The UpshotABC News cuts ties with Breitbart on Election Day
Andrew Breitbart will not be a part of ABC News' election coverage on Tuesday night. That goes for television, online or any combination of the two.
Andrew Morse, executive producer of ABC News Digital, informed Breitbart on Tuesday of the decision, after several days of controversy and questions about what role the conservative publisher and provocateur would play in the network's coverage.
Morse told Breitbart that since the two sides "are still unable to agree on your role, we feel it best for you not to participate."
On Monday, The Upshot ran through the media controversy, which kicked off Friday afternoon and entangled a major news network, longtime Breitbart critics and ideological supporters.
Several liberal commentators and organizations including Media Matters criticized ABC after Breitbart's Big Journalism site noted he would be providing Election Day analysis from Arizona for the network. Breitbart's site previously published the misleading clip that led to the firing of Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod, as well as secret tapes made in ACORN's offices.
ABC had invited Breitbart to appear at a digital town hall, some of which potentially would air later on TV. However, the specific role--including whether Breitbart was giving "analysis"--continued to be up for debate.
On Saturday, Morse discussed at length how the network saw Breitbart's role. On Sunday night, Breitbart responded that ABC was going back on a verbal agreement with him because of pressure from left-leaning groups.
An ABC spokesman told The Upshot on Monday that Breitbart had "exaggerated" his role.
Morse wrote Tuesday to Breitbart (and posted on ABC's site): "We have spent the past several days trying to make clear to you your limited role as a participant in our digital town hall to be streamed on ABCNews.com and Facebook. The post on your blog last Friday created a widespread impression that you would be analyzing the election on ABC News. We made it as clear as possible as quickly as possible that you had been invited along with numerous others to participate in our digital town hall. Instead of clarifying your role, you posted a blog on Sunday evening in which you continued to claim a bigger role in our coverage. As we are still unable to agree on your role, we feel it best for you not to participate."
UPDATE: Media Matters Chief Executive David Brock, who said in recent days that he'd rather watch Fox News than ABC if Breitbart was on, said in a statement that he's "pleased that ABC finally came to its senses and realized that nothing good can come from associating in any way with Andrew Breitbart." Brock also said that he hopes ABC's "experience with Breitbart's reputation and erratic behavior will serve as a warning to other outlets before they too gamble with their credibility."
(February photo of Breitbart: Reed Saxon/AP)
