Koppel: 'Americans Need to Be Reminded of the War'

CNSNEWS.com ^ | 4/30/04 | Susan Jones

[kattracks]

(CNSNews.com) - During a week when Iraqi war coverage has dominated the cable news shows and led the networks' evening news programs, newsman Ted Koppel said he thinks Americans need to be 'reminded' of what is going on in Iraq.

In a Friday morning interview, Koppel said that's why he plans to read the names of more than 700 American troops killed in Iraq on Friday night's "Nightline."

Not all ABC affiliates will air tonight's "Nightline," however.

Baltimore-based Sinclair Broadcasting is pre-empting the live "Nightline" program on its ABC affiliates, saying, "We find it offensive that Ted Koppel is trivializing the deaths of so many men and women. This is not a one-year anniversary of the war, or Memorial Day. This is 'sweeps week,' and he intends to use a news platform for a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq."

In an interview ABC's "Good Morning America" Friday, Koppel said he expected the show to be controversial - "but not this controversial."

He denied complaints that the show is "anti-war."

"It is a way of saying...let me explain it this way, Charlie [Gibson]. I was born and grew up in England. I was a small child in London during the Second World War. We used to spend our nights during bombing raids in an air-raid shelter in the back. There was rationing. There were blackouts. There was an awareness of the war, which I think is somehow a little bit lacking in the United States at this time.

"I'm not suggesting that people in this country don't know what's happening, but I think that periodically it is not unreasonable to remind everyone of who these young people are and what they look like."

Koppel was asked to recall the impact of a 1969 Life magazine - which published pictures of the servicemen who died in Vietnam in just one week. It was one of the things that turned the country against the Vietnam War, "Good Morning America" host Charlie Gibson said to Koppel.

Koppel admitted that his executive producer had brought up the Life magazine spread.
"That was one of the things that our executive producer...mentioned to me. He said, 'You remember the impact of that. What if we do something like that?' And I think it's an appropriate thing to do."

Koppel said if his show has received requests from parents asking him not to name their children, he's not aware of it.

The show will run for 40 minutes, Koppel said - longer than the usual 30 minutes. Koppel added that he'll be interested to hear reaction to the program after it airs.

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[kattracks]

During a week when Iraqi war coverage has dominated the cable news shows and led the networks' evening news programs, newsman Ted Koppel said he thinks Americans need to be 'reminded' of what is going on in Iraq.

But the media thought it would be too upsetting for the public to be reminded of what happened on 9/11.

[KellyAdmirer]

It is not for Ted Koppel to decide "what we need." What an arrogant talking head.

[optik_b]

Pentagon's No. 2 Flubs Iraq Casualties
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1126932/posts

[TheBigB]

I'm not suggesting that people in this country don't know what's happening, but I think that periodically it is not unreasonable to remind everyone that I will do anything and everything to get John F'n Kerry elected President

[tiamat]

700 dead STILL doesn't come close to 3000 plus dead in one strike....

AND it's been over two years, AND we have 40 K + Americans killed on our nation's roads every year.

[smiley]

Never watched Ted Koppel....just another air head reporting his own agenda against the Iraq war.

[Sloth]

Thanks for the reminder, Ted. I had plumb forgot about that whole Iraq thing.

[dead]

Koppel admitted that his executive producer had brought up the Life magazine spread. "That was one of the things that our executive producer...mentioned to me.”

Is this the same producer who claimed he “honestly” didn’t know it was sweeps week?

[Judith Anne]

Let's contact the sponsors of this seditious garbage.

All weekend, all next week. We can do it.

[hobblemaster]

If you watch the networks (which who in their right would) you reminded every night.

[Getsmart64]

Koppel is an idiot...everyday the war in Iraq is in the news...he needs to come up with a better excuse...

[eureka!]

"But the media thought it would be too upsetting for the public to be reminded of what happened on 9/11."

A pox on their dishonest houses. Oh, and Kuck you Ted Foppel. May karma make you miserable come November....

[syriacus]

Koppel: 'Americans Need to Be Reminded of the War'

Since Americans are already fully aware of the war, this is obviously:

Koppel's Krusade to Kreate DisKord.

[Rummyfan]

I don't need Ted Koppel or anyone in the mainstream media to remind me of the war! What chutzpah! This guy thinks without his voice - on a show no one even watches - that we would all be floating in blissful ignorance. And it's more than a little self-serving on his part.

[Badeye]

Americans need to be reminded that Koppel is a Canadian.

[Badeye]

"Canadian! That explains it all. Suddenly all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Are you sure you aren't confusing him with Peter Jennings?"

Positive. Both he and Jennings are Canadian.