Posted on 09/11/2005 11:16:29 AM PDT by jmc1969
NBC's Brian Williams says the lasting legacy of Hurricane Katrina for journalists may be the end of an unusual four-year period of deference to people in power.
There were so many angry, even incredulous, questions put to Bush administration officials about the response to Katrina that the Salon Web site compiled a "Reporters Gone Wild" video clip. Tim Russert, Anderson Cooper, Ted Koppel and Shepard Smith were among the stars.
The mute button seemingly in place since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has been turned off.
"By dint of the fact that our country was hit we've offered a preponderance of the benefit of the doubt over the past couple of years," the "Nightly News" anchorman said. "Perhaps we've taken something off our fastball and perhaps this is the story that brings a healthy amount of cynicism back to a news media known for it."
Hundreds of reporters, in all media, did heroic work on the Gulf Coast in the deadly storm's aftermath. None arguably was as financially and symbolically important to his company as the job turned in by Williams.
Williams said he sensed trouble brewing already that Sunday, Aug. 28. At the Superdome, he saw National Guardsman barking orders at people seeking shelter, and patting down small children and the elderly for weapons. The crowd was angry about being forced to stand in line in the rain even though there was a large overhang a few yards away, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at tuscaloosanews.com ...
I wonder how much money Williams took out of his pocket to help these folk? How many did he take home with him? That's the true meansure of a man's mouth.
Actually, the ARE that stupid.
When I went to Wayne State University in Deetroit in the early 1970's the easiest major by far was journalism (as long as you toed the Socialist line of course). The second easiest was teaching.
Williams is just another loud-mouthed pompous ass in the Bush-hating, Liberal "media" who thinks the world revolves around him.
I disagree.
Journalist have been attacking George Bush since the moment he took office won in Florida.
Before.
You know the old comment by Mark Twain: Reporters can investigate and do research, or they can simply repeat what is told to them -- both approaches pay the same.
Landrieu: "I will answer it. I'm not going to level criticism at local and state officials. Mayor Nagin and most mayors in this country have a hard time getting their people to work on a sunny day, less [sic] alone getting them out of the city in front of a hurricane. It's because this administration and administrations before them do not understand the difficulties that mayors, whether they're in Orlando, Miami, or New Orleans face. In other words, ..."
Looking back, maybe they should have given the elderly and children weapons before entering the Superdome.
Not really - their job is to produce entertaining filler to go between the ads and the efficient way to do this is to recycle press releases; no bothersome asking of questions, no wasted time or money checking for accuracy, just rephrase the handout and slip it between the ads. This is what journalism is and journalists do it quite competently.
...and the sad part is he's the best one of the networks. My local news usually ends up running into his broadcast every evening. I hear him for about 5 minutes a night then I pull the switch. Later Bryan!
The MSM have been the ones in power. They have no accountability.
You would think they would get the message, with ratings plummeting, but they just don't care! They just dig in their stubborn heels deeper and deeper. The more they do, the more their ratings fall. Will they ever get the message, they are talking to air, and not people?
Would this self-righteous "heroic" journalist be one of the ones reporting from an air-conditioned media area well-stocked with water and other comforts,while the National Guard was in uniform in the heat and humidity trying to deal with the hot angry thirsty crowds,while not getting shot at or at least verbally abused? Screw him and all thre other "heroic" media-they know how to cry great big crocodile tears while the camera's on,and hurl invective at all the rescuers and people actually in the trenches to to deal with this mess,then as soon as the cameras are off they goback into their air-conditioned holes and suck down some Evian.How many of them offered to let a few babies stay there out of the heat?
Most media really are just hypocritical scum.
Bulls**t!
What I hear them saying is "We are so frustrated that we can't find anything to hurt this president, that we have to get even MORE SHRILL."
Really?
Let me know when he dares to break the liberal news media code of silence in regards to the failure of Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco to evacuate their low-income citizens out of the Storm Surge zone.
In regards to Republicans and President Bush, for years, the liberal news media has been on them like pit-bulls on a pork-chop.
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