Pastor Suing Local CBS Affiliate
Posted by Todd Rhoades in Current Events on Jan 30th, 2012 | 9 commentsTake a look at this story… what would you do if you were Pastor Gordon?
A New Jersey televangelist says CBS’ sloppy reporting and editing falsely implied that he is a pedophile.
Raymond Gordon, of St. Matthew’s Baptist Church, sued CBS and three reporters with CBS Channel 3, in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas.
Gordon says the man who was accused of sexually assaulting a minor, Archie Bolger, “briefly volunteered as a ‘preacher’ at St. Matthews, [but] he had not served in that capacity for years prior to his arrest. Many members of St. Matthew’s – typically 20 or more at any time – volunteer as ‘preachers’ who are occasionally called upon to deliver gospel during St. Matthew’s busy Easter service schedule. Bolger never had any leadership role in the church, nor was Bolger ever a St. Matthew’s employee.”
But Gordon says that didn’t stop defendant Chris May, an anchorman for CBS 3, from kicking off a Sept. 19 broadcast by saying: “Tonight, a community in shock. A preacher at a large local church is under arrest, charged with molesting a young girl.”
Gordon claims: “Despite the lack of any connection between the arrest and Pastor Gordon, the CBS 3 broadcast opened with daylight video of St. Matthew’s main entrance.
“Anchor Chris May then turned the report over to co-anchor, defendant Natasha Brown. Failing to identify Bolger by name, co-anchor Brown announced: ‘Tonight a local preacher is facing disturbing charges – he is under arrest for alleged child molestation. The pastor works at St. Matthew’s Baptist Church in Williamstown, Gloucester County, and that is where Eyewitness News reporter Elizabeth Hur is standing by live.”
Hur is also named as a defendant.
Gordon says: “CBS 3′s Eyewitness News broadcast continued with a voice-over that, on information and belief, Hur recorded earlier in the day. Hur’s voice-over began: ‘a preacher here at St. Matthew’s Baptist Church must now fight charges of sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and related offenses.’
“Hur’s voice-over was accompanied by daylight footage of St. Matthew’s main entrance, immediately followed by video of St. Matthew’s main entrance sign that prominently identified ‘Dr. Raymond M. Gordon, Pastor.’
“While Hur’s voice-over continued, the CBS 3 broadcast moved to video of a church van, which again prominently identified ‘Pastor Raymond M. Gordon.’
///
So… what would YOU do?
9 Responses to “ “Pastor Suing Local CBS Affiliate”
Leave a Reply
I’m not sure…but I think journalists need to be held accountable. This could destroy this man’s ministry.
I don’t think he has any other option but to seek legal counsel, and to take legal action. A mere retraction would not help the situation: it’s impossible to put the feathers back into the pillow case once they have gotten into the wind.
I don’t believe in frivolous lawsuits but I do believe in accountability. He should sue them.
I think it depends on how far the station was willing to go to make the situation right. A mere retraction wouldn’t help, but a feature story highlighting the mistake and including and interview with Gordon would go a long way toward damage control and provide some good publicity for the church.
That was what I was thinking!
Somebody should have their butt fired at that station as well.
Damage has already been done. You can’t take back an accidental shooting just by apologizing…
That’s massively irresponsible and biast. Not only should the church receive a follow up correction with equal time, placement and emphasis, but they should also receive free promotional spots on that network…or else no other choice but to take legal action.
The church needs to take a fresh look at titles they use because the oversight by the news team is understandable. When the church uses the title “preacher” for its volunteers, then the outside world is going to have difficulty differentiating between “preachers who volunteer” and “pastors who are employed”. It appears from the story as reported above that the news team substituted the word “pastor” one time when describing the “preacher” Also, a volunteer doing ministry under the authority of the church (whether volunteer or paid) attaches a certain liability to the church.
I agree the station didn’t handle it poorly and even showing the church and not being more specific is damaging.
That being said, if the pastor didn’t feel the need to be “prominently identified” all over the church, it might not have been an issue on him. At the front of the church he could maybe get away with, but on the church van, too?