I told you earlier today that CNN's Jessica Yellin -- formerly of MSNBC and ABC News -- was going to blog something herself about her explosive comments on slanted pro-war pre-war coverage of Iraq. Here's the highlight:
First, this involved my time on MSNBC where I worked during the lead up to war. I worked as a segment producer, overnight anchor, field reporter, and briefly covered the White House, the Pentagon, and general Washington stories.
Also, let me say: No, senior corporate leadership never asked me to take out a line in a script or re-write an anchor intro. I did not mean to leave the impression that corporate executives were interfering in my daily work; my interaction was with senior producers. What was clear to me is that many people running the broadcasts wanted coverage that was consistent with the patriotic fever in the country at the time. It was clear to me they wanted their coverage to reflect the mood of the country.
Pretty much what I expected; I never assumed that GE's Jeffrey Immelt (head of the corporate parent of MSNBC, and in an amazing coincidence a major defense contractor) was on the phone to Yellin editing her pieces. But her immediate bosses, the senior producers, have bosses who have bosses who have bosses, and it does ultimately lead back to the boardroom.
What I find interesting is the common theme among journalists: That "I never want to be part of the story." She writes at the outset that the media hubbub over her comments are "not the most comfortable position for a reporter" and she concludes with a variation of the classic theme that she wants to leave this distraction and get back to Real Journalism:
And now I’m going back to work covering the Puerto Rico primary from San Juan.
The thing is -- and no offense to Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama -- but what said Yellin said on CNN last night about her bosses, journalism, free speech and a war that has claimed thousands of lives is about 20X more newsworthy than the Puerto Rico primary. And I want to make clear that I greatly admire Yellin for "coming out" the way that she did; that took a great deal of courage. But this idea that journalists are never part of the story is a bunch of baloney.
Often journalists are a huge part of the story, not just in Washington but in any town in America. In most places, the local newspaper and other media are institutions just as powerful as the local zoning board or transit agency or largest employer, the kind of institutions that we aggressively cover, or used to before all the buyouts and layoffs. Inside the Beltway, that is magnified. If the Iraq War had been a botched bank robbery, the Bush administration would have been the triggerman, but the media drove the getaway car. And when the charges come down, those two are equally culpable in the eyes of the law.
This crazy notion that journalists are non-persons not to be covered extends well beyond presidential politics. Last season, the Phillies were off to a dismal 3-10 start when manager Charlie Manuel got into a shouting match with one of the best-known journalists in the city, radio and TV's Howard Eskin. It was a big deal -- coincidentally or not, the team turned its season around after the incident. Incredibly, both Philadelphia newspapers, in writing about what happened, didn't name Eskin as the journalist involved -- because journalists aren't supposed to be part of the story, even when they are. Now, if you get sent to the mall to do a man-on-the-street article about holiday shopping, you're supposed to get not only the names of the people you talk to, but their age and hometown and probably their occupation. But a well-known journalist (and unpopular, possibly a factor) is kept out of the paper? Anyone else think that's weird?
The only time my bosses ever -- in a very minor way -- tsk-tsked a post I wrote on Attytood was right after Brian Tierney & Co. bought the Daily News and Inquirer and I suggested that he hire ombudsmen to cover the two papers, both because people were worried about the potential conflicts of local owners and because it just seemed like covering such a powerful institution in Philly was a good idea. Why would I even suggest taking resources away, it was asked, from Real Journalism.
But writing about what the media does IS real journalism.
In the case of Iraq, just ask some of the family members of these folks.
UPDATE: Jay Rosen has a great post on the Scotty McClellan revelations that started it all.
Scott McClellan basically gets sodomized on an almost daily basis because he's being told to feed the MSM with the Bush Administration lies that were so lame that even the laziest reporters could call him on them before he was done. "That's not the Scott we knew". Yeah, the Scott you knew obviously got tired of getting his butt reamed & struck back. Good for you, Scott!— yobill626- Sorry dear, you could have stood up but you didn't. The blood of 4000 plus americans, the blood of thousands of Iraqis is on your hands too. Too little too late but I do congrat you for coming forward! You missed the boat sweetie!!— nuffera
Rosen's insight is brilliant as usual. The Bush WH press strategy had already backfired before McClellan's mea culpa, but we don't owe that to a vigilant press. The strategy simply couldn't compensate for Bush's overall incompetence. In the hands of a more skillful actor, say Obama, it's frightening to think how that strategy might evolve.
Comment removed.- OT, but for DB: Looks like the Feds have been watching the commodities markets for a few months now. /www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24877586/— RG
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- All this shows is what everyone I would think (hope) already knows - standing up against the flow is too hard for most people where their livelihoods are concerned. I worked for the Department of the Navy for over 25 years, retiring last year. I admit that, though an opponent of the war in Iraq, for a long time I was very reticent to express that opinion to people at work because of where I was. But in time I started to talk about it to my coworkers, and, in hushed voices they started to come clean. Easily the majority were TOTALLY OPPOSED to the war. But they wore their flag pins, and would say nothing in general, open conversation because they were afraid for their jobs. And most of these were long time Navy veterans who had moved after retirement into Civil Service, and were conservative in most of their political views. Fear is the great equalizer, economic fear as much as any other kind.— what is truth?
- vBeing a 'journalist' means never having to say "It was my own fault."
Pretty funny, considering that batboy is allergic to holding accountable the incompetents he voted into office.
— Talking point sleuth - "It was my own fault." Not alot of accountability in alot of occupations nowadays.— RG
- Just as a quick addendum to my previous post - before anyone says that Civil Service people can't get fired for their political opinions, yes, it is tough to actually fire them completely out of the Service directly, but they can easily find themselves unpromotable, exiled to the worst possible jobs, find their work contracted out (and themselves made redundant), or, worst of all, find themselves under "security review". All the above do happen. I saw it.— what is truth?
- "Pretty funny, considering that batboy is allergic to holding accountable the incompetents he voted into office. - TPS" . . . . . . Batboy is simply following the memo, denigrate the press so that the Chimperor can treat it as irrelevant, even if it means buying into McClellan's media admonishment. What on earth will our resident loyalists do when Bush leaves office?
- Comment removed.
- "loyalists." Heh.— Talking point sleuth
- More "loyalism" from Xi Jah. What did you have to say two years ago, Xi Jah, when there was widespread agreement that the war in Iraq has damaged the US's ability to combat terrorism? Or one year ago, when Hayden's agency warned of new AQ threats? Funny, how "loyalists" only want to talk about assessments of the "GWOT" when they reflect positively on the current administration. Brings the term "cherry-picking" to mind. Hmmmmm. Now where have I heard that term before? Something related to evidence justifying the invasion of another country. Hmmmmmm.— Talking point sleuth
Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
E-mail Will by clicking here.
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