Former ABC News correspondent Terry Moran acknowledged on Friday that his former network had liberal tendencies due to a lack of political viewpoint diversity. This admission came during a conversation with Michael C. Moynihan, co-host of ‘The Fifth Column’ podcast.
Liberal Leanings Due to Limited Perspective
When Moynihan asked, ‘Is ABC News a liberal institution?’ Moran replied affirmatively, emphasizing that it was due to a shortage of diverse viewpoints. ‘That was one of the issues in covering Trump,’ Moran added. ‘Nobody had voted for him.’
During his time at ABC, Moran attempted to challenge the dominant viewpoint by sending internal messages advocating for fair Trump coverage. ‘I sent out these ‘Hey, we should be fair to Trump’ internal emails,’ Moran recalled. He received occasional support from staff members like engineers and producers.
Conflict and Departure from ABC
Following his departure, an ABC News staffer shared with Fox News Digital that Moran often clashed with colleagues due to differing political views. The staffer described Moran as a long-time friend and family man but noted that his social media activity left the network with no choice.
Moran’s contract was not renewed after he posted a comment labeling Trump and Stephen Miller as ‘world-class haters.’ ABC cited this as a violation of its policy and emphasized its commitment to impartial reporting. ‘We hold all of our reporters to high standards of objectivity, fairness, and professionalism,’ said an ABC spokesperson.
Impact on Viewership and Perception
An unnamed staffer mentioned that the network swiftly addressed the situation to avoid losing viewers amid growing distrust of mainstream media. ABC News aimed to maintain credibility by enforcing its policies.
Moran, after leaving ABC, reiterated that a lack of Trump supporters within the newsroom limited its understanding of a significant segment of the population. He noted that while fairness is essential, objectivity in journalism is a complex notion. Moran claimed his work was ‘excruciatingly fair.’
Less than six weeks before his departure, Moran conducted a tense Oval Office interview with Trump, marking the president’s first 100 days back in office. Trump expressed distrust towards Moran and accused him of posing ‘fake questions.’
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