Beware those “independent fact-checkers” when they throw the allegation “Missing context.” This can translate as: “not enough liberal context.”
We discovered this on our own Facebook page, which was flagged for "Missing context" on the failure of Silicon Valley Bank:
But when we clicked on “See why,” it wasn’t a defense of their fractured SVB “context-checking.” It was a generic "Help" page.
MRC Communications Director Iris Miller emailed in protest on Friday to FCAppeals@AP.org:
Dear Fact-Check Editor,
I am writing to appeal your missing context flag on our video featuring Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus's thoughts on the SVB collapse.
We appear to have been swept up in a fact-check aimed at posts actually claiming the bank failed directly due to woke policies. Both Mr. Marcus in his interview and our piece give the opinion that the bank was badly run because it too focused on these policies. Mr Marcus is a highly successful businessman and is entitled to share an opinion on this.
Even though missing context flags supposedly do not hurt our page, they do prevent us from running ads to share our message.
As we never said the bank fell due to woke policies, I am asking that you remove your subjective missing context flag.
Looking forward to your response, Iris Miller
So a lame "missing context" flag impairs our ability to share a conservative message. Bernie Marcus isn't even mentioned in the actual AP "Fact Check" article.
But this reflects AP's liberal reflexes. Marcus appeared on Fox News to trash Biden, and this is where the badly named "independent fact-checkers" are surrounding their Democrat-enabling wagons right now.
Did ‘woke’ policies doom Silicon Valley Bank? Experts say there’s no evidence to support the notion spreading on social media. https://t.co/c6rgCsNf30
— AP Fact Check (@APFactCheck) March 16, 2023
Iris heard back Friday from AP editor Barbara Whitaker: "Dear Ms. Miller, Thanks for your comments. I am going to discuss this appeal with our standards editor. I will get back to you."
Then on Wednesday, Whitaker emailed again to explain AP's process
Dear Ms. Miller,
Thank you for bringing up this issue. After consultation with the standards editor, we’ve determined the “missing context” rating will remain. While Mr. Marcus doesn’t directly say the bank failed because of “woke” policies, his comments were made on a news segment about the SVB collapse and in that context make it appear the failure occurred because the bank was too focused on “diversity and woke issues.”
You say that is his opinion, but this was a news segment not an opinion piece. There is nothing to counter-balance what he said, leaving the reader to think those policies led to the bank’s failure, hence the rating.
To which Iris replied:
Barbara,
Letting you know that we do plan to write this up for NewsBusters.org and include your response. I'd also like to know if it is the position of AP that every AP story should include counter-balancing opinions?
Looking forward to your countless flags of MSNBC and CNN when their content is posted on Facebook.
It's downright comical that AP would explicitly write us that "missing context" means "no liberal opinion included." AP and other liberal outlets leave out any conservative rebuttal in "news" stories on a daily basis.
Whitaker didn't want to reply any further:
Hi,
If you want further comment, you would need to contact Lauren Easton _ leaston@ap.org. She heads our communications department.
PS: A quick glance at Barbara Whitaker's LinkedIn page suggests she's a fan of the so-called "Center for Countering Digital Hate," which is all about defeating conservatives and listed the MRC in its "Toxic Ten" list.
