The Biden campaign is under fire after a progressive radio station in Wisconsin conceded that it edited portions of an interview with President Joe Biden upon the campaign's request.

This development has sparked debates on journalistic standards and transparency, amid scrutiny of Biden's cognitive abilities and White House transparency, as The Blaze reports.

On July 3, Earl Ingram conducted an interview with President Joe Biden that was published the following day. Following the interview, the Biden campaign requested specific edits before its broadcast.

Campaign Requests Edits to Interview

Civic Media, the radio network, acknowledged on Thursday that it complied with the campaign's request but admitted the decision failed to meet "journalistic interview standards."

The edits targeted segments where Biden made what were deemed non-sensical statements.

On July 8, Civic Media publicly disclosed the campaign's request and initiated an investigation into the matter.

The investigation uncovered that the production team considered the edits non-substantive and removed two segments before airing the interview.

Specific Edits and Comments Detailed

The first edit concerned an assertion by Biden where he claimed, "... and in addition to that, I have more Blacks in my administration than any other president, all other presidents combined, and in major positions, cabinet positions."

The second edit pertained to a comment Biden made about Trump's controversial call for the death penalty of the Central Park Five.

Biden's edited statement was, "I don’t know if they even call for their hanging or not, but he–but they said [...] convicted of murder."

Civic Media Admits Shortcomings

Civic Media acknowledged that their decision-making did not align with the expectations of its audience, especially given the high-profile nature of the interview. The company criticized both the handling of the interview questions and the decision to edit the audio.

"We did not meet those expectations. Civic Media disagrees with the team’s judgments in the moment, both with respect to the handling of the interview questions and the decision to edit the interview audio," a Civic Media statement read.

The controversy unfolds in the backdrop of Wisconsin's pivotal role as a swing state in presidential elections.  The integrity of media practices is under particular scrutiny as both parties vie for influence in such key battlegrounds.

Campaign Influence Over Media

Ingram, the station's interviewer, used four of the five questions suggested by the Biden campaign, raising additional questions about the extent of the campaign's influence over the interview's content.

The station's acknowledgment has added fuel to ongoing debates concerning media objectivity and the ethical boundaries of accommodating political requests.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the admission by a Wisconsin radio station that it edited portions of an interview with President Joe Biden at the campaign's request has raised significant concerns about journalistic integrity and transparency.

The incident highlights the delicate balance between media cooperation with political campaigns and the need to maintain independent journalistic standards, particularly in the crucial context of swing states such as Wisconsin.

The investigation and subsequent revelations by Civic Media underscore the broader implications of such actions on public trust and the ethical considerations of modern journalism.