CNN Radio Trying to Incite Oakland Riot

[DavidKaye]

First, there were no riots in Oakland. Three dumpsters were set on fire and some people broke windows at a few businesses. Police chief Batt said that the people who were doing the damage were people previously identified as professional anarchists who had come into the city. Apparently the OPD had been watching them for some time.

Both KCBS and KGO were on the scene with several reporters each. None of the reporters from either station reported rioting. In fact both stations reported that the police actually outnumbered the crowd for most of the day.

But CNN led its 9:00 news with "There is rioting in Oakland", the 9:30 news with "Riots have broken out in Oakland." The 10:00pm news said the same. It was only the 10:30 news where they reduced the story to a couple sentences and said that there were protestors in Oakland.

I don't know who is responsible for CNN Radio, whether it's Westwood One people or CNN reporters, but the CNN Radio stories were harmful and downright WRONG.

What's more, the first news about the trash can fires and the windows being broken came at about 9:40, long after CNN had first reported "rioting."

It's hard to have any respect for CNN when their reporters or Westwood One reporters acting in their name spread LIES about Oakland.

 

[EastBay]

I agree with your facts, as I'm watching the news in Sacramento right now. However, they also just reported that a KGO radio reporter had to call the Oakland PD for help because they were surrounded by protesters who actually broke the reporter's car window while they were in the car (they didn't say who the reporter was, but I heard Bret Burkhart reporting from there earlier in the day). I haven't heard that reported on KGO yet as I'm having a hard time picking it up where I am, but I am curious to hear what really happened.

One reporter being 'attacked' does not make a riot, though I wonder if that was picked up by national radio somehow and the national media did their normal 'blow it out of proportion' routine with it. Hey, if it's not mega-dramatic, why report it? That's why you always see "BREAKING NEWS" in big, bold, flaming print on some of those garbage 'news' shows like Nancy Grace. Talk about the boy who cried wolf...

 

[radiogroupie]

First, there were no riots in Oakland. Three dumpsters were set on fire and some people broke windows at a few businesses. Police chief Batt said that the people who were doing the damage were people previously identified as professional anarchists who had come into the city. Apparently the OPD had been watching them for some time.

Both KCBS and KGO were on the scene with several reporters each. None of the reporters from either station reported rioting. In fact both stations reported that the police actually outnumbered the crowd for most of the day.

But CNN led its 9:00 news with "There is rioting in Oakland", the 9:30 news with "Riots have broken out in Oakland." The 10:00pm news said the same. It was only the 10:30 news where they reduced the story to a couple sentences and said that there were protestors in Oakland.

I don't know who is responsible for CNN Radio, whether it's Westwood One people or CNN reporters, but the CNN Radio stories were harmful and downright WRONG.

What's more, the first news about the trash can fires and the windows being broken came at about 9:40, long after CNN had first reported "rioting."

It's hard to have any respect for CNN when their reporters or Westwood One reporters acting in their name spread LIES about Oakland.

Didn't you know it's CNNs job to try and keep the races at each other throats. I say burn CNN.

 

[travisl5678]

I was listening to KCBS right after the story broke, and they had the families atorney and Grants uncle speaking outside the courtroom in LA. Grants uncle was asked by a reporter what he had to say to the people of Oakland that believed violents was the answer, to which he responded "The people will act as they see fit" KCBS cut him off within the next minute and when the quote was refered to later on the station, they didn't play the clip.A couple other things, did KQED have any coverage about it beyond what was being covered on All Things Considered?How did the LA stations cover it?Is there really a station that airs CNN Radio on the hour AND the half?

 

[TheBigA]

Other news sites have used the term "riot." That's how MSNBC reported it. What else do you call a violent protest where people set fire to things? The police responded in what they call "riot gear." That means the police consider it a riot. That's how it should be reported.

 

[tripton99]

which stations or stations in the Bay Area are CNN Radio affills?

 

[travisl5678]

Last time I checked KKGN 960 had CNN Radio

 

[BossRadioDJ]

Just a quick question: how many of the young people who were trashing Oakland got their cue from CNN Radio, KGO or KCBS? I'm going to venture to say that nobody who participated in the riot/looting got the idea to do so from any of those sources.

 

[travisl5678]

Most of the rioters weren't even FROM Oakland.

 

[sandwix]

It was, in fact, a riot, as reported correctly by the news organizations. I'm hoping some of the earlier posters have amended their opinions to conclude that what happened last night and what was correctly reported were riots. Some of the footage on this morning's TV newscasts were quite vivid in capturing the rioting and looting that occurred in Oakland last night. In addition to Oakland PD fighting the rioters and arresting some of them and the looters as well, CHP and SFPD lent a hand to OPD by sending their squads to the East Bay jurisdiction. This demonstrates the size and scope of the rioting that ripped through Oakland.

 

[LKellerIII]

It was, in fact, a riot, as reported correctly by the news organizations. I'm hoping some of the earlier posters have amended their opinions to conclude that what happened last night and what was correctly reported were riots. Some of the footage on this morning's TV newscasts were quite vivid in capturing the rioting and looting that occurred in Oakland last night. In addition to Oakland PD fighting the rioters and arresting some of them and the looters as well, CHP and SFPD lent a hand to OPD by sending their squads to the East Bay jurisdiction. This demonstrates the size and scope of the rioting that ripped through Oakland.

I didn't hear the coverage on CNN radio, so maybe I can't comment directly. So I'll just note that this a familiar charge against the news media when things like this happen.

I heard a caller yesterday rip Gil Gross a new one because he had supposedly been inciting violence by talking about Mehserle and the trial.

Gil responded that he seriously doubted many of the potential rioters were even listening to KGO, much less being incited by his show. I suspect that's even more true of CNN radio on low rated KKGN. To a certain extent, any coverage will help incite people who are looking for an excuse to riot...or use it as an excuse to get free shoes.

CNN reports news. KGO is NewsTalk radio. Their job is to report and discuss the news.

 

[LKellerIII]

It was, in fact, a riot, as reported correctly by the news organizations. I'm hoping some of the earlier posters have amended their opinions to conclude that what happened last night and what was correctly reported were riots. Some of the footage on this morning's TV newscasts were quite vivid in capturing the rioting and looting that occurred in Oakland last night. In addition to Oakland PD fighting the rioters and arresting some of them and the looters as well, CHP and SFPD lent a hand to OPD by sending their squads to the East Bay jurisdiction. This demonstrates the size and scope of the rioting that ripped through Oakland.

I didn't hear the coverage on CNN radio, so I can't comment directly. So I'll just note that this is a familiar charge against the news media when things like this happen.

I heard a caller yesterday rip Gil Gross a new one because he had supposedly been inciting violence by talking about Mehserle and the trial.

Gil responded that he seriously doubted many of the potential rioters were even listening to KGO, much less being incited by his show. I suspect that's even more true of CNN radio on low rated KKGN. To a certain extent, any coverage will help incite people who are looking for an excuse to riot...or use it as an excuse to get free shoes.

CNN reports news. KGO is NewsTalk radio. Their job is to report and discuss the news.

I know it's not popular to say - but why don't we talk about what went right yesterday? The vast majority of protesters were peaceful. Most of the violence and looting was incited by young white suburban anarchists - not the African-American community. The damage in downtown Oakland is minimal. The Oakland PD handled it very well - very tactically, while exercising restraint.

 

[DavidKaye]

Other news sites have used the term "riot." That's how MSNBC reported it. What else do you call a violent protest where people set fire to things? The police responded in what they call "riot gear." That means the police consider it a riot. That's how it should be reported.

A riot is mass, random violent destruction. The incident wasn't mass and it wasn't random. There were a few isolated incidents which appeared to be orchestrated by outsiders. Three trash cans were set fire and a couple dozen shops had their windows broken. For the most part people pleaded with the orchestrated anarchists (an oxymoron?) to stop and go away.

The mayor, the police chief, and various news reporters present did NOT call it a riot. Certainly if would have been in the Oakland PD's "best interest" to call it a riot because they could have gotten additional help and critically needed funding to help. But they specifically said that it was not a riot, but an organized attempt at disruption -- an attempt which, for the most part, failed since the police outnumbered the crowd at most times and were able to contain things. Plus, the local folks were not a part of the destruction.

 

[SFStatic]

Out of 70 some people arrested, 19 were from outside the Bay Area (other parts of California) and 12 were from out of state. Some had explosives in their backpacks. It looks like they were anarchists just coming in to create chaos that had nothing to do with the Mehserle verdict. Oakland did a good job keeping a lid on it. No, it was NOT a riot, and shame on any outlet that called it one.

 

[EastBay]

I think perhaps we're subconciously trying to define the term 'riot'. I suppose in a literal sense one could call what happened in Oakland a 'riot', though it was really more like a gathering that got slightly out of control. What happened after the Rodney King trial was a riot. There is really no comparison between the Rodney King riots and what happened in Oakland.

The bigger question that was asked in this thread was if CNN radio (and other news outlets) were trying to start a riot. I'm not sure that they were necessarily trying to 'incite' a riot with their reports (though it's possible some individual reporters may have been), but I wholehearetdly beleive they were HOPING for a riot as it would give them something real juicy to report.

I was pretty impressed with how much emphasis was put on keeping the protests peaceful by the vast majority of the protesters themselves. Its too bad that fact wasn't reported more intently than it was.

Now we wait for the sentencing...lets hope Oakland keeps it together for that like they did a couple days ago.

 

[TheBigA]

I wholehearetdly beleive they were HOPING for a riot as it would give them something real juicy to report.

I don't understand that view. As a reporter, there is no pleasure in reporting from a war zone. Getting maced, hit with tear gas canisters, or beat up by rioters is not my idea of fun. You're in no-where land, in the way of both the rioters and the police. So no, I doubt anyone hopes for a riot. And if you're back at the studio, reporting a riot is no more juicy than reporting more Lindsey Lohan news. So why make stuff up?

 

[DavidKaye]

I don't understand that view. As a reporter, there is no pleasure in reporting from a war zone. Getting maced, hit with tear gas canisters, or beat up by rioters is not my idea of fun. You're in no-where land, in the way of both the rioters and the police. So no, I doubt anyone hopes for a riot. And if you're back at the studio, reporting a riot is no more juicy than reporting more Lindsey Lohan news. So why make stuff up?

Oh come on. Everybody knows about the adrenalin rush people get when they're in a war zone. Veterans always talk about the comraderie they had with their fellows in the trenches. They look fondly back on wars even if they've had limbs blown off and are deaf from bombs. My dad was like this. When he was drunk he'd relive World War II complete with sound effects.

Likewise, reporters love being in the trenches as well. When former KGO news guy Greg Jarrett came back after being "embedded" with soldiers during the Gulf War, that was all he could talk about for YEARS whenever he could work it into a story.

Then there's the case of Bernie Ward, covering the Oakland Hills fire in 1992 for KGO Radio. He violated orders and went behind the fire line to get the story "firsthand", meaning that not only did the firefighters have to fight a fire, but they had to look out for Bernie's safety as well. His dramatic stories showed that he LOVED being in on the action.

And it's not just Bernie and Greg, but everybody who goes to the scene of this kind of stuff. I did it myself briefly as a freelancer, covering a couple strikes that showed signs of turning violent. They didn't and at the time I was a bit disappointed.

When someone becomes a reporter they want to cover "real" stories, not Lindsey Lohan.

 

[TheBigA]

Likewise, reporters love being in the trenches as well. When former KGO news guy Greg Jarrett came back after being "embedded" with soldiers during the Gulf War, that was all he could talk about for YEARS whenever he could work it into a story.

That's bravado talking. I know a lot of reporters who went to the Gulf and Panama. I know reporters who were in the middle of the Rodney King riot. I know one reporter who still walks with a cane from the injuries he received covering a riot. Everyone wants to be on the front line until they get killed or until their legs get blown off. It's not funny, and no one who's ever done it for a living takes any pleasure in reporting a riot. To say a reporter or a news service is "trying to incite a riot," because it's a "juicy story" is absolutely wrong.