Thursday’s CBS Mornings became the first broadcast network flagship newscast to cover a scandal rocking the British press as legendary BBC News anchor (known as “presenter” across the Pond) Euw Edwards was named Wednesday (by his wife) as the mystery BBC journalist who allegedly paid a young boy for sexually explicit images starting when he was 17 years old.
But instead of denouncing this, CBS seemed to suggest Edwards’s private life was none of our business seeing as how British law enforcement had said he won’t face charges.
Oh, the irony for an entire profession in the liberal media to bellyache about someone’s life being ruined when they themselves get sugar highs off of destroying Christians, conservatives, and/or anyone who stands in their way.
In actuality, it’s not entirely surprising considering this is the timeslot once helmed by alleged sexual creep and near-public spanker Charlie Rose, who co-host and Democratic donor Gayle King admitted she stayed in contact with and whined about “my friend” being under such heavy scrutiny.
Co-host Tony Dokoupil set the table by catching viewers up to speed:
One of Britain’s best-known television journalists is the story himself in a media uproar that has dominated the headlines there for a week now. The BBC’s Huw Edwards was taken off the air amid claims that he paid a teenager for sexually explicit photos. According to his family, he’s now getting mental health care for a depressive episode. Police say he did nothing illegal in this matter, and we should also note that the BBC is one of our international reporting partners.
Foreign correspondent Imtiaz Tyab took it from there, noting that Edwards was not only the anchor of BBC’s “flagship evening news program,” he’s so high-profile that “it was he who was tasked with reporting that the Queen had died.”
“Edwards has earned a reputation over the decades as a calm and steady voice, at times of major crises,” he added. “Now he’s at the center of his own.”
Tyab threw the first jab by implicitly doubting the credibility of the allegations against Edwards. Why? Because the first outlet to report it was “the Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun newspaper” and “the young man has described” the claims “as, ‘rubbish’”.
Tyab also seemed to bemoan this story fetching serious coverage, fretting it “triggered days of breathless coverage” and was “so big, Prime Minister Sunak weighed in.”
After noting the claim that Edwards has been hospitalized due to alleged distress in his mental health, Tyab reiterated Edwards wouldn’t be facing charges and closed with that seemingly veiled disdain with someone’s private life being turned over.
And not just anyone’s private life, but someone whose job it is to target the lives of others:
Now, there’s a huge amount of pressure on The Sun newspaper to explain why it published the allegations against Edwards now that the police have said, hey, look, nothing illegal here has happened while the rest of Britain’s media are really debating whether a well-known person’s private life is in the public interest, and just how much of a right to privacy one is entitled to, no matter how high profile they are.
Co-host and former NFL player Nate Burleson agreed: “[T]hose are some good questions.”
CBS’s hypocrisy in determining the private life of a journalist should be off-limits (when the liberal media get sugar highs off of ruining lives of those they disagree with) was brought to you by advertisers such as Allstate and Nature’s Bounty. Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.
To see the relevant transcript from July 13, click “expand.”
CBS Mornings
July 13, 2023
7:37 a.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Coming Up; BBC Anchor Scandal]
NATE BURLESON: Ahead, the latest shocking twist in a scandal that has rocked the BBC.
(….)
7:41 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: BBC Presenter Scandal; Huw Edwards Suspended After Allegations He Paid for Pics of 17 Yr Old]
TONY DOKOUPIL: One of Britain’s best-known television journalists is the story himself in a media uproar that has dominated the headlines there for a week now. The BBC’s Huw Edwards was taken off the air amid claims that he paid a teenager for sexually explicit photos. According to his family, he’s now getting mental health care for a depressive episode. Police say he did nothing illegal in this matter, and we should also note that the BBC is one of our international reporting partners. Imtiaz Tyab has more on the Edwards story.
IMTIAZ TYAB: So high profile is Huw Edwards, it was he who was tasked with reporting that the Queen had died.
HUW EDWARDS [on 09/08/22]: This is BBC News from London. Buckingham Palace has announced the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. [SCREEN WIPE] [date N/A] Tonight at 10 —
TYAB: As anchor of the flagship evening news program, Edwards has earned a reputation over the decades as a calm and steady voice, at times of major crises.
EDWARDS [date N/A]: The future of the United Kingdom is uncertain.
TYAB: Now he’s at the center of his own. Last week, the Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun newspaper reported an unidentified BBC presenter had allegedly paid around $45,000 to a young person — now 20 — for sexually explicit images starting from when he was 17.
TOM BRADBY [on ITV, 07/12/23]: The crisis deepens at the BBC —
TYAB: The allegations, which the young man has described as, “rubbish,” triggered days of breathless coverage. A story so big, Prime Minister Sunak weighed in.
U.K. PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAK: I think it’s important that the BBC conducts its investigation quickly and rigorously, given the concerning and serious nature of the allegations.
TYAB: Yesterday, Edwards’s wife confirmed in a statement from the now-suspended BBC anchor that he was at the center of the controversy, but did not comment on the claims, only that he checked into hospital suffering from severe mental distress. London’s Metropolitan Police says it’s not considering any criminal charges against the 61-year-old, while the BBC said its internal corporate investigation would continue. Now, there’s a huge amount of pressure on The Sun newspaper to explain why it published the allegations against Edwards now that the police have said, hey, look, nothing illegal here has happened while the rest of Britain’s media are really debating whether a well-known person’s private life is in the public interest, and just how much of a right to privacy one is entitled to, no matter how high profile they are. Nate?
BURLESON: Those are some good questions. Imtiaz Tyab in London. Thank you.