‘Today Show’ Hypes BBC Reporter Calling Shooting ‘Just Another Day’ in U.S.

NBC Promotes BBC Reporter Calling Shooting ‘Just Another Day’ in U.S. (NewsBusters)

At the top of Thursday’s NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer seized on a BBC World News correspondent dismissing the San Bernardino shooting as “just another day” in America: “I don't often start coverage of an event like this by talking about how other people are covering it, but a commentator for the BBC said overnight, ‘Just another day in the United States – another day of guns, chaos, and panic. This time in the city of San Bernardino.’”

Later, in the 8 a.m. ET hour, correspondent Harry Smith used that remark as the premise of a full report on mass shootings: “Ours is the only nation in the civilized world where these events happen with this kind of numbing regularity. The BBC reported Wednesday's shooting as – ” A soundbite followed of the actual BBC report: “Just another day in the United States of America.”