When NBC News covered the viral story of a Los Angeles restaurant owner’s tearful plea for help as she was forced to close her business’s outdoor patio due to California’s newest COVID-19 restrictions, they conveniently omitted a few key details of the restaurant owner’s story.
The viral video shows that an entertainment company was allowed to set up their own outdoor dining area, less than 50 feet across from the restaurant, but NBC News failed to disclose that their parent company, NBC, was the group hypocritically partnering with Los Angeles city officials.
The outdoor catering area was been set up for the crew of the NBC comedy “Good Girls,” according to the New York Times.
“I’m losing everything,” said Pineapple Hill Saloon & Grill owner Angela Marsden in the video. “Everything I own is being taken away from me. And they set up a movie company right next to my outdoor patio.” She added, “My staff cannot survive.”
Bar owner in Los Angeles CA is livid to see that mayor Garcetti has approved an outdoor dining area for a movie company directly across from her outdoor dining area (which was shut down) pic.twitter.com/jkUP2CWg35
— Critical Jake Theory (@jakecoco) December 4, 2020
When NBC covered the story over the weekend, it cut out footage from Marsden’s video showing the tables, chairs, and the catering facility set up across the street from the Pineapple Hill Saloon & Grill.
NBC journalist Meagan Fitzgerald said during the segment, “Businesses and livelihoods hit hard. But the toughest toll of all is losing loved ones.” If NBC was really concerned about people’s lives, they probably wouldn’t be using their corporate status to circumvent COVID rules other businesses, like Marsden’s, are forced to follow.
When Marsden was asked about NBC’s deceitful reporting she told FOX News she doesn’t understand “why anybody would want to [make the situation in California with COVID restrictions] smaller than what it is.”
On Monday, NBC reported on the story again and finally included the fact that her restaurant is being closed down even though a corporate company had been able to host an event right next to her. However, again, NBC failed to mention they were that company.
“Angela Marsden owns a restaurant in Sherman Oaks, California. Her post about a movie company setting up a dining area just feet from her outdoor space, where she’s not allowed to serve, going viral,” said NBC correspondent Miguel Almaguer. To put the cherry on top, Almaguer added, “Still, for those on the pandemic’s front lines, the mandates are crucial.”
As Washington Examiner’s Becket Adams said, “NBC is fully supportive of the new round of lockdown rules, as long as NBC doesn’t have to follow them.”
Marsden is not sure she will be able to reopen her businesses due to new orders banning outdoor dining from politicians like Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Marsden has set up GoFundMe for her restaurant which has already raised over $180,000.
