Jennings to Stay at ABC

[Sarangel]

Yahoo News reports that Peter Jennings is close to renewing his contract with ABC news. Can you imagine the ratings if he left?

Sarangel

 

[SteveS]

The ratings might actually go up.

 

[toefungus]

NO way, he's probably the best evening news anchor out there. I'm glad he's staying.

 

[KFISCHER]

He lost me, big time, when he refused to put Toby Keith on his July 4th special because he didn't like the lyrics of his new song that ripped Bin Laden.


He's always been too far left for me.

Of course, if he leaves, ABC would just hire another lefty.

 

[ds251]

He lost me when he bad mouth President Bush on 9-11-01. Maybe he should just go back to Canada.

Another bad move by Disney execs.

 

[Kruuzin]

I agree with letting him go. I have a hard time with a Canadian determining what Americans should have access to on July 4th. He could have a say on Canadian independence day but who does he think he is determining what us appropriate for American's to watch on our Independence Day.

 

[treesinger]

Perhaps I'm just arguing details but...

Jennings has been anchoring a VERY long time. I'm wondering, since he's been working in the US so long that maybe he has pursued and gotten citizenship. If he has, then he would have as much right to agenda-set as any other American anchor.

And personally, I think ripping bin Laden is soooo secondary to the true spirit of Independence and Liberty. We may all want him dead, but to focus too much on him reduces our focus on the true fight. Honestly, if I want to see someone rip bin Laden, I can see it every single night on late night talk shows after local news.

 

[toefungus]

I guess you all are right. A canadian give us the news? How dare them! We should send all the Canadians back to canada where they belong and take them off of TV. We also need to send Connie Chung back to China. And what about all of those black news reporters? Send them back to Africa and make them do the news there. What great ideas everyone.

 

[wdwguide]

I am quite sure that Peter Jennings is a permanent US resident, and has been since the early 1960s. The only thing where he and a US citizen differ are that he has a different passport and cannot vote or be elected in the US.

 

[treesinger]

Toefungus, they weren't talking about any particular prejudice against Canadians, they simply believe news about Americans for Americans should be presented BY Americans. At last check, Chung IS American, as well as probably 99% of black reporters.
If you take their comments at face value, it's easy to misunderstand, but I think the meaning was a little deeper than that though.

 

[treesinger]

Well WDWGuide, that qualifies him enough for me!

 

[Sarangel]

Ummm... First of all, Americans are immigrants from all over the globe (with the exception of the Amer-Indians). Some of us have been here longer than others, but is that a reason to dismiss a "talking head" because his roots are Canadian? Regardless of what his identity papers say, he has been a resident of the country longer than I, at least, have been alive. I think that gives him some perspective on the American point of view.

Secondly, Jennings may have some say in what he broadcasts, but I'm sure that his producers and directors have at least as much say, if not more, about the content of his broadcasts. His job title is "talent," not "editor."

Thirdly, Jenning is locked into contract with ABC until 2005. Check out the Link. So, like him or not he's around for a couple more years.

Sarangel