Bill O’Reilly’s reporter claims he’s a “blogger who reads blogs” when ambushing Janeane Garofalo
FNC’s Bill O’Reilly is known for his ethically-challenged ambushes of media personalities, whether it’s following bloggers for hours while they’re on vacation or claiming that the ambushees were given the opportunity to come on the show when they weren’t. But his latest ambush has reached a new low; the reporter he sent to interview comedian Janeane Garofalo not only didn’t say right away who he was, he lied when asked directly by Garofalo:
GAROFALO: What are you doing here?
JENKINS: I’m just a blogger [who] reads blogs. He’s a radio host.
GAROFALO: But what do you do with all those blogs?
One can debate the merits of following a Think Progress blogger for hours in a car and running up to her while she’s on vacation, but failing to disclose your employer and claiming you’re a “blogger” even when confronted directly? I know that O’Reilly is a ratings draw and so therefor holds a lot of sway at Fox News, but executives should in this case step in and lay down some ground rules, especially since this involves underling correspondents and producers at Fox News more than O’Reilly himself.
