Yay For The Press VI: NBC4

Generally I have to say that through the years of the sex-ed controversy the TV coverage has been worse than the print media. You hate to see it, a group of nutty people, their faces all red as they describe their moral outrage over a health class, surrounded by television cameras, while rational people and policy-makers stand in the background, available for answering questions but not so indignant, not so red-faced, and no cameras pointed at them. When the Citizens for a Responsible Whatever staged their hoax at Rio, only Channel Seven actually sent somebody to cover it, they repeated the CRW talking points on the air. They told their viewing audience that a man in a dress went into the ladies room, and that it was a "test of the new law." Just what the CRW told them to say.

So I have been holding my breath, waiting to see how the media, including television, would handle the latest noise-making about the petitions. I cynically expected them all to repeat the talking-points. But no, they proved me wrong, nearly everybody so far has been fair, objective, unbiased.

I can't tell from the web site if Channel Four actually did an on-the-air broadcast of this or not, but here's their online version of the story:

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Opponents of a new Montgomery County law protecting transgender people from discrimination have gathered 32,000 petition signatures, enough apparently to put the issue to voters.

The group that organized the petition drive, Citizens for a Responsible Government, said the law protects only a few people while infringing on the privacy rights of many others.

The law protects transgender people from discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations, and taxi and cable service. It was scheduled to take effect Wednesday but now appears headed for a voter referendum in November.

Critics believe the law threatens privacy in public restrooms, but supporters said the claim is a scare tactic and the law does not mandate changes in restrooms. Transgender Discrimination Law Appears Headed For Vote

Perfect. Gives the facts, tells the story, it's to the point. The narrative focuses on the shower-nuts, as well it might since they were filing their petitions, but the red herring argument does not sway them. They give it and move on.

Good for Channel Four, for reporting the news accurately and clearly, even when there are potential sensational sound-bytes to exploit. Let's hear it for responsible journalism!