Here comes the Shake and Bake

[Earthpilot]

Press Release From AMA:

"60 Minutes II" interested in motorcycle racing
Nov. 13 – The AMA has been contacted by the CBS News program "60 Minutes II" on the subject of motorcycle competition, notably AMA Supercross.

A CBS News producer first contacted the AMA in late September, reportedly working on a "balanced, fair, and accurate" segment about "the growth, success, and excitement" of AMA Supercross. The AMA cooperated fully, supplying rulebooks and other background information, as well as spending considerable time on the telephone with the producer, to help him gain a working knowledge of AMA Pro Racing and AMA Sports competition.

In light of specific concerns about the ultimate direction of the "60 Minutes II" report, the AMA declined the producer's invitation for an on-camera interview. The AMA hasn't yet learned when (or if) CBS will air the segment, but we'll be watching the situation closely. Look for updates on AMADirectlink.

 

[Big Tuna]

I'm not a big 60 Min. watcher, but aren't their documentaries usually pretty controversial? I think that the AMA has reason to be a little wary. :think:

 

[truespode]

I believe there will be a lot of concern since it was a news show like 60 minutes (or may have been them) that lead the charge against 3-wheelers. Even after being sued for modifying the 3-wheeler to make it more prone to accidents the story still had an impact. I believe incidents like that and the Pinto "adjustments" they made give people a good reason to be concerned in the "fair" part of their story.

However, lets not get too carried away about journalism. It has never been fair or balanced. Yellow journalism goes back years and years. I love what journalism SHOULD stand for but I realize that most of what we have is Yellow Journalism.

Back in 1895 one newspaper guy told a guy on assignment something like "you furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war." That goes to show you that the "fairness" of journalism has always meant to be their "fair" share of the ratings and profits.

Ivan

 

[Camstyn]

Who was it that interviewed Super Hunky, and took his quotes out of context to make dirt bikers look bad?

 

[truespode]

LA Times I believe.

Ivan

 

[dirt bike dave]

IMO, the AMA should STAY AWAY.

While the prospect of nationwide TV exposure for your product is seductive, there is a huge downside if CBS has an anti-motorcycle agenda.

 

[ExoSphere]

According to the quick blurb about it on the RacerX site, it appears they are focusing thier attention on injuries... This is going to turn out bad...

 

[motomike137]

This is one of the side effects of our sport growing and becoming more visible to "mainstream america". They feel it is their duty to save us from ourselves. They sit in their cubicles in their office buildings in some city and surmise that they know what is best for the rest of us. And then the worst happens when some desperate TV reporter latches onto a compelling issue with such a sensational story line. "Death Wish Bikers Come to a Stadium Near You". These insane motorcrossers (cut to a failed backflip at some freestyle) are filling your little junior's mind with all kinds of deadly thoughts. These two wheeled killers need to be banned! I can't wait to see this show.

 

[Dougie]

They probably got a hold of some tape of kids crashing their bikes trying to emulate the pros.

 

[oldguy]

I would be willing to bet the story will start out on SX but switch mid stride to shots of freestyle (as in following Travis thru a season) and end up highlighting the danger and injuries. The SX scene would not provide the controversy they like to stir up and this way they could show their concern about the health risks of dirtbikes.
The couch potatoes who see the world thru their TVs would then have a firm grip on how Dirtbikes are dangerous ( after all they saw it on a television news show :| ) and as previously said "how they need to help save us from ourselves"
60 minutes has a well earned reputation for using on camera quotes/statements cut and spliced to suit their needs.

 

[wardy]

thats exactly when 20+ thousand in here start calling, writing and making all the politically correct noise to counter it. Let 60 minutes II know that there is a huge audience out here that won't let them slide for a second.
If some of you remember that bad crash here in the summer, and the local TV station tried a "ban on dirt bikes for kids poll" we effectively shut that down in a matter of a day. simply by voting.
We could easily overload thier web site and phone lines with a co-oridnated move, one that would be respectfully against there motives.
Don't kid yourselves, tree huggers are hiding behind every tree! or berm :)

wardy

 

[Fred T]

I posted my feedback in the 60 minutes forum.  You should too. As a much older member of the off roading sport I've noticed that one big reason for a surge in MX is due to land closure which forced riding on closed circuit courses. This encouraged more off roaders to ride MX or nothing at all. We have lots of trail riding here in MI but in some states it's very limited.  Not bashing MX at all! If I owned a dirtbike in some other state then I might be an MX'er too.  The way MX has transformed in the past 20 years jumping has become a much larger part of it than it was in the 1970's when I rode in competition and lets face it - big air mistakes can lead to injurys. But as I realized at DW 02 you don't take the big jumps if you don't want to get hurt.  They are tempting though...You can hit trees and get hurt too - knowing your limitations is the key.  I hope 60 minutes won't give our sport another damaging blow.

 

[TreeKiller]

I agree with MotoMike, DO NOT try to protect me from myself! I know the risks! Laws and public sentiment should not be used to force people to give up activities when they are aware of the obvious risks. This seems to be the tone of the day (smoking, MX, ...) If you're not aware that MX is not the safest sport in world. Then your an idiot and deserve to be cleansed from the human gene pool. Protect me from things that I can't control (robbers, crackheads, terrorism, and worse yet lawyers and politicians(legal crooks and terrorists)) but not things I choose to do and that hurt no one else. What's next car racing, sky diving, BMX, skateboarding. If you can't live with the risks involved in any sport, that's your decision, NOT MINE, so keep your nose out of it.

 

[Zoomer]

That will be great, they'll give the audience the idea that Motorcycles are bad, and they are much safer staying at home and becoming a couch patato, smoking and drinking, then going down to the local Liquor store at half time to get more, and kill them selves, or someone else. It still comes down to numbers. I think the number of people that get killed riding off road (MX,enduros, trail etc) verses most of all the other sports is a very small number. IMO> If they would compare it the way it really is, it would show off roading as a very safe sport. With there slight of hand trickery, it will show up as guaranteed death if you ride a motorcycle! :think: