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CBS Incident Committee News Release No 18



%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  Editorial Board of CBS Incident Committee  %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

                      Saturday, October 15, 1994   (No. 18)

==============================================================================

Hi, everyone, thanks for your participation in the recent campaign. Here is
the good news. The Chairperson of US CCR, Mary F. Berry had issued a formal
draft letter to CBS News. As a result, one of the US CCR commissioners is 
planing to attend our case. This time, we got the individual number list only 
on Tuesday afternoon, and we needed to get the job done before Thursday. We 
pushed at the right time and the right person, which resulted in this recent 
success.

Since the beginning of the establishment of CBS Incident Committee, we have
experienced tremendous pressure and criticism from many sides. The arrogant
replying letter from CBS Vice President cast heavy clouds over the movement,
since he further asserted that "hundreds spies were recruited by MSS", and the
"one in eight illegal exports closed .. involving China", "so the problem may
be even greater than we reported." At the same time, many people tried 
once again to bury their heads into sand to turn away from the reality 
and to believe that such kind of groundless accusation could only be 
dealt with nice wishes and reasonable gestures. Not only many tried to 
justify the attackers but also many tried to question the motivations of 
the defenders. It was those who firmly believed that such a traditional 
mentality would lead the Chinese community to nowhere as it had failed 
again and again in the past one and half centuries, and those who fought 
fearlessly and tirelessly in the past five months that have accumulated 
the evidences that directly counter the false representation of the CBS 
program on May 19 of 1994.  This achievement has been recognized by many 
Chinese community organizations such as OCA and Committee of 100, civil 
rights institutions, and Chinese and English media. Now the United 
States Commission on Civil Rights had finally decided to lend their 
hands to us. No matter how subtle this step may seem to be, it is giant 
milestone of our Chinese Civil Rights movement.


Thanks again for all the support we have gotten from you guys. 


Mi Mi

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       *****   US Commission on Civil Rights' Letter to CBS   *****
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States
Commission on Civil Rights
624 Ninth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20425

October 12. 1994

Mr. Eric Ober, President
CBS News
524 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019

Dear Mr.Ober:

On May 19, 1994, the CBS Evening News aired an "Eye on America" segment that 
we fear may have sown seeds of suspicion that large numbers of Chinese American 
and Chinese national in the United States are potential foreign agents. The
broadcast caused considerable consternation among many Chines Americans and 
Chinese nationals in the U.S. who felt that they were unfairly represented as 
spies.

This Commission is nearing completion of a multi-year study of racial and 
ethnic tensions in this nation. While our focus is on poverty, inequality and
discrimination, we are aware that the report of the Kerner Commission on Civil 
Disorders found that news coverage can influence the intensity, direction and 
duration of racial tensions. What was true in 1965 is no less true today.

The CBS Evening News has a long-standing reputation for reporting the news 
aggressively, accurately, and fairly. We do no t believe that CBS intentionally 
turned its back on that commitment when it aired its report on a potential 
serious national security issue. Yet, we are troubled in hearing from the Asian 
American Journalists Association and other Asian American organizations
interested in civil rights that your May 19 program may have stirred 
anti-Chinese feelings in this country.

The First Amendment rightly protects the free press, even when its reporting is 
unfair or sensational. however, news organizations have a responsibility to 
report with special sensitivity when the subject matter could exacerbate 
existing racial and ethnic tensions. Balanced and accurate reporting on such 
issues not only helps to provide an audience the truth about what happened, it 
can also serve to bind communities together.

Sincerely,

For the COMMISSIONER

Mary Frances Berry

Chairperson

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