Posted on 02/01/2005 2:16:20 PM PST by Dales
At a discussion moderated by David R. Gergen, the Director for Public Leadership, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, the concept of truth, fairness, and balance in the news was weighed against corporate profit interest, the need for ratings, and how the media can affect democracy. The panel included Richard Sambrook, the worldwide director of BBC radio, U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, Abdullah Abdullah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, and Eason Jordan, Chief News Executive of CNN. The audience was a mix of journalists, WEF attendees (many from Arab countries), and a US Senator from Connecticut, Chris Dodd.
During one of the discussions about the number of journalists killed in the Iraq War, Eason Jordan asserted that he knew of 12 journalists who had not only been killed by US troops in Iraq, but they had in fact been targeted. He repeated the assertion a few times, which seemed to win favor in parts of the audience (the anti-US crowd) and cause great strain on others.
Due to the nature of the forum, I was able to directly challenge Eason, asking if he had any objective and clear evidence to backup these claims, because if what he said was true, it would make Abu Ghraib look like a walk in the park. David Gergen was also clearly disturbed and shocked by the allegation that the U.S. would target journalists, foreign or U.S. He had always seen the U.S. military as the providers of safety and rescue for all reporters.
Eason seemed to backpedal quickly, but his initial statements were backed by other members of the audience (one in particular who represented a worldwide journalist group). The ensuing debate was (for lack of better words) a real "sh--storm". ...
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Bring'em down out of their rarified air up there on Mount Olympus.
FMCDH(BITS)
Eason Jordan admitted that what CNN reported out of Iraq before the war was exactly what Saddam Hussein told them to report out of Iraq. The man has no credibility, and his network CNN has no credibility as a serious news gathering organization.
Our troops have been called 'occupiers', 'part of the problem' and countless other things and now murderers...
The freedoms that this Eason Jordan enjoys comes from the sacrifices made on his behalf by those he so shamelessly denigrates.
Our troops only target the enemies of our country. :)
In light of how certain news organizations cooperate with terrorists to get in-action photos - I think the REVERSE is much closer to the truth.
In previous wars they would have been shot for treason or fighting out of uniform - as were the German soldiers dressed as American MP's in WWII.
How Dare He go to Treason Manor to Slander Our Troops.
(Is that anywhere near Gunpoint?)
I know we dropped a bomb on Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya's Baghdad station on the initial "shock and awe" day killing on guy from Al-Jazeera. I consider them enemy combatants though and applaud that action.
Wasn't his son "Q" later elected President?
Sherman said this: "Reporters! I would shoot them but there would be despatches from hell before breakfast."
This crap may pass as "freedom of the press" in Switzerland, but it looks like tabloid quality slander from here.
I would LOVE to see somebody tarred and feathered.
What is that supposed to mean?
I don't think JOHN ADAM survived his captivity among Jihadist terrorists.
If they are not ... they should
Problem with "targeting" them is they are harder to hit than rats in a junkyard.
Their eyes are more beady, they have darker fur, their teeth are not as bright, and there ARE places even rats will not go, or can't fit.
I say they should just wing 'em. Call it the "love tap of patriotism" or as R.Reagan's Sec.of State George Shultz used to do to new Diplomats.
He took them into his office, up to a globe and asked them to point to their country. They would point to Brazil, Mexico etc...
Shultz would say no I said point to YOUR country. And he would point to America.
The journal-rats don't seem to get that.
Is the weasel journalist who claimed the soldier shot a wounded terrorists still alive?
If so, this puke should shut the heck up 'cause if this reporter wasn't killed by the U.S. military yet, then the others don't have to worry.
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