(no subject)

[weaktwos]

Looks like Peter Arnett tossed is career out the door, unless he wants work in Iraq: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/03/31/sprj.irq.arnett/index.html

Part of me disagrees with our reaction today. He wasn't saying anything that couldn't be found by the nation on the web.

In other news, I just heard that U.S troops shot up a van filled with women and children. I don't know the full details. It sounds like they tried to drive past a checkpoint, or so we say. Regardless. It continues to sully our international reputation.

Comments

[letsjank.livejournal.com]

I think the rub with Arnett isn't so much what he said, but that he said it on Iraqi state television, which in that totalitarian state is an arm of the government.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

Despite that, I still think it is extreme. What he said was nothing that isn't said by other journalists around the world. He wasn't pulling a Geraldo, and giving the position of our troops. If he said it on CNN, state run Iraqi TV could tape it and air it on their program, too. The same result.

This gets dangerously close to censorship.

[letsjank.livejournal.com]

Following this train of thought, a reporter should be free to appear on any network run by anybody, right? Because any network can tape an interview from a legitimate news source such as CNN and run it on their own network as you suggest. So the reporter can just cut out the middle man in any scenario, right?

Is it your position that a reporter should be able to appear on any network, period?

Please don't take this as an attack. I don't necessarily think that is such a horrible thing to believe, in fact. Though of course I personally disagree.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

I don't think this is an attack at all.

Yes, I think a reporter should be able to appear on any network, if they are interviewed by someone. As long as the line of troop safety and freedom of speech is not blurred. Geraldo's case is a clear example.

In this case, he wasn't spreading misinformation, but giving his opinion on events. Though it's not a perfect world, what network they show up on should be immaterial.