In 2003 - Ashliegh Banfield "spoke out" aganist MSNBC ..."war drums"

[cthrumatrix]

Ashleigh Banfield lashes out, backs down


Posted by Lakshmi on April 29, 2003 @ 12:33PM

Ashleigh Banfield got in big trouble with her employers this weekend. The MSNBC correspondent lashed out at her network's portrayal of the war as "glorious and wonderful" during a speech made in Kansas State University. She blamed the media for depicting a sanitized image of war: "I am not so sure that we in America are hesitant to do this again, to fight another war, because it looked like a glorious and courageous and so successful, terrific endeavor."

Banfield criticized embedded reporters as providing "coverage" not "journalism." She said, ""Getting access does not mean getting the story. ... And it was a glorious, wonderful picture that had a lot of people watching and a lot of advertisers excited about cable news."

She also slammed the cable channels for prioritizing entertainment over news: "Fox has taken so many viewers away from CNN and MSNBC because of their agenda and because of their target marketing of cable news viewers. I'm afraid there's not a really big place in cable for news." And her own network for imitating Fox News: "You can see the big hires on other networks, right-wing hires to try and chase after this effect," she added.

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/2003/04/000772.html

We forget about the true patriots who did dissent and spoke out. That's who should be rewarded now.

[proud patriot]

1. perhaps we should ask MSNBC about her

I remember she was right there on the ground reporting on 9/11/01

[xray s]

2. where's Ashleigh now?

I haven't seen much of her.

[goclark]

3. Finally one told the truth!

I wonder what made her think that Rove would continue to give her a check each month? Naughty girl!!!!

[sui generis]

4. way to go Ashleigh

Kansas State is not known for being a seat of liberalism. I was there when Raygun gave a speech at Ahearn Auditorium and stated to great applause that homosexuals would not be allowed out of the closet and in fact "we're going to put them back on the shelf in the back of the closet where they belong."

[ugarte]

5. Shades of Jon Arnet

The few, the proud...real journalists!

[robertarctor]

6. She disappeared from the SCLM after that.

Can't have the air talent dissing America's own Ceausescu family, can we? Someone recently posted that they'd seen her on a non-General Electric-owned media property, billed as "Ashleigh Banfield, former MSNBC correspondent."

[Rockholm]

7. I Really Liked Ashleigh!

She was on Bill Mahrer(sp)a few weeks ago. Smart and sassy. Thought regarding thos "imbeds." Maybe we could put good ol' Matt Laurer in an "imbed" in central Baghdad and see what is really going on over there!

[JerseygirlCT]

8. I was wondering what had happened to her. She was everywhere

for a while.

[Shopaholic]

9. They didn't renew her contract and no one else in the industry

has been willing to hire her thus far. NBC said they couldn't "reach an agreement with her". I guess that translates into English as "She wouldn't kiss * ass--so we canned her."

[tom_paine]

10. Those who will not Play Ball and spew Imperial Pravda

will NOT be allowed access to the Corporate Pravda Networks.

She knew what was going to happen to her when she spoke out. I applaud her for her courage.

She's lucky she wasn't arrested and Gulagged. In 2050 Amerika, she likely would be.

[Jacobin]

14. A small tribute to Ashleigh, who has become a Non-Person

for speaking the truth. So sad what has happened in BushAmerika.

Here's hoping Ashleigh revives her career and comes back roaring!!



(darnit, couldn't find a link that would paste with her pic)

[faithnotgreed]

11. she was clearly their golden girl for awhile - then poof

[cthrumatrix]

12. maybe this is why "tweety wear's his kneepads" every night!

[cthrumatrix]

13. pm kick for those that like MSNBC