The first broadcast network presidential debate this year, which ended its national telecast and switched to a choppy livestream feed two-thirds of the way through the event, produced a storm of complaints from viewers across the country and two of the candidates on the no-frills debate stage in Spartanburg, S.C.
CBS?s foreign policy debate, co-sponsored by National Journal, offered unusually detailed discussion of policy and a format that was free of many of the literal bells and whistles of more slickly-produced face-offs. But the confusing format ? the televised portion for most of the nation ended after an hour and viewers were expected to go to the Internet to see the final 30 minutes ? led to widespread frustration among those following the debate.
Continue ReadingA network spokeswoman, Sonya McNair, said its livestream had been overwhelmed by an unexpectedly large audience, and brushed off complaints. The final half-hour had been added, she said, for the benefit of South Carolina viewers.
?We weren?t programming it for reporters in Washington D.C.,? she said, even as it emerged that ? in an unusual breakdown between network and affiliates ? none of the four CBS stations in the state actually carried the last half hour.
CBS took an equally sharp line toward the candidates who complained about a lack of attention during the debate. Ron Paul?s campaign chairman, Jesse Benton, said the network ?should be ashamed? of the little time it gave Paul, given his solid poll numbers and military service. And Rep. Michele Bachmann produced a pre-debate email from newly minted CBS political director John Dickerson, mistakenly sent to a Bachmann staffer indicating that Bachmann is ?nearly off the charts,? ?not going to be getting many questions,? and probably wouldn?t be even be worth inviting to a post-debate webcast.
?Bachmann is at 4 percent in the polls and has been for a while. Other candidates aren?t,? Dickerson responded. ?I sent an email based on that.?
CBS?s McNair also cited the poll numbers, adding, ?It was a candid exchange about the reality of the circumstances.?
But CBS already navigates conservative distrust over Dan Rather?s botched report raising questions about George W. Bush?s National Guard service in 2004 and Katie Couric?s grilling of Sarah Palin in 2008 ? and Bachmann?s campaign manager said the candidate?s debate treatment flew in the face of assurances from CBS Vice President Chris Isham that the Bachmann would get a fair shot at the debate.
?They were really embarrassed,? said campaign manager Keith Nahigian. ?They said, ?we take it very seriously. We assure you you?ll be treated fairly.?
?We?re the only candidate that didn?t get a single follow-up question,? he said. ?It?s not their job to determine this stuff. It?s just outrageous.?
Paul and Bachmann may take some solace in the fact that many viewers didn?t see the full debate. While some West Coast stations carried the full 90 minutes, network executives said network affiliates in Washington D.C., New York, and most other major East Coast markets switched to a re-run of a 2010 episode of the police procedural show NCIS, whose plot hinged on missing nuclear material.
And despite statements from moderators Scott Pelley of CBS and Major Garrett of National Journal , who said ?all CBS affiliates statewide will carry full 90 minutes,? the affiliates in all four South Carolina media markets switched away for the last half hour.
?WLTX is on the CBS network feed. The last 30 minutes was not offered to CBS stations. Not sure why Scott Pelley said we were,? Columbia?s WLTX said on its official Twitter feed.
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