Media Coverage of Iraq Called “Shameful” By Peers

[NeoConsSuck]

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but an excellent read:

http://www.americanfreepress.net/04_06_04/Media_Coverage/media_coverage.html

In the ongoing Iraq conflict, there is a growing realization among mainstream newsmen that they have failed the American public, but the U.S. military is happy with the way it controlled information through its program of embedding journalists with soldiers.

Those are just some of the outspoken assertions from a three-day Media at War conference at the University of California (Berkeley) School of Journalism. In attendance were Hans Blix, the former chief U.N. weapons inspector, Joseph Wilson, former U.S. ambassador to Iraq and a host of senior journalists and editors from the U.S. and abroad.

Serious criticism of the role of the U.S. media came from two leading journalists—Robert Scheer of The Los Angeles Times, who is a visiting professor at the journalism school, and John Burns, The New York Times bureau chief in Baghdad.

[MikeG]

1. Think they were bought off with the embedding?

[Hekate]

2. Nice to see them waking from their slumbers

Ted Koppel had Richard Clarke on Nightline tonight (Thurs) rebutting Condi Rice's "testimony". Koppel made a point of disclosing that Clarke is now a paid consultant for ABC. I'm very pleased both that Clarke has a paying job and that he is obviously being given lots of credibility by a very mainstream news media program.

Hekate

[Tactical Progressive]

3. They showed some of it on C-SPAN on Wednesday

Robert Scheer was absolutely vicious about the war and the media, saying things like BushCo lied about every single thing to get into Iraq militarily.

It stood out. I mean, a journalist actually speaking the truth in 21st century America. It was strange.

But I don't take any stock in it. I despise the media. I blame them for all of this. Every bit. Even more than Bush. I think Bush would be nothing without a despicable and thoroughly corrupt American journalism that backs him to the wall. I don't even care if they turn around; they will never get my vote back.

So let them have their self-reflection. Nothing ever comes of it with them.

[JohnyCanuck]

4. It's only when the house of cards they helped to build

is tumbling down around their ears and their own credibility is in danger of being flushed down the toilet that the fuckers finally get a conscience. FUCK 'EM.

[NeoConsSuck]

5. I agree totally..

this war never would have happened if a large majority of Americans opposed it. But a large majority of Americans trusted what they read or viewed in the media.

When speaking of war crimes, the media would have to be included as accomplices. They have just as much blood on their hands as those who killed innocent Iraqi citizens.

Walter Isaacson, CEO of CNN, would be an excellent test case for trying the media of war crimes.