Posted on 01/10/2005 2:38:40 PM PST by kattracks
CBS Firings: A 'Good Start' or 'Superficial Reforms?'
It's a good, superficial start.
I think its a good start. They clearly laid out the mistakes that were made, and that there is no excuse of shoddy journalism. The only bit that was superficial was the covering up of the political agendas.
Serious CBS reforms would stop the phony pretence of being politically objective and neutral. It's an insult to the minds of intelligent people. Just admit that you are speaking from the DNC playbook.
Alternatively, they might consider hiring a few conservative voices. Yet, as much as I would love to see Britt Hume as Rather's replacement, I would hate for FNC to lose him.
Job losses took a dramatic leap upward for the new year and they can be directly linked to George Bush.....film at 11.
Personally, I think they are just superficial reforms. CBS hasn't changed and, in my humble opinion, are sorry only that they got caught, not that they committed any wrongdoing. The whole idea is just to give the appearance of true journalism.
"All Americans should welcome today's report on CBS News' unprofessional conduct regarding its story about President Bush's National Guard service," he said.
"CBS deserves praise for undertaking this effort in light of the concerns raised last fall. We should remember that today's report would not have come about without a vigilant public and also recognize that the vast majority of journalists are hardworking professionals who practice their craft with honesty and integrity," Gillespie added.
Humbug! Anyone who throws schlock like that 60-minutes fable out the door, and then stonewalls when called on it - while propagandizing to the effect that the SBVT claims had been "discredited" - deserves no credit at all for calling in the whitewash committee to do damage control later.The committee makes the ridiculous suggestion that commercial rather than partisan interest motivated that hit piece - but it is up to CBS, on a daily basis, to rebut the presumption that they are partisan.
There is no reason why we-the-people should require proof that CBS is partisan; that is the natural order of things. And it is natural for all journalists, whose professional focus in on others' failures, to focus on the failures of Republicans. Because Democrats essentially toady to the negative, superficial, and arrogant perspective of journalism, journalists have a hard time seeing anything wrong with people who assiduously agree with journalists.
Yeah, and I can see See-BS re-hiring these $hitheads later on down the road when the frenzy dies down. Pay 'em off for six months and once Rather is gone and we've all forgotten who they are, they'll be baaaaack.
Off Topic - has anyone tried to visit Little Green Footballs today and succeeded in getting the site to load.
Much obliged my fellow freepers.
Until it purges itself of Dan Blather and his overt liberal agenda it shall remain constipated.
Les Moonves was on MSNBC and during the soft ball interview said he didn't think it was politically motivated. People were just interested in getting "the story" out first.
I also saw Chris Cox, Chairman of House Government Reform Committee, and he said that there needs to be a criminal investigation, because at a minimum, there was false of misuse of government documents and an attempt to influence an election using false and fraudulent documents.
So, Moonves needs to talk to Cox and convince Cox that it wasn't politically motivated, because he sure can't convince me, even if he is unchallenged on MSNBC!
There absolutely should be one. I notice Barbara Boxer and the rest of the Dems aren't screaming for an investigation of this fraud being perpetuated on the public. Oh, no, not them -- they're too busy screaming about supposed irregularities in freakin' OHIO!!!!
The Justice Dept needs to arrest the entire Democratic Causus and send them to Abu Ghraib for the "panty job" until the truth comes out!
The four outsted journalists were the sacrificial rats. The high priests of deceit, bias, and conspiracy are still running the show. Moonves should take the ultimate responsibility and resign. Rather should take "journalistic harakiri".
For too many of them, that would be just a typical Friday night. ;)
I remember watching CSPAN when Alabama Senator Howell Heflin had the floor.
Rumors were rampant that Senators Chuck Dodd and Ted Kennedy were on Kennedy's yacht off Florida doing an on-deck sandwich job.
Ol' Heflin spotted Senator Dodd arriving in the Chamber and commented in his drawl, "Why, I see the honorable Senator Dodd of Connecticut has arrived. I understand the good Senator has recently changed his position on 'OFF- SHORE DRILLING'!" (emphasis mine).
Man, that is PRICELESS!!!!
ANY firing OTHER THAN Dirty Dan Rather is inadequate.
1. It was terrible journalism.
But we already knew that.
2. We can't be completely sure the documents are fake, though there are big problems with them.
They're fake; that hasn't been in question since 12 hours after the report.
3. The motivation for the story was ratings, not politics.
The first two questions were not up for debate. The answers to them do no injury to CBS it had not already sustained. On #3, the ONE question the Panel could have answered in a way that would have hurt CBS, it furnished a relative exoneration.
You can talk tough when your target is already obviously guilty, and distract attention away from the paragraph where you give him a pass on other charges.
Some on FR are praising this report. It is a total exoneration of CBS on the one remaining important question.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.