Posted on 03/22/2006 5:24:01 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
by Mark Finkelstein
March 22, 2006
Laura Ingraham clearly hit an MSM sore spot with the charges she levelled during her appearance on yesterday's Today show, in which she locked horns with David Gregory and James Carville. Read Laura in the Lions Den.
Ingraham accused most American media of covering Iraq from their balconies in the Green Zone, confining their reports largely to IEDs and killings and missing the more positive stories that abound across the country.
This morning, a clearly stung NBC asked itself whether it is doing a good job reporting on Iraq, and - surprise! - the Peacock Network assured itself and us that indeed it is. If anything, Today told us, the situation in Iraq is even worse than the MSM portray it.
Ingraham's gutsy appearance took on national momentum. Laura discussed it at length during her own syndicated radio show. Rush Limbaugh picked it up, and Ingraham made evening appearances on the O'Reilly Factor and Hannity & Colmes. At one point, Ingraham mentioned that it was her viewing yesterday of a report by NBC's Richard Engel, from the proverbial Green Zone balcony, that sparked some of her sentiment.
NBC fired back this morning, and featured the very same Engel in doing so.
Hosting the segment was Gregory, sitting in for Matt Lauer. He kicked things off asking "is the U.S. media focusing too much on the negative and ignoring the positive stories in Iraq?" Gregory then threw it to Engel in Baghdad, who began by alleging that there are "a lot of myths and misperceptions about what reporters are doing and are not doing here in Iraq."
Engel then narrated a montage showing that at various times, he and his crew have accompanied US troops, put on flack jackets and ventured outside the Green Zone, and exposed themselves to a variety of violent situations. We saw dramatic footage of Engel flat on the ground as bullets whizzed around. The point was made that even staying in the office can be dangerous, as the NBC News Bureau has twice been bombed. Engel also mentioned the danger of kidnapping, with 40 reporters having been taken hostage so far.
While making the case that Baghdad is a dangerous place and that the people covering display bravery, in many ways Engel failed to confront Ingraham's most fundamental charges. She had challenged NBC to apply some of the massive resources it devoted to the Olympics, or even to answering "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?", to its Iraq coverage. Ingraham suggested that the media get off their perches and out into the field. Speak with the Iraqi military, meet with villagers and children. Ingraham predicted that the resulting stories would paint a picture of Iraq more positive than the gloom and doom seen in the glare of the latest IED explosion that is the typical MSM fare.
There was nothing in Engel's report to indicate that NBC had ventured much if at all outside Baghdad or made any systematic effort to speak with the Iraqi military, or with Iraqi people-in-the street or with villagers in the many peaceful areas of the country.
Indeed, Engel's report confirmed Ingraham's allegation that the MSM portray Iraq in a consistently negative light. At one point, Engel asserted that "reporting on everyday life is increasingly dangerous because life here is getting more dangerous." And incredibly, Engel closed by claiming that, if anything, NBC's coverage was . . . not negative enough.
When Gregory asked "is security the overall story?" Engel replied:
"Most Iraqis I speak to say most reporters get it wrong. The situation on the ground is worse than the images we project on television."
Last night on the NBC Nightly Snooze (which I rarely watch) had this story covered in a 4-5 minute piece by the Chris Matthews wanna-be Andrea Mitchell who took the same take line as described above (while trying to appear to be 'fair & balanced', of course).
Actually, just a strong supply of Prilosec!
From the files of Snow Job and the Seven Media Midgets.
Richard Engel aka "Pretty Chicken."
Andrea Mitchell is Barbra Streisand on peyote.
I call BS, the first part of that statement is from an Iraqi, the second part is that reporter's opinion. It doesn't matter if they venture out of the green zone or not, the MSM will only pursue stories that validate their biases.
CBS: Complete Bull Sh!#
I suggest you read the WHOLE comment the President said .. including the follow up question
President Bush pointed out to the reporter that he wanted Bush to put a time table on Iraq .. and he isn't going to do that
Now you know why,years ago, right after the merger Ted Turner wanted to use his AOL windfall to purchase NBC.
I don't know.. I think our people, with our incredible, stubborn, bloody-minded streak of Individualism, are better at knowing they're being fed a sh!t sandwich than we give them credit for. That's why the dino-media is sinking - it's not because a few conservatives stopped watching.
Remember, we consume a great deal more of what the has-been media is serving up than Joe Six-pack, because we use it for discussion fodder. Joe Six-pack doesn't really care.
I support Bush and the war in Iraq, even while acknowleging there were mistakes (show me a war where everything worked according to plan).
I remember prior to the election when the administration would not say mistakes were made that many on this forum were also denying things weren't going according to plan. Now we have the arguement that well yes some mistakes were made, but in war nothing goes according to plan. That's not what was being reported here prior to the election.
The problem is certain folks want their views validated by the media.
You say you want a full picture? Thre isn't time in the day to do that. Even the administration doesn't have a full picture. It's too fluid.
And there have been stories on newscasts about our soldiers doing the good deeds, but it's easier to remember when mistakes were made. Why? Because when Sgt. Jones does a good deed, it shown once. When there is torture there's a long period of time between when it was first reported and the trial was held. Lyndie England comes to mind. The reporting of her acts were a process over time. Sgt. Jones was captured once and he and his good deed have gone on to other things.
Abu Ghraib is back in the news because Sgt. Michael J. Smith was just found guilty. What he did happened 2-3 years ago, yet it's in the news today due to the process of the event and now the guilty verdict of his trial.
That's a copout.
Photos of my soldier in Iraq, enjoy......
More Photos of my soldier in Iraq (Lots of photos)
Brand new photos, lots of them. This will be the last news from Iraq, my soldier is home!
Sure they are looking for some sort of date. The President said it would likely occur in someone elses adm. He didn't say we would stay until the job is done or asked to leave which ever comes first.
I am certain that this representation of life in Pittsburgh is as accurate as NBC's representation of life in Iraq.
Mickleschevski (sorry...lol) using the same mantra this morning. Oh the Iraqi's report even more graphic and worse attack pictures than the US press ever does.
At least their initials don't spell "Complete Bull Shit."
"Frankly the administrations admission the other day that any withdrawl would likely occur on some other administrations watch is a very different story of when we were told we would leave if asked by the Iraqi government."
Sorry, I'm not a media type and I'm just farmer from the backwash of PA, not too sophisticated and all.
But I cannot understand how the first part of your paragraph has anything at all to do with last part of it. It kinda looks like some kind of spin to me. Is it?
Like what has the Iraqis asking us to leave have to do with the war crossing to another administration?
I clearly remember the President saying that the war on terror wasn't going to be quick and easy, and that it would take years.
I clearly rememeber him saying that we would leave if the Iraqis asked. If they ask, I'm sure we'll leave. If they don't, I'm sure we will be there into the next administration.
How is that a problem?
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