Fox News host Bill O’Reilly is firing back at the Mother Jones magazine and other news outlets, saying they “couldn’t care less about the truth,” after allegations surfaced over the weekend that the popular Fox News personality may have embellished personal accounts of his war reporting.
The accusations about his coverage of conflicts in the Falkland Islands and El Salvador, have some comparing O’Reilly to NBC anchor Brian Williams, whose accounts of his own wartime reporting recently came under fire, earning him a six-month unpaid leave as NBC ponders its next move.
Both O’Reilly and the higher-ups at Fox News are standing by his reporting. But the issue once again raises questions about accuracy in reporting, how journalists’ claims are vetted before publication and about how easy it may be to fall prey to the lure of self-aggrandizement in an industry where personalities can sell better than facts.
NPR’s Media Correspondent David Folkenflik joins Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson to discuss the allegations and the wider issue of how correspondents cover the news.
- Mother Jones: Bill O’Reilly Has His Own Brian Williams Problem
- Hear Bill O’Reilly’s response to Mother Jones
- Mother Jones follow story: These Are the Questions Bill O’Reilly Won’t Answer
- Howard Kurtz’ segment on Bill O’Reilly from Fox News’ “MediaBuzz”
Guest
- David Folkenflik, media correspondent for NPR. He tweets @davidfolkenflik.
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