[Media-watch] Media Culpa

[antony_wright at blueyonder.co.uk]

Why is it so hard for some journalists to learn the lessons of rushing to war and political propagandizing?

In recent months, astute readers of the nation's two most influential daily newspapers, The New York Times and The Washington Post, were treated to apologies – which were fairly well buried – from senior editorial staff for not covering the Bush administration's rush to war with appropriate skepticism and investigative thoroughness.

"We consider the story of Iraq's weapons, and the pattern of misinformation, to be unfinished business," concluded a May 26th, 2004, editorial in the Times, "And we fully intend to continue aggressive reporting aimed at setting the record straight."

At the Post on Aug. 11, 2004, Howard Kurtz, a media critic and staff writer, wrote a lengthy column exploring why articles questioning the threat from Iraq repeatedly didn't make the front page. One answer, attributed by Kurtz to Pentagon correspondent Thomas Ricks, was, "There was an attitude among editors: Look, we're going to war, why do we even worry about all this contrary stuff?"

The reason to worry about all 'this contrary stuff' is the pro-war propagandizing hasn't gone away – it's become exhibit A in the president's re-election campaign. Just recall the recent Republican National Convention and then consider President Bush's "bounce" in the polls since he left Madison Square Garden.

If editorial writers, news analysts and war reporters at the top agenda-setting newspapers in the country turned a critical eye to the assertions made by Republicans leaders and the president himself during the convention – that only their party and this White House can deliver strong, decisive leadership in war and make the world safer – it's a fair bet the Bush bounce wouldn't have been so big. But that examination hasn't really happened, notwithstanding the mea culpas.

FULL ARTICLE : http://www.newsnow.co.uk/cgi/NGoto/69502017?-573

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