Posted on 09/12/2004 5:32:19 AM PDT by nikos1121
When asked what is the most important part of any news story, Joseph Pulitzer replied, "Accuracy, accuracy, accuracy."
I've always thought that whether it's selling newspapers, a documentary, a speech to the Rotary Club, or used cars, if you want to have viewers tomorrow try deceit, if you want to have viewers ten years from tomorrow, try honesty.
I have read about as much as anyone on the subject of the Bush National Guard memos. In fact, starting today I'll stop the reading. The excellent discussions and technical research presented here and now in several major news sources leaves very little doubt in my mind, that the memos are fakes. In fact, when you weigh the evidence it comes down very very heavy on the side that believes the memos are fakes.
More troubling to me is the fact that a major network, CBS, one that I grew up respecting, is appearing more and more like a tabloid. To put this in simple terms, consider this. CBS based this important story on:
1. Three memos from an un-named source 2. Written by a deceased person 3. That are photocopies and not originals
This alone should have raised red flags. I mean, we're not talking about a story for the STAR or the National Enquirer here, we're talking about CBS NEWS. Is this their new standard of excellence? Is this the kind of reporting that we can now expect on the CBS EVENING NEWS and 60 MINUTES?
I'm not a journalist, but I can tell you that if I had spent years in school training to be one, or years on the job as one, and I found myself in a department at some newspaper or TV station where this was going on, I would say to myself "Something is really wrong here." Maybe I might even get a ping of emotion and say, "it's time to speak up or shut up."
Which brings me to the purpose of this posting. I ask:
IS THERE ANYONE AT CBS, ANYONE WITH ANY INTEGRITY AND COURAGE, WHO WILL COME FORTH AND SAY, "COLLEAGUES, SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE. THIS IS NOT THE STANDARD OF TV JOURNALISM THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW. THESE MEMOS ARE "POSSIBLY" FAKE AND THE WAY THEY WERE REVIEWED AND PRODUCED IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO US AND THREATENS TO UNDERMINE THE WORK THAT WE ALL TRY TO DO. WE SHOULD RESPOND TO THOSE OUT THERE WHO ARE RAISING CONCERNS AND INVESTIGATE THIS MORE FULLY AND IF THE PREPONDERENCE OF EVIDENCE IS THAT THEY ARE FAKE, THEN WE SHOULD RETRACT OUR SUPPORT OF THEM."
IS THERE NOT ONE YOUNG REPORTER THERE AT CBS WHO IS TROUBLED BY THIS? IS THERE NOT ONE WHO WILL COME FORTH, KNOWING THAT THEY MAY LOSE THEIR JOB FOR DOING SO, TO SAY "THIS IS WRONG AND I DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF A DEPARTMENT THAT OPERATES THIS WAY."
It is inconceivable to me, that no one at CBS News, (including people like Morris Schafer, Mike Wallace, etc etc.) had doubts on the validity of these memos. I can only assume that no one wanted to go up against Rather or maybe they figured that if given enough rope Rather would hang himself. Either way, this is clearly a crossroads for CBS and the people working there.
Where is that one reporter at CBS with some moral courage? I'm waiting to hear form you.
Nick A. Vlachos
Sure, Rupert from Survivor (also Rudy the SEAL), but that's entertainment, not news.
No.
Not since Bernie Goldberg left.
Nope.
From the standpoint of journalistic integrity, obviously CBS and Rather have indeed sold their souls.
However, judging from the reaction at DUnceland, to his faithful, Rather has vaulted himself to folk-hero status.
By self-removing what little veneer of objectivity CBS had left they have staked out an audience (market) of loyal though morally-bankrupt mushheads.
This looks like a business decision to serve a market demographic, and survive economically in the face of an eroding market. They are no longer the "news", they are butt-nekkid propoganda. And their not unsubstantially sized market loves it.
Just think of the savings when you don't have to bother with pesky things like research, fact-checking, and source substantiation. The profit potential is enormous.
No............ they've all been recruited by the dnc.
No
But CBS won't do that. Not because they "know", but because they know. And are afraid.
Dan: Lesson from Nixon -- it's not the crime, it's the cover-up.
Yes, there certainly is.
Call their main office in New York City and ask to be connect to a Mr. Bernard Kalb. I know that he has a reputation for integrity and honesty.
WHAT????!!!!
Bernie has left????
Oh . . . I guess that you shouldn't even bother dropping a dime, then.
...and he's using it.
You make some good points. Eventually I think it comes down to dollars and censt or should I say "sense?"
At what point do you change the direction from one of mediocrity in TV journalism to the gold standard? When your ratings are so low, you're not going to sell advertising for top dollar, and the other departments, that are cutting people to cover your losses?
If they are appealing to a special demographic, it beats me what that might be.
nick
One of the janitors, maybe?
If I remember the video I saw of Rather on November 22, 1963, he was hunkering down afraid of additional snipers.
I seem to remember a picture of him during the Tet Offensive just about shaking with fear while reporting.
Note: I have often thought that Rather was proliferating the Kerry propaganda about Vietnam veterans being evildoers and how the NVA and VC were pure warriors seeking goodness and truth. Now I think Kerry has been spreading the Rather propaganda all these years. Does anyone know if Kerry -- who admits to entering Saigon even though under orders not to do so -- ever met Rather in Vietnam?
I know one thing, no one with integrity, and intelligence is watching Dan Blather on CBS.
"CBS's blind faith in the authenticity of the memos is disingenuous (at best). The only way to KNOW for sure (when there is so much apparent evidence to the contrary) is if Dan Rather was "on the boat" and watched Killian type the memo back in 1973. Aside from that, there is no "knowing" and an investigation into the matter is the safe, responsible course to take.
But CBS won't do that. Not because they "know", but because they know. And are afraid.
Dan: Lesson from Nixon -- it's not the crime, it's the cover-up."
Excellent post. Don't you wish Rather was reading this?
nick
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