New ABC World News Tonight anchor Charles Gibson took the helm on Monday and already he's in a bit of hot water. In a question-and-answer style interview printed in New York magazine, Gibson appears to suggest that issues in Africa are not worth covering. When asked whether he'll be traveling as much as his rival, Brian Williams, who reported from Africa late last month on the issues of poverty and AIDS, Gibson answered, "Now he's in Africa. I don't know why you do that. Why the hell do you go to Africa? It's certainly an interesting choice. We'll do travel, when it warrants."Gibson says he was quoting an e-mail he sent to a friend who works as a producer for NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. In an interview with the Associated Press today, Gibson clarifies that he was questioning why Brian Williams had to go to Africa with a rock star (U2's Bono).
Seven greatest hand cannons in TV history
TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
TV 101: How ESPN controls the world and what the other networks can learn from it
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-01-2006 @ 7:23PM
Joel Keller said...
I questioned why Brian Williams went there too. Was it to shed light on the genocide in Darfur or to give Bono and U2 some free network publicity? I really couldn't tell from the Nightly News he did from there.
Reply
6-01-2006 @ 7:58PM
Anna said...
I imagine that NBC wants to align itself with Bono because 1) he's cool and 2) he hobnobs with a lot of important people.
Reply
6-02-2006 @ 1:40AM
LC said...
I think everyone in the media over analyzes every word someone says without taking context into account. I want to know why any anchor has to go anywhere outside the studio. They have field reporters for that.
Reply