CNN Suspends Roland Martin

[DToTheJ]

You know when GLAAD is scruitinizing your tweets during the Super Bowl, it can't be good...
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/480279-CNN_Suspends_Roland_Martin.php

 

[Markxxx]

Well it was fairly benign but I can see, if a white guy made a comment about a black man and used similar "benign" language he'd have gotten the same.

 

[arnoldevns]

Free speech is dead in the world of Twitter. His comment was stupid, but hardly serious. GLAAD is just another left wing fringe group that gets its way through threats and intimidation. Sorry to see that it worked again.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Free speech is dead in the world of Twitter. His comment was stupid, but hardly serious.

In the spirit of your observation, could we way that being taken off the air might be stupid, but hardly serious?

If you were the supervisor, what would you have done? Called him in and said: If you do that 23 times, we will penalize you? 25 times and then we will take you off the air!

 

[brian4]

Every time I hear "Roland Martin" I think of classic TV show Laugh-In

 

[formeraa]

Every time I hear "Roland Martin" I think of classic TV show Laugh-In

 

[justpassingthough]

I'm fairly liberal and a big advocate for gay rights, but I don't see how that comment was necessarily homophobic. I suppose it was a little implied, but I took it as "If the guy at your Super Bowl party likes the David Beckham ad because he idolizes a rather poor soccer player/fashion icon/guy who makes his career off his looks and not his skill, then smack him".

Not every comment about masculinity necessarily translates into homophobia. Still, as a public figure, its best just to avoid these topics entirely.

 

[spencerkarter85]

First MSNBC suspends Keith Oberman, then comes back and dumped by MSNBC. Then goes to CurrentTV. Then, Joe Scarbourgh gets suspended from MSNBC. Now at CNN, Rowland Martin is suspended from the network. Stop with the suspensions and the news bias.

I've seen Roland's Washington Watch show on TVOne many times. He's a great journalist.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

I'm fairly liberal and a big advocate for gay rights, but I don't see how that comment was necessarily homophobic.

I didn't see the broadcast so I can't defend or attack the decision.

Maybe you had to see the facial expression that went with the comments. Maybe there has been a lot of off-the-air verbal horseplay in the studio and management had counseled him to cut it out before you accidentally forget and do something ON THE AIR like you do behind the scenes.

And then again, maybe management just made a mistake.

 

[arnoldevns]

Free speech is dead in the world of Twitter. His comment was stupid, but hardly serious.

In the spirit of your observation, could we way that being taken off the air might be stupid, but hardly serious?

If you were the supervisor, what would you have done? Called him in and said: If you do that 23 times, we will penalize you? 25 times and then we will take you off the air!

I think a simple apology would have sufficed...but I'm not real sure that was necessary either. I think talking with him privately about the reaction to the tweets and suggesting he be more careful on social networks would be fine. Suspending him only drew more attention to a really contrived controversy. It also puts CNN squarely in the target for any group looking to make a mark by protesting the comment of someone and getting a reaction from corporate offices. It will stifle comments by CNN employees both on and off the air.

 

[sandiegoinexile]

Free speech is dead in the world of Twitter. His comment was stupid, but hardly serious.

In the spirit of your observation, could we way that being taken off the air might be stupid, but hardly serious? If you were the supervisor, what would you have done? Called him in and said: If you do that 23 times, we will penalize you? 25 times and then we will take you off the air!

I think a simple apology would have sufficed...but I'm not real sure that was necessary either. I think talking with him privately about the reaction to the tweets and suggesting he be more careful on social networks would be fine. Suspending him only drew more attention to a really contrived controversy. It also puts CNN squarely in the target for any group looking to make a mark by protesting the comment of someone and getting a reaction from corporate offices. It will stifle comments by CNN employees both on and off the air.

It may not be fair, but it also doesn't help that his wife is an outspoken therapist who advocates that sexuality is a choice and that gays can/should be changed and "made right" with the proper therapy. Sort of a female version or Mr Michelle Bachmann. She just deleted her twitter account today, which was allegedly loaded with plenty of material.