The News We (CNN) Kept To Ourselves [must read]

The New York Times ^ | 04/11/03 | EASON JORDAN

[kcvl]

Eason.Jordan@turner.com

[Howlin]

I still think that your original point last night -- that CNN would NEVER put up with those kinds of limitations in this country -- is the crux of the matter.

[dogbyte12]

Remember when the tank allegedly killed those journalists the other day? ABC's Richard Engle devoted his whole report to it, and the candle light vigil being held down on the lawn at the Palestine Hotel, and the Iraqi minders were still there, authorizing this to happen.

Think about it. These journalists were there commemorating freely a "US" atrocity, while they knew their colleagues had been tortured by Hussein. That is what is wrong with them being there.

If ya watch CNN or ABC, you think that the US are war criminals in how they treat journalists. Steam is coming out of my ears.

[Bryan24]

From the Birthday Article - "A play based on the life of Hussein opened to rave reviews this weekend."

Oh, la-de-da and spring daisies.

This is infuriating.

[handy]

Regime Change needed @ CNN. And they wonder why they are losing so many viewers. Not only are they covering up the news, they are supporting the propaganda of a regime in Iraq they know for a fact to be brutal.

CNN... the most dishonest name in news...

[lawgirl]

I totally agree.

[Howlin]

Did you see this thread?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/873193/posts

This is the first time I started getting bad feelings about the reporters -- the "loose cannons" -- read that and see what they have to DO to get the story.

It's just all a pack of lies and they believe they are doing the right thing.

We're just not getting the truth.

The other thing that bothers me is that IF CNN had told the truth, perhaps Europeans would have felt differently about this -- we could have stood together and not put all our troops in harms way.

[FBD]

[Howlin]

More than some here would give them.

Is your position that free speech gives CNN the right to lie the entire world?

[Servant of the Nine]

This is a CNN quote I just found on "The Corner" at
http://www.nationalreview.com/thecorner/corner.asp

WHAT CNN SAID [Kathryn Jean Lopez]
I just looked up that Jordanian border scene. Here’s CNN producer Ingrid Formanek talking to Paula Zahn, March 22:

I think you were asking about our negotiations to be able to stay, with everything possible, we pointed out it was in everybody's interest and CNN's interest and Iraq's interest and certainly the interest of the world and of the American people to see what was going on in Baghdad and it was very important to have set of independent eyes and ears to report this. That's a point that we've always made to the Iraqi authorities throughout the years that we have been in Baghdad. We certainly made that point last night. In all of the years we worked there, we pointed out we have reported fairly. We followed the rules and it was in their interests, as well as ours.

Now, of course, it was a request by the network for an interview with the president. Interestingly enough, the Iraqis have never, as far as we could tell, taken advantage of the foreign media in the sense that all of the world, for example, the Bush administration, they take advantage of the media, they speak every minute that they can get of air time they take to get their point across to the world. This is done all over the world. The Iraqis, I think, has never taken full advantage of this. And I think it's a great missed opportunity because the world can hear and see what's happening if organizations like CNN are allowed to remain in Baghdad. And a great missed opportunity for everybody.

So9

[Magnolia]

Burns was soft-pedaling Jordan's personal complicity, IMHO, not CNN's overall complicity in being the public PR arm of a murderous regime.

Agreed, Burns was soft-pendaling Jordan's complicity BUT he also stated that this story should have "gotten out somehow". IMHO this was the network's responsibility. I will never believe that CNN wasn't to some extent aware of what was going on.

[MamaLucci]

Think about it. These journalists were there commemorating freely a "US" atrocity, while they knew their colleagues had been tortured by Hussein. That is what is wrong with them being there.

It is just beyond belief.
Mr. Jordan cannot possibly fathom,
evidently does not even himself understand,
the ramifications of what he has admitted here.

[FBD]

BTTT

[MizSterious]

Think back. They're back because we're there--something they were adamantly against. Hussein's regime threw them out--the very people they toadied for. Sheesh, even the Hussein Iraqis knew they couldn't be trusted after the years of lying they did for Iraq.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Bingo. Thank you for finding that pack of lies from Eason - especially this one:

"I mean we work very hard to report forthrightly, to report fairly and to report accurately and if we ever determine we cannot do that, then we would not want to be there."

Everyone - post 281 has food for your emails to CNN, to FOX, to everyone you are notifying about this huge "breaking news story". (If you aren't notifying anyone else, why not?)

[Mark de New Brighton]

I do hope Mr. Jordan invested his 30 pieces of silver wisely.

[TomB]

We've all seen that kind of parsing many, many times.

Considering he didn't seem to change anybody's mind here, I'd have to question his abilities in the courtroom. At least when a master "parser" like Clinton does it, he is persuasive.

[Howlin]

So it is CNN's position that it's in the best interest of the world for them to hide FACTS that they personally know that might just influence the outcome of the debate/war?

It appears what they are saying is that it's more important for CNN to be in Iraq than it is for the truth to come out.