Fan Boy Custer

[sinklair]

Yet another example of why our viewers don’t trust local media as an unbiased news source:
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php/?fbid= ... 8444205284

Mid-Michigan’s “number one” news anchor David Custer posts smiling selfies of him and President Biden while covering the President’s visit to Bay City.

This is the example he’s setting for other journalists about how to handle yourself when covering big stories, politics, etc? Completely toss away your independence and neutrality.

Let’s see if GM Ken or News Director Jayne do anything. But I doubt it. Because it’s David Custer’s ego fueled world and we just live in it.

However, if he can’t resist taking fan boy selfies with the President, maybe just sit his butt behind the desk to read the teleprompter next time.

[Deleted User 15555]

Maybe you should say the same for MAGA Bondy.

[sinklair]

BTS: you mean like how I called out Bondy for his right wing tendencies in this post?
https://www.mibuzzboard.com/phpBB3/view ... GA#p720477

Yes, if it’s not good to show support for one political party, it’s also not good to show it for the other side as well.

[Deleted User 15555]

What’s amazing to me is how soft people are. It’s the most powerful man in the world. A picture is not the end of the world and anyone who clutches their pearls over “neutrality” in that situation should step back from the ledge.

“But it’s journalism”, yeah, still soft.

[sinklair]

I’m all for covering the most powerful man in the world. I’m not OK with pretending that you’re an independent journalist one moment, then gushing on social media and taking photos like you just met your high school crush.

We have a job. Do it.

Stop trying to be a social media influencer.

Talk about topics our viewers actually care about. Hold our leaders accountable for working in the public interest.

It’s not that hard actually.

[Deleted User 15555]

He did do his job. There was nothing on the air that was anything other than neutral.

Again, you are SOFT. It’s a picture on Facebook. It didn’t say “greatest president ever”. Riding with the motorcade is a big career moment. Just like any photog would likely post about it or any field producer would post about it.

Try to get some sleep tonight instead of sending shit to FTV Live.

[Realist]

Super Ego-boy Custer is the number 1 reason I don’t watch TV5 for news…

[cathouse1974]

I like watching him. He's really good.

[Herm]

He did do his job. There was nothing on the air that was anything other than neutral.

Again, you are SOFT. It’s a picture on Facebook. It didn’t say “greatest president ever”. Riding with the motorcade is a big career moment. Just like any photog would likely post about it or any field producer would post about it.

Try to get some sleep tonight instead of sending shit to FTV Live.

You make a good point here. Being an objective journalist does not mean that you don’t have personal opinions, it means that your personal opinions don’t affect your journalism.

[sinklair]

You’re not being an objective journalist when you have a smiling selfie on your station branded social media channel. Optics matter when it comes to viewer trust.

I agree that journalists— like everyone else — have personal opinions. However, good journalists keep those opinions to themselves.

I can’t ever recall the late, great Sam Merrill expressing his personal opinion or fan voting like Custer. (But you got him away from the cameras, we’ll that was a different story.)

Sam was a professional. Custer is not.

[Deleted User 15555]

There was no personal opinion in the post. It was a picture with the president. Something most people will never get to do.

Most normal people wouldn’t clutch their jollies over it or think there was anything weird about it.

[Deleted User 15555]

He did do his job. There was nothing on the air that was anything other than neutral.

Again, you are SOFT. It’s a picture on Facebook. It didn’t say “greatest president ever”. Riding with the motorcade is a big career moment. Just like any photog would likely post about it or any field producer would post about it.

Try to get some sleep tonight instead of sending shit to FTV Live.

You make a good point here. Being an objective journalist does not mean that you don’t have personal opinions, it means that your personal opinions don’t affect your journalism.

If the post said anything favorable toward the president, I’d agree that it would cross the line. The post only mentioned how the day was spent and what an experience it was.

[sinklair]

I’m pretty sure most of the posters here who don’t have a problem with Custer posting selfies with President Biden, probably would have a big problem if he did that with former President Trump. The fact is the selfie should be off limits.

If Custer was a truly independent reporter, he would have taken a photo of Biden speaking at the event, the arrival of Air Force One at MBS Airport, etc. to reinforce he was covering this event. Instead he again makes himself the story.

Selfies are for his attendance at Cher concerts, not political rallies.

[DAC]

Custer sucks.

[DAC]

And Meg blows.