Video misidentifies ex-employee; a PBS statement says he did not speak for the service
PBS responded this week to a controversial videotape featuring a former PBS employee saying that it was “great” that coronavirus cases were spiking in red states and comparing President Donald Trump to Adolph Hitler.
The footage was released by Project Veritas, a conservative group known for publishing videos made without the subject’s knowledge by someone who engages them in conversation. The Associated Press, which reported on the video on Wednesday, described the episode as a “sting operation.”
The video triggered a flow of some 100 angry messages to the PBS Public Editor’s office.
Most messages, including voice mail left on the Public Editor’s phone line, expressed outrage that PBS employed a person who would espouse views expressed by the lawyer, Michael Beller. Many demanded that PBS fire him.
Our intent here is to make sure that those who complained know they were heard. They must also know the full and accurate story.
On Wednesday, PBS said in response:
"This employee no longer works for PBS. As a mid-level staff attorney, he did not speak on behalf of our organization, nor did he make any editorial decisions. There is no place for hateful rhetoric at PBS, and this individual’s views in no way reflect our values or opinions. We strongly condemn violence and will continue to do what we have done for 50 years – use our national platform and local presence to strengthen communities and bring people together.”
The Project Veritas post describes Beller as “principal counsel.” Other sites and many viewers then interpreted that to mean he was chief counsel or the top-ranked lawyer in the organization. Beller handled contracts in the legal department. He did not speak for PBS, had no spokesman role and did not have any hand in editorial decisions.
Amid the outcry, one commenter wrote in to directly criticize a short note and the PBS reponse published on our webpage. The viewer accused us of “downplaying” the significance of the Project Veritas report. That commenter also complained that I noted that Project Veritas has been found to have produced deceptive videos. However, that statement was based on public record and we stand by it.
Yet another commenter wrote, “It’s irrelevant that Project Veritas was found to produce deceptive videos, your attorney spoke loud and clear for the entire culture of PBS.”
The fact is, this ex-employee’s statements are no such indication. While PBS explicitly espouses principles of tolerance and high ethics and integrity, no employer can tell its employees what to say in private, or in what they believe is a private conversation. PBS promotes diversity, and diversity comes with an untold variety of personal choices, opinions and worldviews.
PBS does not tell its employees what to think or what to say, politically or otherwise. As is typical of organizations, most PBS employees are not authorized to speak on behalf of the organization. That role falls to select members of the management team. That said, it is incumbent on PBS employees, especially those with actual or possible “public facing” roles and responsibilities, to remain above the fray and avoid even the appearance of bias. (Statements of opinion are best kept to clearly labeled segments on public affairs shows, and as points of view in documentaries.)