When Those Pesky Blogs Undermine NPR News

NPR.org ^ | May 3, 2005 | Jeffrey A. Dvorkin

[baystaterebel]

It seems there are no secrets any more... even when you try to keep them.

The Pentagon found that out to its cost over the past weekend when it released its report on the shooting death in Iraq of Nicola Calipari, an Italian intelligence agent.

Calipari died while rescuing an Italian journalist who had been held hostage by Iraqi insurgents. As they drove to safety, the Italians ran into a U.S. Army checkpoint. The Americans opened fire on the car, killing Calipari as he tried to shield the journalist.

'Unredacted'

NPR's Vicky O'Hara reported on a Defense Department document, which exonerated U.S. military personnel. The document was highly edited (or "redacted" in Pentagon parlance), with about 20 percent of the original information removed.

Over the past weekend, NPR placed the document on its Web site.

[baystaterebel]

Dvorkin whining about how blogs hang NPRs bias out for the world to see. Amazingly the man supports in his rebuttal the very things that NPR is accused of.

Further proof that a well versed moron is still a moron.

[randog]

There are times when editors have to make a difficult choice between the public's right to know and the risk of endangering lives.

Interesting that NPR considers a news story more valuable than human life itself. But that's not news, is it?

[Phantom Lord]

Interesting that NPR considers a news story more valuable than human life itself. But that's not news, is it?

Actually, the opposite was being said. That editors sometimes have to spike or limit the scope of a news story to save lives and prevent putting lives in danger.

[SkyDancer]

But wait a minute - isn't a news editor part of the public? What makes him/her some sort of special person who decides what to tell or not?

[Servant of the 9]

Second, the blogosphere has proven once again to be an amoral place with few rules. The consequences for misbehavior are still vague. The possibility of civic responsibility remains remote. It is a place where the philosophy of "who posts first, wins" predominates.

Oh please.
That was always the policy of the legacy media, though during the last 50 years they have tried to paste a compasionate face over their ruthlessness.

SO9

[dangus]

>> Dvorkin whining about how blogs hang NPRs bias out for the world to see. Amazingly the man supports in his rebuttal the very things that NPR is accused of. <<

No, the article actually "complains" that the bloggers published material sensitive to national security, such as the names of the security personnel involved in the incident, and operating procedures for such cases. Not one of the blogosphere's proudest moments, and an example of why FR used to have constant reminders that "Loose Lips Sink Ships."

[MississippyMuddy]

Public radio's listenership continues to rise.

Sure , sure Mr.Dvorkin. It seems he is just really pi##ed off that people expose NPR for what it is. This jackass is blaming the bloggers, instead of NPR lol, how typical. Jeff

[Eric in the Ozarks]

CBS reported the driver of the car was doing 60 miles an hour as it approached the check point.

[montag813]

I have yet to see a "blog" which doesn't suck, other than FR. DailyKOS has got to be the worst of all, having zero credibility. They simply LIE for political ends.

[paddles]

"Those who rely on the Internet as their primary source of news keeps growing compared to other media sources. This group also considers Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, to be the most trusted television anchor."

Hurl.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

[baystaterebel]

"American newspapers traditionally and scrupulously segregate fact-based reporting from opinion by designating pages for each. Radio and television try to ensure that opinion remains secondary to reporting. Conclusions should be drawn warily. Bloggers tend not to care if they, and their readers conflate opinion and fact. It's part of the appeal of the blogosphere. As news organizations fight to regain their battered credibility and vanishing audiences, the blogs and the number of people who read them continue to grow. The blogs entertain, they provoke, and they are not constrained by journalistic standards of truth telling."

[KarlInOhio]

Radio and television try to ensure that opinion remains secondary to reporting. Conclusions should be drawn warily.

What color is the sky in Dvorkin's world? Obviously not blue like ours.

The document was highlyslightly edited (or "redacted" in Pentagon parlance), with about 20 percent of the original information removedbadly hidden.

I felt twitchy downloading and looking at all of those paragraphs marked (S/NF). I was half expecting the security officer from my old job to sneak up behind me.

[Atomic Comet]

FreeRepublic is not a blog. It is a news forum.

The beauty of blogs like Powerline, Michelle Malkin & Captain's Quarters is that they can't lie or make a mistake- for long. Links provide a means of real time fact checking. Blogs can correct their mistakes nearly instantly. If they are honest and care about their credibility, that is. KOS doesn't.

AC

[cripplecreek]

This is how I explained the value of blogs to a liberal relative who's afraid that blogs will be confused with "real news and facts".


For every blogger there are a thousand more who are ready to uncover inaccuracies and falsehoods. Dan Rather had never faced that kind of scrutiny from the public and thought he could slip a lie past the public. In the end, even most liberals were forced to admit that the memogate memos were fake. The weight of the evidence became too great to ignore.

Sure there will always be bad bloggers but the public will weed them out.

[SJSAMPLE]

"Rescue" = "ransom"
The Italians paid MILLIONS to terrorists to obtain the little communist scumbag's release. Those millions will be used to kill American and allied soldiers.

[headsonpikes]

I've been reading Kos lately instead of the idiots at DU.

Watching this man's ego expand day-by-day is truly engaging! His current breathless accounts from Blighty are well worth the snicker. A student of UK history and politics he is not. Well, that's not fair; perhaps he is progressing well as a student - it's as teacher he fails, since he cannot get past his own provincial American lefty prejudices. I'm glad he's #1 at http://www.truthlaidbear.com/TrafficRanking.php

I'm starting to get that prickly feeling in the back of my neck just like the one I got as a boy watching some kid blowing up balloons to bursting-point. ;^)

[Bald Eagle777]

NPR = Nit Picking Rejects

[zipper]

Exactly.

"Rescue" = "ransom" = "money to terrorists" = "guns for terrorists" = "more hostages" = "rescue" .....

[chuckcam]

To all:

The internet is a great place to report your opinion, be watchful for the truth and report the lies, BUT WE ARE NOT reporters. Freedom of the press doesn't include us, but we CAN police the press, and mobilize the truth, ie the 2004 election.