THE UFO CHRONICLES

Friday, October 03, 2008

MY UFO EXPERIENCE: Seeing is "Not" Believing

By J. Brunson
Harrisburg, PA.
9-29-08
[Unedited]

Not sure if your interested, but I just posted a comment on the ABC News, web page, regarding the “Seeing is believing” special. In part, its because of your response. I’m tired of seeing these shows and doing nothing. Maybe its time for all of us to stand up.

This type of “bubble gum” journalism is permeating everything facet of our society . Our parents believed in the news. Walter Cronkite was, at one point, the most trusted man in America! Now, what do we have, who can we trust. NO ONE.

The news organizations learned their lesson, during the Vietnam War, when the truth was transmitted directly into the homes of the American people. That’s when everyone learned not to tell the whole truth, about anything, to the American people. Anyway, here’s what I thought, about “Seeing is Believing”.

To whom it may concern,

Allow me to start by saying thank you, for your apparent willingness, to a least discuss the topic of UFOs. However, is it possible, to have an informed, through discussion, of the topic. One which includes all the facts. If Woodward and Bernstein conducted their investigation, of the Watergate scandal, with the same attention to detail, as all modern day journalist’s, Nixon would be remembered as one of our most respected Presidents.

ABC News interviewed, and didn’t use, over 100 interviewees, some of which were among the worlds most informed scientists, on the topic of UFOS. Stanton Friedman, and Dr. John Mack claimed to have been interviewed for over an hour, only to have a few seconds used.

Regarding Roswell, ABC News editors decided not to air an extended interview with, COLONEL Dr. Jesse Marcel, who allegedly handled the wreckage. Also, you didn’t even have the courtesy to mention the credentials, of Nuclear Physicist Stanton Friedman or Colonel, DR, Pilot, Flight Surgeon Jesse Marcel Jr.

How can you mention the incidents at Stephenville, and Phoenix without mentioning the Air force’s denials, omissions, and retractions. Maj. Karl Lewis, a spokesman for the 301st Fighter Wing at the Joint Reserve Base Naval Air Station (Fort Worth), said no F-16s or other aircraft from his base were in the area the night of Jan. 8, only to retract his statement later, upon learning of the Radar data retrieved by MUFON, through the Freedom of Information Act.

Finally, when it appears a journalist will actually perform a thorough investigation, Stephenville, She is allegedly told to stop the investigation, and allow the story to die, or be fired. That’s what happened to Angelia Joiner, from the Stephenville-Empire Tribune, but that is never discussed either! Witness after witness, describes harassment, intimidation, and threats by the Military and Government. Why isn’t that ever followed up on, or mentioned?

One witness to the Stephenville lights, Ricky Sorrell, said he was told by a member of the military, “You need to shut your mouth about what you saw”. Sorrell, also claims to have had multiple phone calls from military personnel, one in particular ended after this person stated, “ Son, we have the same caliber weapons as you do but a lot more of them.” Your interviews never mentioned a word about any intimidation, or threats.

Please explain why so much time is given to professional Skeptic’s? Dictionary.com defines the word Skeptic as, “a person who questions the validity or authenticity of something purporting to be factual,” exactly what do they add? They don’t research the incidents, or conduct interviews, they do nothing but challenge the integrity of the witnesses, or researchers. Why is this an excepted procedure, when it comes to UFOS. I’ve never seen professional Skeptics on any other documentaries’, or show’s.

If that’s how ABC is going to conduct all its show’s, then fine, after every news story, on the Evening New we will have someone from Skeptic magazine come out and say, “well Dan, I’m not sure its been proven we ever actually went to the moon”, or “gee wiz Tom, I don’t believe there really is a War in Iraq!

Please don’t misunderstand, I love the idea of “Fare and Balanced News,” lets just all admit, that when it comes to UFOS “Seeing is Believing” is deaf and dumb!

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Labels: ABC, Bubble Gum Journalism, David Muir, J. Brunson, Maj. Karl Lewis, My UFO Experience, News, Peter Jennings, Seeing is Believing

4 Comments:

Frank Warren said...: Good Day JB,

Thank you for your, descriptive, pithy review of "Seeing is Believing," ABC and the media in general.

Sadly,I found myself in agreement with most of what you said, and certainly the "gist" of your missive.

In slight contrast this "sequel" if you will, was a tad better then it's parent. hosted by Peter Jennings; in my view the Stephenville segment was the highlight of the program. From there it was downhill.

Another missed opportunity to air some good investigative journalism rather then capitalize on the topic of Ufology, which seems to be the case given the short production time, as well as using footage from the Jennings' original.

Separately, Angelia Joiner shares the following:

"Hi Frank,
You might let this writer know that Ricky wasn't interviewed because his sighting was not on the 8th of Jan. Also, he wasn't willing.

Thanks,
Angelia"

Cheers,
Frank; 5:52 AM
UFOMAN said...: Hi Frank,
Steve Allen here. The ABC show was to be 2 hours then was cut back. So that really threw them on what to put on. Lots of reporters efforts down the drain, for now. I do agree it could have been handled differently! We have some news about. So much to say a so little time. Thanks for all your efforts!
Steve Allen; 6:03 AM
Frank Warren said...: Mornin' Steve,

Thanks for taking the time to make comment!

Methinks that "part" of the problem is when you take Ufology away from (offbeat) "cable channels" and remove the fog machines, spooky organ music, the oh so familiar eerie English accented narrator and put it in the mainstream, in this instance, "ABC," there are "expectations."

For those of us that pay attention, we're quick to "catch" mistakes, spin and or bias; for the UFO abecedarian, they're none the wiser, and there in lies the main problem: Ufologists want the public to know the seriousness of the matter by educating them with the facts; when the media falls short of that, or even worse, "distorts the facts," then this raises our ire, which sadly is more the "norm," then not.

This particular show was in a position to be scrutinized even more then usual, given the fact that it was married with its original with Peter Jennings; the latter being highly criticized by the UFO community, including by many researchers that were involved with the production company.

Of course, as I have often said, and as JB points out, the news as we "knew it" doesn't exist anymore! It's just a component of the corporate mainstream media whose goals are in line with the "entertainment" divisions of their respective networks i.e., to make a profit.

The Muir version started out with a bang, (as did the Jennings version) but soon fell into the same rut that most MSM venues fall into. Of course re-airing the "Jennings' footage" that most weren't happy with in the first place wasn't to bright in my view!

It was better then the Jennings' version; however, I'm afraid that isn't saying much; on the other hand, if we edit everything out except the "Stephenville segment," then we would have a home-run!

Cheers,
Frank; 6:40 AM
Jay Michael said...: I missed this show, is it available online somewhere?; 11:14 AM