• John Ziegler,  Katie Couric,  Norman Lear,  Sarah Palin,  University of Southern California

    John Ziegler Answers USC Response to His Frogmarch

    John Ziegler / Katie Couric at USC from Orange County Films on Vimeo.

    John Ziegler is handcuffed, detained and escorted off the University of Southern California campus, April 15, 2009 – the long version

    I received an e-mail from John Zielger on Saturday saying he would be responding to USC Annenberg Dean Ernie Wilson’s response to the April 15, 2009 incident where Ziegler was handcuffed and detained on the USC campus.

    Here is Ziegler’s inline sentence by sentence answer (in bold):

    Thank you for your communication about the recent incident that took place at the Cronkite Awards ceremony involving an individual named John Ziegler. I want you to know the background of the situation. 

    In the days before his appearance on our campus, Mr. Ziegler publicly stated an intention to “demonstrate” (not true. I used the word â€protest” and later sent out a private e-mail to my website’s mailing list telling my “followers” NOT to come or protest, my op-ed and press release on the matter said only that I would be giving out copies of my film) against the presentation of a journalism award to Katie Couric. USC was happy to accommodate Ziegler and provided him with a designated area where he could register his protest (not true. that was not offered until after I was handcuffed and was irrelevant because I was not “protesting” but rather asking questions), be seen by attendees at the event, as well as students, and pass out whatever materials he wished.  
     
    On the day of the award ceremony, Mr. Ziegler arrived on campus with two cameramen (not true. we arrived separately and they did not work for me), not as a demonstrator, but as a journalist (really?? that’s very interesting and certainly not how they treated me), and demanded (false, I asked and never even pursued entering, only asking for a rationale for why I was not allowed to) that he and his cameramen be allowed to enter the Davidson Center to cover the event. There was in fact, pool coverage set up because the room was not large enough to accommodate multiple camera crews. He was told he could have that feed, which he refused (not true, I would have been happy to have the feed and inquired as to how to get it).  After being told repeatedly that the event was by invitation only, he contended he had a right to roam up and down the entryway with his cameramen (I didn’t have the right to be on an “open” campus that takes federal money??!), and he persisted in refusing to comply with the University’s request that he stay within a designated area (not true, that was after I was handcuffed) . After repeated requests for compliance, Mr. Ziegler was given the choice of either being arrested or leaving campus. He chose to leave campus (false, after being handcuffed. I was told I was under arrest and would be booked, then the LAPD and some higher ups arrived and I was told to leave or I would be booked and the camera people would be as well).
     
    The University both respects and facilitates freedom of speech and expression on campus (just not for conservative filmmakers asking about bogus awards given to liberal media members), but also reserves the right to set reasonable ground-rules to avoid disruption to its operations and protect the rights of others (which was in no way endangered in this situation). We at the Annenberg School have a powerful and evident commitment to protecting and promoting freedom of expression and the rights of the press (really??). I respect your feelings about how this incident was handled (gee, I wonder why!).

    Sincerely,

    Ernest J. Wilson III

    Dean and Walter H. Annenberg Chair in Communication

    Ziegler says he will be pursuing his legal rights in the matter and it is my bet, USC will cut its losses and apologize in some way.

    As the university should…….

    Previous:

    The USC Response to the Frogmarching of John Ziegler

    Video: John Ziegler – “I Did Absolutely Nothing Wrong”

    Video: The USC Trojan Frogmarch of John Ziegler


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  • John Ziegler,  Katie Couric,  Marty Kaplan,  Norman Lear,  Sarah Palin,  University of Southern California

    Video: John Ziegler – “I Did Absolutely Nothing Wrong”

    Conservative Filmmaker John Ziegler interviewed by Greta Van Susteren

    Remember the Flap from yesterday.

    Apparently, the University of Southern California does NOT appreciate this type of journalism. The video above shows John Ziegler as he is handcuffed, detained and then escorted off the USC campus for attempting to interview people attending the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism.Also, Ziegler wanted to give away copies of his film on Sarah Palin.

    Watch the video above and then read this piece from a left-wing pundit.

    Press awards are generally open events, but even if it was a closed affair, Ziegler had a right to be a nuisance at USC.

    After all, this is America.

    A bad move for the Annenberg School of Communications, the Norman Lear Center and the University of Southern California.

    Wonder if Katie Couric will EVER have a comment?


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  • John Ziegler,  Katie Couric,  Marty Kaplan,  Norman Lear,  Sarah Palin,  University of Southern California

    Video: The USC Trojan Frogmarch of John Ziegler

    John Ziegler is handcuffed, detained and escorted off the University of Southern California campus, April 15, 2009

    Apparently, the University of Southern California does NOT appreciate this type of journalism. The video above shows John Ziegler as he is handcuffed, detained and then escorted off the USC campus for attempting to interview people attending the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism.Also, Ziegler wanted to give away copies of his film on Sarah Palin

    Professional television journalists from across the county and a group of USC Annenberg students and faculty gathered April 15 for the 5th Walter Cronkite Awards Ceremony, administered by the Norman Lear Center, at USC’s Davidson Conference Center. The ceremony included a roundtable discussion and a luncheon where winners received their awards and gave remarks.

    Katie Couric made the trip to Los Angeles, taking time from her position as anchor and managing editor for the CBS Evening News to accept her award for “Special Achievement for National Impact on the 2008 Campaign,” which she won for her interviews with Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. At the podium Couric told the audience she went to great lengths to be unbiased in her interviews, focusing on every facial expression and body position.

    The Norman Lear Center in the USC Annenberg School for Communication, you say, sponsored these awards. Might they be a little nonplussed at the conservative Ziegler and called out – “SECURITY?”

    The Norman Lear Center was founded and is directed by Marty Kaplan, associate dean of the USC Annenberg School, who has been a political speechwriter, Hollywood studio executive, and screenwriter-producer.

    And, who is Marty Kaplan,the Director of the Norman Lear Center?

    Marty Kaplan is the Norman Lear Professor of Entertainment, Media and Society at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and the founding director of the Norman Lear Center for the study of the impact of entertainment on society.

    Since May 2005 he has been a contributing blogger at The Huffington Post. In 2008 he became a weekly columnist at The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. He hosted the radio show So What Else is News? on Air America Radio until September 4, 2005.

    He has worked as speechwriter and deputy campaign manager for Vice President Walter Mondale, a contributor to the public radio programs Marketplace and All Things Considered, a Disney studio vice president, a movie producer, and a screenwriter (Noises Off, The Distinguished Gentleman).

    No, left-wing political agenda there, huh?

    I have two degrees from USC and I can tell you have never witnessed such strong arm tactics. The fact is there were few people there, and no commotion (except when security accosted Ziegler).

    The universiity would have been better off allowing Ziegler to continue. Now, conservative donors will wonder why Norman Lear and his left-wing fascists now have a foothold on the campus.


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  • David Shuster,  John Ziegler,  MSNBC,  Sarah Palin

    Video: David Shuster of MSNBC Smacks Down Sarah Palin as Clearly Unqualified

    David Shuster of MSDNC (MSNBC) Vs. John Ziegler on Sarah Palin’s complaints about media bias

    Flap thinks Sarah Palin’s latest foray into the biased media world borders on whining. Nobody likes a whining POL.

    Time for the Alaska Governor to concentrate on the future and policy issues rather than the “poor ol’ me” routine.

    She is better than this John Ziegler exploitation moment and besides there are plenty of surrogates who can bash Shuster, Matthews and Olbermann over at MSDNC. Remember Shuster’s glee at the Palin Thanksgiving Turkey pardon-slaughter news conference?

    Enjoy the clip above anyway.


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  • Barack Obama,  Sarah Palin

    New Poll: How Obama Got Elected – Interviews with Obama Voters

    www.HowObamaGotElected.com by John Ziegler looks at how media coverage of the 2008 election impacted what Obama voters knew (or thought they knew) about the campaign.

    John Ziegler is out with a new poll – you know the one that Zogby took the heat and pulled out of the gig. Captain Ed has a summary:

    • Those “exposed” to Fox News got “congressional control” correct 64-25 (+39)
    • Those “exposed” to CNN got “congressional control” correct 48-38 (+10)
    • Those “exposed” to Network news got “congressional control” correct 48-39 (+9)
    • Those “exposed” to print media got “congressional control” correct 52-37 (+15)
    • Those “exposed” to MSNBC got “congressional control” correct 55-35 (+20)
    • Those “exposed” to talk radio got “congressional control” correct 61-29 (+32)

    Some interesting Sarah Palin observations:

    • Women under 55 did worse than they might have by guessing on four of the thirteen questions, and yet 95% of them knew that Palin was the candidate with a pregnant teenage daughter. Even 95% of those in this demographic group who didn’t know “congressional control” got this question correct.
    • Those “exposed” to MSNBC “scored” 90% correct on the three Palin questions (including an incredible 98% on the “pregnant teenage daughter” question), while those not “exposed” to MSNBC averaged 84% correct on those three questions.

    The GOP definitley needs to work on its communications shop and have a much better messenger.

    DUH…….


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