Dateline Dissapearing Act?

by cornish 11 Replies latest jw friends

  • cornish
    cornish

    Im just starting to get this suspicious feeling.

    Why is it that there is no mention of last Tuesday's sceening on the Dateline page?
    All other recent shows have some sort of mention,and are even on streaming audio,prehaps they will get round to doing it for this one,but I,m sure they had the highlights to last weeks show up and running by Saturday.

    Why am I suspicious?
    As I have mentioned before,back in 1996,I was involved in a regional TV documentary on the Jehovah's Witnesses which was screened on BBC2 regionally and an audio version on Radio 5 nationaly,this really did some good in exposing the Watchtower at the time,but after the show was screened their is usually a talk in on BBC local radio stations in the region,the BBC even had plans to screen the program on TV nationaly,but it all went silent,and BBC local radio would not even accept calls on the subject,I mean on a local radio station the subject was censored.

    On investigation through the producer we found out that the Watchtower society had put its law department in full swing and frightened the BBC with various legal threats about future screening etc.
    Here we are with the BBC one of the champions for free speech in the world,silenced by the Watchtower,even though they didnt have a leg to stand on,they really know how to throw the flack,put on the legal frighteners and use loopholes and that is why they invest so much in their legal and PR departments.

    I hope they dont repeat history,but fortunately,the major hit has already happened by it being screened in the first place,so now its just a damage limitation excercise.

  • Insider
    Insider

    If a legal issue actually arises because of the Dateline report, perhaps it may have something to do with that recorded telephone conversation with the WT legal department that was broadcast, in part, on national television...

  • Guest 77
    Guest 77

    Things do get 'sticky' and 'political' when your dealing with corporations.

    Guest 77

  • Gopher
    Gopher

    Insider,

    I was thinking the same thing -- that the Society may try to act against Dateline and/or Bill Bowen for airing the tape of Bill's conversation with the legal department.

    I hope they do press the issue -- because it'll further publicize the actual contents of the tape, and that is proof that the Society's legal department urges the local elders NOT to get the proper authorities involved when there are cases of child rape/molestation.

    So in other words, let's get all nitpicky about legalities when wiretapping a conversation between an elder and his religious corporation, but screw the little child who needs justice, just tuck it away until it's "Jehovah's time" as they say.

    -J.R.

    Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.--Will Rogers, 1879-1935

  • Mamacat
    Mamacat

    I also looked for Dateline to have at least a summary of the broadcast on the website. I am very disappointed that it isn't.
    My mom is a JW and we have been talking about these allegations. I am hoping, as she is a sexual abuse survivor, she will see the cover up for what it is.
    She was at the Hall when the show aired, and she expected it to be on later as an elder told the bookstudy group that it was on at 10 eastern time.
    I found the Dateline broadcast very informative, the WTBTS didn't choose to comment. Guess they didn't have enough time to spin things their way...

  • LB
    LB

    Funny how the Borgers pull out the lawyers whenever they get caught lying.


    Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

  • William Penwell
    William Penwell

    Has any body thought, maybe no one really gives a S*** about some insignificant cult like the Jdubs??? It’s all to do with ratings and if NBC/Dateline doesn't think it’s bring in the viewers they will drop it like a hot potato..

    Will

    "I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's."
    Mark Twain

  • 144thousand_and_one
    144thousand_and_one

    William, thanks for the words of wisdom!

    Folks, the WT corporation is an insignificant ant compared to NBC. If NBC had doubts about its legal position, they wouldn't have aired the show.

    How many people that you meet are really interested in the Jehovah's Witnesses? For the vast majority of the public, Jehovah's Witnesses are nothing but fodder for jokes, or an occasional nuisance. NBC bases its decisions on ratings and profits, not fear of a cult's legal department.

    The JW legal department benefits from this sort of hysteria. Let's not help them out.

  • Gopher
    Gopher

    In response to the last two posts, this installment of Dateline NBC was a winner. It defeated the competition, as noted in this thread: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=28916&site=3

    So it's difficult to say that this segment was of minor interest, when in fact 9.2% of American homes were tuned into Dateline NBC.

    -J.R.

    Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.--Will Rogers, 1879-1935

  • Sam Beli
    Sam Beli

    As big as NBC is they may not want to spend the $$$ necessary to fend off a legal assault by the WT’s “free” legal team. As we know from the desperate father’s situation in Canada, the WT will throw as much litigation as possible at a foe since its cost of doing so is considerably less.

    So, a legal challenge is not an impossibility on the WT’s part.

    Sam Beli

    "...religion opposes the commandments of Almighty God." Violence by J. F. Rutherford 1938

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