DeSantis debunks 'book ban hoax' in mainstream media
Gov. Ron DeSantis gave a video presentation to counter the mainstream media's narrative on what he called the "book ban hoax" happening in Florida on Wednesday.
Media outlets were accused of inadvertently proving Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., right after it was revealed that some live feeds to his presentation on the "book ban hoax" were cut for displaying "sensitive" or "explicit" content.
On Wednesday, the governor hosted a video presentation addressing the media narrative surrounding his efforts to remove political and sexual content from Florida school libraries. During what he described as "debunking the mainstream media," DeSantis featured a video displaying of books that have been banned from school libraries.
After these images were featured, it was reported that local news affiliates cut the live feed, suggesting that they were too explicit to feature on their stations.
A local reporter was caught on a hot mic saying her job was to make Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis "uncomfortable." (Screenshot/First Coast News)
"UPDATE: Some of the media had to cut their feed when books with graphic content were displayed that were found in K-12 school libraries," DeSantis press secretary Bryan Griffin tweeted.
The claim was confirmed by WFLA investigative journalist Masha Saeidi, who revealed that her station’s feed went down for the five-minute presentation featuring the book images.
"Our feed is back up on @WFLA— @GovRonDeSantis takes stage —after 5 minute video showing sexually explicit content/books that DeSantis’ office says were found in Florida schools," Saeidi tweeted.
She later explained, "I’ll say it again. When we were told sexually explicit content would be shown - we went down. I am not disputing that. I emailed my newsroom, concerned. Then after that - around 11:21 - we had a technical issue when @SenMannyDiazJr was speaking. True technical issue."
"I am NOT saying we would air that content. It was explicit. I have not seen that on our news before— there would have to be a discussion and manager approval— however, the warning is why we did not show it," Saeidi added.
DeSantis remarked on news feeds being cut after the video had concluded.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis previously signed in to laws bills that reevaluated books kept in Florida school libraries. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
"So first of all, I think that video, I think some of the news had to cut the feed because it’s graphic," DeSantis commented.
"So a lot of that what’s been going on is an attempt to create a political narrative," he added. "And it’s a false political narrative. And that’s bad enough as it is, I guess, but for me, the important thing is that’s a false narrative in service of using our schools for indoctrination rather than education."
In addition to live feeds being cut, Twitter also marked video of the coverage as "potentially sensitive content."
In a comment to Fox News Digital, Griffin commented on the reports of news outlets cutting the live feeds.
"If these materials are not appropriate to show on the news, are they appropriate for children to be reading?" Griffin said.
Photo full library shelves after Governor DeSantis signed into law re-evaluating the books allowed in Florida Schools. (Duval County Public Schools)
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"Today, Governor DeSantis disabused the media’s false narratives surrounding Florida’s educational standardS," he continued. "Florida doesn’t ‘ban books’, but pornography is prohibited in schools and CRT will not be utilized as educational material. Florida teaches African American history, but we will not allow the subject to become a vehicle for agenda-driven political advocacy. And most importantly, as the governor noted, ‘[T]hese are false narratives—that is important—but it’s a false narrative in service of trying to use the schools for an inappropriate purpose.’"
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