Where is the Media?
There are now nine separate proceedings in three jurisdictions related to the McNair family. Serious allegations have been raised. Why is the media remaining silent?
I’m not a journalist. I have become frustrated with local news which is one of the many reasons why I started this Substack. There were things happening in my community that I thought should be made public. There were important stories that were not being reported. But it wasn’t until I stumbled upon the court cases involving the McNair family that I realized just how much some stories get supressed.
I asked AI to explain to me the core principles of journalism. The results were:
Truth and Accuracy: Journalists must strive for accuracy, ensuring that all facts are verified and presented in context.
Independence: Journalists should maintain independence from those they cover, avoiding conflicts of interest.
Fairness and Impartiality: Reporting should be balanced, presenting multiple perspectives to build trust.
Humanity: Journalists should be mindful of the impact of their work, aiming to do no harm.
Accountability: Journalists must hold themselves accountable, correcting errors and being transparent with their audience.
Journalists have failed us on this story. The Houston Texans are of great public interest and so is the family that owns them. Our journalists’ independence is questionable, they are not reporting fairly and impartially and they are not holding themselves accountable.
In November, 2023, a guardianship proceeding was initiated in Harris County Probate Court. The media picked up the story. Cary McNair had filed an application for guardianship and a request for an independent medical examination for his mother, Janice. Janice is the surviving spouse of Robert McNair who owned the Houston Texans NFL franchise. Robert passed away in 2018. Janice, who is eighty-eight years old, had a stroke in 2022.
The case was sealed as it was reported that Cal and Janice challenged the guardianship. The court ruled against an independent medical evaluation and Cary dropped his petition to be appointed guardian of Ms. McNair. The Chronicle ran the following headline:
ABC13 Houston posted:
Houston Public Media posted:
Click2 Houston posted:
Sports Illustrated posted:
ESPN posted:
The Guardian posted:
This was the last time these publications reported on the lawsuits. The probate case, while sealed from the public, was not closed. In fact, according to court records, there was a hearing on August 13, 2024 and another hearing on September 26, 2024 in that particular case.
Cal and his siblings, Ruth and Melissa, also filed a separate case in probate court on June 5, 2024 through the McNair entity Palmetto Trust Company against Cary McNair and other executives at McNair Interests. According to my research, there was only one media outlet, Fox26 Houston, that reported on the filing of this lawsuit:
Since that time, there have been seven other related lawsuits filed in three different jurisdictions. Some of these lawsuits raise significant questions regarding the mental state of Janice McNair and include very serious allegations against Cal McNair, the current owner of the Houston Texans.
The media has not reported on any of these lawsuits. Instead, some have run very complimentary stories about Cal McNair.
Other news outlets and journalists, through their “X” accounts, have reported on sightings of Janice McNair.
Matt Young is a sports reporter at the Houston Chronicle and he posted this on 9/29/24:
Jonathan Alexander covers the Houston Texans and the NFL for the Houston Chronicle and he posted this on 9/29/24:
John McClain who is a retired sports reporter for the Chronicle, posted this to his X account on January 13, 2024. This was prior to any ruling on the guardianship of Janice McNair. McClain has over 150,000 followers on X. Coincidentally, McClain was laid off from his job at SportsRadio 610 two weeks later.
The guardianship case is a private, family matter but the allegations that have been raised in other cases (that are not sealed) are very serious. Everyone wants the Texans to do well as they are a huge part of the local community. Continuity of business is important and succession planning in a corporation is a key element of the responsibility of leadership. However, the cognitive and mental capacity of an elderly owner and key subsequent events raise very real ethical and moral questions.
Where are our journalists? Why isn’t the news being fairly reported? Where is the balance and independence? These are public documents and the public relies on the press to share news that matters. Our news has a duty to report these issues.
The lack of balanced media coverage can severely undermine public trust, leading to significant long-term consequences. When important stories are suppressed or biased, people may see the media as untrustworthy, which hinders informed decision-making and decreases civic engagement. This disillusionment can embolden those in power, fostering a culture of impunity and diminishing public confidence in governance. Ultimately, eroding trust in the media threatens creates division within the community and weakens the democratic fabric.
The silence is deafening but the bias is loud and clear.
(The situation surrounding the McNair entites and the related lawsuis is dynamic and will evolve over time. Readers are encouraged to stay informed about any updates as new information becomes available. The events described are based on public records, court filings and allegations made by various parties involved. For context on the lawsuits involving the family, please refer to previous posts. It is important to note that the courts have not yet made final determinations on these matters, and all parties are entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise in a court of law.)