Rocky’s Letter to The Deseret Morning News
The Biased and Deceptive Reporting in the Deseret Morning News
Statement by Mayor Rocky Anderson - November 4, 2005
It’s my understanding that this letter was distributed to the media at the time but re-printed nowhere. It is fiercely well documented and I believe demonstrates an undeniable reality…The Deseret Morning News for whatever reason, has facilitated if not initiated, one of the most unfair, unproductive, long-running attacks on a community leader I have ever seen. Read entire letter.
I also believe the DMN has engaged in wholesale violations of the ethical principles to which journalists are supposed to adhere. The fact that Brady Snyder’s editors continue to “stand behind†him and the accuracy of his reporting, particularly in light of his many misrepresentations of fact, is professionally and ethically reprehensible.
Rocky summarizes on the last page of the 10-page letter.
The above is not intended to be a comprehensive analysis of the false, deceptive, and often hurtful reporting by the DMN. It is only a sampling. However, I have taken the time to provide this information, as I have taken the time to write several op-ed pieces, to describe the bias and severe lack of credibility of much of what has been published in the DMN, and to stress the responsibility of reporters and their editors to determine, as reasonably as possible, the facts—and to keep in mind the tremendous damage that can befall victims of poor, biased, misleading reporting. Of course, the publisher and owner of the newspaper have an enormous responsibility to assure that the truth is told and that bias is minimized.
And finally, Rocky throws down the glove…
Because of the clear bias and deceptiveness of Snyder’s reporting, including his damaging mischaracterizations of my comments and views, I will no longer communicate with him. He has falsely paraphrased things I have said, giving them much different meanings than conveyed in my statements. He has ignored things I have said, apparently when my statements did not support a story line he had in mind. His misleading, deceptive, hurtful reporting has led others to perpetuate the fictions, write hateful and cruel editorials and emails, and has generated extremely hurtful misconceptions about me, my statements, and my views.
Brady Snyder, an unassuming, twenty-something, evangelical Christian reporter is no longer employed by The Deseret Morning News.
I leave the last paragraph for the curious reader. Read entire letter.
The only commercial media I’ve seen on this is a City Weekly article.
January 28th, 2006 at 12:56 am
GET OVER YOURSELF ROCKY
January 28th, 2006 at 8:58 am
His relationship with the media is positively Nixonian.
January 28th, 2006 at 9:07 am
It seems to me that Rocky’s ongoing spat with the local papers is actually a microcosm of the war being waged for truth in the blogosphere. Yes, he takes it personally, and perhaps a little too much given the fact that he is a public figure, but it seems to be pretty common wisdom at present that the mainstream media throughout the world are more clearly focused on specific agendas due to ongoing consolidation of media ownership, resulting in unchecked and undisclosed bias.
When Rocky stands up for a perceived wrong, as he did in his letter, he is fighting for the rights of all people to hold media accountable for their bias. This is of course nothing new; media has been used for generations to sway public opinion to the agendas of the owners and friends of the owners. But his right to speak out and his exercise of that right is essential to the functioning of democracy. Sometimes he makes me laugh, but everytime he makes me think. Rocky Anderson is doing the hard work of democracy, and whatever your own bias, he deserves respect for doing so.
Rocky Anderson’s leadership on so many fronts: respect for the earth, building sustainability, civil rights for all people is what makes him the lighting rod that he is. It is a shame that his detractors do not attempt to engage him substantively, but rather focus on tabloid-style sensationalism in service of whatever agendas they may have.
January 28th, 2006 at 9:29 am
But Rocky’s personalized complaints about the media make his claims to a larger concern about generalized ‘media bias’ issues a little suspect.
January 29th, 2006 at 9:58 am
Nothing can prepare you for the shock of being attacked publicly by the media, and you never get used to it.
It must be particularly frustrating to be unable to challenge bad and inaccurate reporting.
Charlie, to the extent that one may interpret Rocky’s letter as a personal complaint, I don’t see how that makes “suspect†the FACT of just plain wrong reporting.
I thought the letter documented perfectly the falsehoods and destructive liberties taken by a clearly biased media as much subject to personal bias by reporters and editors, as Rocky’s reaction to it.
I’d be interested to hear, where you think “Rocky’s personalized complaints about the media make his claims to a larger concern about generalized ‘media bias’ issues a little suspect.â€
Paula
January 29th, 2006 at 10:49 am
Maybe Rocky’s friends would feel better about it if I dropped Nixon from my analogy and said instead that Rocky’s relationship with the media is similar to Ed Koch’s relationship with the media. His squabbles with the local media - and not just the Morning News - are legendary. He’s thin-skinned and takes things personally. He’s gone to war with practically every news outlet in town save perhaps for the T.V. stations. He’s even gotten upset with City Weekly. And he doesn’t just react badly to negative coverage. He’s lashed out at the media for its failure to report things about Rocky that Rocky felt it should have reported. So when I say I suspect his claims to a larger media bias concern, my suspicion isn’t based on Rocky’s letter to the News. It’s based on an impression that has built over the years of watching Rocky and the local media carry on. And, Paula, let me acknowledge that it is merely my impression and not a statement of fact that Rocky’s famous dealings with the local media reasonably give one pause when he makes broad claims about media bias in general. And, really, to any of us, media bias exists to the extent that the media doesn’t see things the way we do.
January 29th, 2006 at 11:24 am
Charlie, I’ve never met Rocky, but from what I hear, he’s seems not a lot different from any other politician.
Not being from here however, it strikes me as a bit unusual how much focus and visceral reaction toward him there seems to be from outside of SLC. Why should people in Garfield and Cedar City care about the mayor of Salt Lake? It kills me how the letters to the editor in the Deseret News come from all over the state to bash Rocky.
Lets face it, it’s a sport. It’s a tug of war between Utahns who want SLC to be more like Utah (bash Rocky), and SLC folks who want SLC to be more like the rest of the world (vote for Rocky).
The media plays into this “sport†to sell newspapers. You would never know reading either paper, that Rocky is the only politician in the state who seems to be concerned about the inversion. At least as far as I can tell.
And I believe I would be correct to say that this is the only state where the they pass laws at the state level to prevent the mayor of one city from doing normal things like requiring bidders on city contracts to pay a living wage and give preference to Utah companies, or like LaVar’s new bill prohibiting any public entity from providing benefits to unmarried couples.
The whole thing stinks if you ask me, and even if you didn’t. Thanks for listening.
Paula
January 29th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
You know, as far as politics goes, you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Perhaps Rocky went a little overboard, I don’t know. Yes, perhaps he should have “thicker skin” and not take things so personally and let some things go. On the other hand, I admire him for calling the media on what he perceives as biased and false reporting.
I grew up on the east coast in a family of republicans (btw, My folks are some of the most life-loving republicans I know who shaped who I am and what I chose to become - which is not in line with where they are politically - and are proud of me for standing up for my values.) My dad ran for House of Delegates three times. Each time he garnered more votes but he just couldn’t oust the incumbent. When the press asked the winning incumbent (the third time around), “Why do you think Don Taylor doesn’t win?”, the reply was “Don is just too good a person to be a politician.” This was partly in response to the media pressuring my father to attack his opponents and deliver negativity to his campaign. This may have hurt him (as far as winning the seat) because the media gave him little coverage since he refused to deliver negativity towards his opponents, but that did not prevent my dad from adhering to his platform and his values. He ran a positive and honest campaign all three times.
I guess my point is that folks stand up for themselves in different ways. I may not agree with their methods or the frequency or results of their methods, (and then again I may agree)….but I sure do admire folks who at least stand up and get their voice heard. I would ask what example do I want: a silent politician who lets things go leaving one to speculate or an outspoken politician who isn’t afraid of openly defending himself? I can only answer for myself what example I look up to.
The larger picture for me, in this instance, is what Rocky has done for our community and our planet. Those results far outweigh the media squabble in which he has found himself involved.
My 2 cents,
Deanna
January 29th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
Picture a large blue wave comming to wash clean this Great Country.
Rocky waxes his board in a hawian shirt and a Jimmy Buffet Hat.
January 31st, 2006 at 12:49 am
Mayor Rocky Anderson Mentions My Blog in Official Press Release …
That was just one part of Rocky AndersonÂ’s rather lengthy diatribes about the Deseret News. They Mayor has quite a long laundry list of gripes against them. Most politicians just learn to let negative stories in the news roll of their backs but apparen…
December 17th, 2006 at 11:50 am
[...] Having spent several months as Rocky’s interim communications guy, I witnessed up close and personal the viceral, organized and popular sport of Rocky bashing. I can tell you it looks no different frm the inside than the outside for the simple reason that both of our major daily papers loved it and facilitated it. John Hughes (D-News Editor) pushed one young reporter so hard it ruined the kid’s career. And I watched in horror as Trib reporter Healther May compromised every journalistic ethic she might have had. Both reporters called me several times a day looking for dirt. Never once did they ask about any the many good things Rocky was doing. [...]
December 18th, 2006 at 9:46 am
WAAAAAH! Rocky want his blanky, or his baba?
Hey it comes with the job. Don’t soil your diaper rocky.
Grow some hide.
Clint yer dreamin. That’s a good thing. When Rocky whines at the oppositions’ victimization of him he appears weak, he is divisive, not him personally, but because he is on the far side of the political seesaw. All citizens have the hope they get someone representing their side well, even if they lose. Rocky polarizes, and there is no wave coming to this country that is going to let one side live over another.
These local battles are moot, the country is facing monetary crisis, and loss of world position. It is happening so fast but does the media in the US report on it. This antagonism is what the elites love, keeps the dummies, all of us, looking at side shows while the real action won’t be known until your pocket is empty, or your kid is off making the world safe for world corporatism.
Of course the whole concept of Rocky being interested in environmental matters is silly, Utah is primarily a resource extraction point. Don’t forget the huge coal burners down in the swell. Or the open pit copper mines(nice one in lasal) Heavens, the people are so easily misdirected, but then Rocky is after all the mayor of a city the size of Burbank Ca. and has no control over any of this.