow. In this case, it will prove “Karma is a bitch” true. Stop it! Do the right thing and have some freeking integrity. Or do they know what that word means?
Comment by CK — Tuesday April 3, 2012 @ 5:44pm PDT For anyone that is interested….
I am an audio guy..
I took the 911 call with the most audio informatiion regarding screams, compressed it, ran it at half speed and pitch corected it 100 percent.. even though it runs slower (just a tenth over half speed) anyone with an ear for music can tell not a note has been changed.. Digital affords you this luxury. In the analog days we had to physically slow the tape/medium down and you lose pitch and clarity.
Anyway, what I find most interesting is the ghastly scream at about 1:12 right after the final shot.\.
THIS AUDIO IS NOT ENHANCED per sey.. not like enhancing a photo.. the only enhancing has been to adust volume levels so you don’t hurt your ear listening to everything at relative volume levels.
There are a few swirling artifacts in this copy because I had to compres the wav file to a 128 kbps mp3 to fit on my page so you had a player to hear it on.. These artifacts are slight and will not distract.
The 911 call as you have never heard it before, draw your own conclusions. Listen for the scream after the shot.
I am an audio guy..
I took the 911 call with the most audio informatiion regarding screams, compressed it, ran it at half speed and pitch corected it 100 percent.. even though it runs slower (just a tenth over half speed) anyone with an ear for music can tell not a note has been changed.. Digital affords you this luxury. In the analog days we had to physically slow the tape/medium down and you lose pitch and clarity.
Anyway, what I find most interesting is the ghastly scream at about 1:12 right after the final shot.\.
THIS AUDIO IS NOT ENHANCED per sey.. not like enhancing a photo.. the only enhancing has been to adust volume levels so you don’t hurt your ear listening to everything at relative volume levels.
There are a few swirling artifacts in this copy because I had to compres the wav file to a 128 kbps mp3 to fit on my page so you had a player to hear it on.. These artifacts are slight and will not distract.
The 911 call as you have never heard it before, draw your own conclusions. Listen for the scream after the shot.
I guess that’s one way to put it.