DEPRESSING – AT 11:47 A.M. ET:   NBC News is a mess.  I mean, really.  Have you been watching?  Their Olympic coverage has been filled with errors and gaffes, and terminal dullness.  They brought their regular news anchors to South Korea, apparently as publicity agents to boost Olympic audiences.

Thus, when the Florida tragedy occurred, NBC's heavyweights (in a manner of speaking) were in Korea.  A top news organization would have had some of these worthies get their butts on airliners and jet to the story.  Instead, the Florida shooting was covered from Asia.  Brilliant thinking.  Nothing beats a sense of priorities.

Now we have a new joke, from the network that once gave us Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, and graced us with the wisdom of Edwin Newman and the quality of NBC White Paper.  From USA Today:

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea -- U.S. figure skater Adam Rippon, the openly gay Olympic team bronze medalist who has become one of the best-known names at these Games, has been hired by NBC to work as a correspondent during the remainder of the Olympics, NBC spokesman Greg Hughes told USA TODAY Sports Sunday evening.

Rippon, 28, will work for the network on a variety of platforms, including television, digital and social media, Hughes said.

Always outspoken, Rippon made news in mid-January when he criticized Vice President Pence in a story in USA TODAY. When Pence fired back little more than an hour after the story appeared online, Rippon’s profile was on the rise.

Rippon, who said he was bullied and teased as a boy growing up in Scranton, Pa., came out publicly as being gay in an October 2015 story in Skating magazine. He often talks about how he hopes his story can help others, especially young people who might be struggling with their sexuality.

He also is one of a few U.S. athletes who said they will not go to the White House for a post-Olympic celebration hosted by President Trump. 

COMMENT:  Are we serious here?  That is a gross conflict of interest.  NBC Sports was just covering Rippon this very week, during the men's figure skating competitions.  Was he under consideration as a commentator then?  Did that affect NBC's coverage?  The appearances are bad.  

And Rippon has now injected himself into politics.  Is this good for NBC's image?  I certainly don't think so, especially as the network's Olympic programs are struggling in the ratings.

More journalistic dumbness. 

February 18,  2018