The other famous TV Documentary on VietNam is Bill Kurtis on Agent Orange. I worked on a Chicago story with Kurtis a little, and more with his producer, who also did some producing for 60 minutes.
Assuming I was one of them, they were openly callous and boastful about the way they twisted the story, especially the editing, to present THEIR truth.
But Bill Kurtis was the model for Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Moore show, according to Bill’s CBS producer back when MTM was in its first season. Bill Kurtis truly does not have what it takes to be a historian, or analyst.
He is just a pretty face and an even prettier voice.
I have always said that these TV newsies are first and foremost entertainers and TV news is a form of entertainment.
They are just entertainers who can’t sing, dance, do drama or comedy. All they can do is look good and sound authoritative on TV. The public assigns these clowns way way too much ability & credit.