CNN's Aaron Brown on the network's coverage of the anti-war movement (Barrrfffffff)

Democracy Now! (Don't forget the Pompous Exclamation Point) ^ | Aprill 4, 2003

[Timesink]

It's always fun to see a network anchor getting raked over the coals, but I mainly post this just so everyone can see how radical these nutbags are.

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[Drango]

"Democracy Now" is Public Radio, which means our TAX dollars pays for this wacko propaganda.

As it's pledge week on some Public Radios, and they suggest $5 per month, may I suggest everyone click on the FreeRepublic pledge link and give what you can. (hint, hint)

[Nagilum]

I have always thought Aaron Brown was pretty good at just reporting the news and not editorialising the situation.

But its very nice to see he called this antiwar nut on the ridiculous arguments he was making.

[bonfire]

I can't even force myself to read this. Just seeing his name in print makes me hear his unmanly, crybaby voice.

[luckymom]

I didn't like him when he was in Seattle, I really didn't like being stuck in a hotel room on 9/11 with access only to his whining, and I really, really don't like his "coverage" of the war. Ick.

[antaresequity]

AMY GOODMAN: Do you wish you were embedded with the troops on the front lines?

AARON BROWN: ...................There have been times where I've wished..................... that..................................................................sure, but that's not my job,.............. and I'm honored to........................ have the job I do have................................................................................................That's not something I spend a lot of time thinking about........................................................................................ There are often times that you wish you were closer to the ground,............................ but this is where I am in my life ..........................................................and I'm ................happy ................to................. be.............. here.

[MEG33]

An anti war analyst...to balance the generals explaining what's happening in the field.I am dumbfounded by their lack of common sense..but then I shouldn't be!

[The Old Hoosier]

Uh, maybe he didn't spend 50% of his time covering the leftist anti-war movement because they're all just a bunch of WACKO, RECYCLED COMMIES FROM THE 1960s organized by ultra-fringe groups like the Workers' World Party.

Those people from FAIR should be ashamed of themselves for their uncritical adoption of super-left-wing groups like these Maoist wackos.

[MEG33]

LOL!

[Nagilum]

I just read that and Aaron Brown had a fantastic quote about a Fisk Article...here's the snippet:


AMY GOODMAN: Aaron, you said that you're speaking to us from Atlanta, and I was just looking at a piece, by Robert Fisk, maybe you've heard of him. He's a reporter for the Independent newspaper in Britain. His piece talks about the embedded reporters, but then it goes on to talk about how the Pentagon makes cuts from reporters' dispatches. It reads, 'A new CNN system of 'script approval' -- 'the instruction to reporters that they have to send all their copy to anonymous officials in Atlanta to ensure it is suitably sanitized suggests that the Pentagon and State Department have nothing to worry about, nor do the ISTEVE RENDALLaelis'. Indeed, reading a new CNN document entitled 'Reminder of script approval policy' fairly takes the breath away and quotes, 'All reporters preparing package scripts must submit the scripts for approval', 'Packages may not be edited until the scripts are approved. All packages originating outside Washington DC, LA or New York, including all international bureaus must come to the row in Atlanta for approval'. The date of this extraordinary message, Fisk says, is January 27th, row is the row of script editors in Atlanta who can insist on changes or 'balances.' And then it says, 'A script is not approved for air unless it is properly marked approved by an authorized manager. When a script is updated, it must be re-approved, preferably by the originating approving authority', and then Fisk notes, 'watch the key words here- Approved and authorized'.

AARON BROWN: OK, I'm really glad we are going to talk about this. I'll bet 50 people have sent me Fisk's article -- this piece preceded the war, for one -- just to give a context. I looked at this, and I said to someone who sent it to me, 'This may be the single dumbest thing I have ever read'. It's certainly in the top five. Do you believe, and I don't know where you guys have worked in your lives, what newspaper or television organizations you have worked for, but do you think that there are not, at The New York Times or the Village Voice or just choose a responsible news organization, maybe even Mr. Fisk has editors, I don't know -- that there aren't editors who sit there and go through copy and say, 'this doesn't make sense'? There's a question an editor often asks. Is it fair? These are questions an editor often asks and should. This is the business of journalism, this is what we do. There are reporters, there are editors, that's there job. There's nothing new about 'the row'. When I was at ABC, it's called the 'rim'. A correspondent would write his or her story, we would then take it to our editors on the rim. In the case of World News Tonight, Peter [Jennings] would look at it, a domestic editor would look at it, a foreign editor might look at it if it seemed like a high profile enough story that they might want to get a number of sets of eyes on it. And we look at it- that's what editors do. It happens at every news organization in the country.

What is fascinating about this -- and in fascinating I'm being charitable -- is that in the Fisk article he sees this as some sort of conspiracy, when this is, in fact, the way every news organization worth a damn functions. There are reporters who report -- they see what they see, and they report it. Editors then look at it to be sure it makes sense. All these things are the concoction of journalism everywhere in the world that journalism is practiced responsibly. For him to make the argument, as he did, and we should be honest about Mr. Fisk, he is a reporter with a point of view. For him to make the assumption that this is extraordinary when it is about as routine as toothpaste is remarkable to me and says a lot about him, and in this case, you guys than it does about us. That's journalism, isn't it? Aren't there editors at The New York Times who sit around and mark copy and change words and kick it back to the correspondent and says 'are you happy with this it seems to make more sense'. That's the job, and for him to write what was a truly silly piece as if this were somehow---as if Secretary Rumsfeld was actually sitting on the row making judgments about the appropriateness of something, was stupid.

[JmyBryan]

This may be the most revealing interview I have ever read.

[nutmeg]

I can't even force myself to read this. Just seeing his name in print makes me hear his unmanly, crybaby voice.

Ugh, same here! I absolutely do NOT understand the appeal of Aaron Brown whatsoever! And he's CNN's "leading" prime time anchor, I believe. He's still on the air, so he must have at least several thousand people tuning in each night... I just don't get it!

[JmyBryan]

Are you sure that this thing is taxpayer funded? Because if it is, I'm going to make sure this becomes an issue with the next rack o' candidates.

[PianoMan]

Bump, great snippet!

[vpintheak]

Whine, whine whine! This guy probably wets his bed when he hears a "scary" noise. Just another reason to not watch CNN.

[Timesink]

There are a few "public radio" stations that carry this garbage here and there, but it's basically financed by the psychopaths at Pacifica Radio. Pacifica stations rely on donations to get by, but they're not "public radio."

[Calvin Locke]

If you enjoyed FAIR's views:

They produce a 1 hour radio show that you can try to tolerate. I can rarely listen to the whole hour. Closer to 10 minutes at a time.

Sundays, 6PM Eastern, 7.415Mhz, or streaming at www.wbcq.us

"American Viewpoint"

Lord help us if that is the American viewpoint.

[Cold Heat]

Thanks for the post. it was insightful.

Brown is probably my least favorite cable anchor.

CNN is my least favorite organization.

These morons were beating on the only cable guy that gave them any play. They were eating their own, as usual.

CNN was the number one station for airing of Saddam propaganda and anti war sentiment, yet they attacked him as if they were somehow denied.

What hypocrisy and outright BS! Cluster bombs, Depleted uranium, holy cripes.

Brown did not do well defending himself except to make the point that questions and not statement would be or could be answered.

He should have told them that so many of the civilian injuries touted as being caused by American bombs were a result of Iraqi ordinance. he should have told them that anti-war sentiment during a conflict is devastating to our men and women in the field and that we know this from experience. he should have told them that he would not play that game.

He instead made generalities and wimpy non-committal responses. That is just the way he is on the air as well.

[bonesmccoy]

DITTOS.

I will NEVER forget his snide comments about NHK correspondents and their accents.

BIG MISTAKE MR. BROWN.

Elephants have LONG memories!