NBC Apologizes For Editing Out 'Portion' Of Pledge - But Doesn't Mention Omitted Words Were 'Under God'

(By Mark Finkelstein, NewsBusters.org) - As Noel Sheppard reported earlier, in the show-opening feature of its coverage of the final round of the US Open golf championship today, NBC--twice--edited out the words "under God" from its clip of school children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Clearly many Americans were offended and let NBC know about it. Because later in the broadcast, host Dan Hicks issued an apology on behalf of the network. But NBC simply compounded one omission with another. The apology spoke of "a portion of the Pledge" being edited out--but never mentioned that the omitted words were "under God."

In its feature segment opening its coverage of the final round of the US Open golf championship, NBC omitted the words "under God" from video of schoolchildren reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. NBC apologized later in the broadcast for omitting "a portion" of the Pledge, but didn't mention that the omitted words were "under God."