Media Watchdogs Caught Napping

wired news ^ | 3/17/03 | Leander Kahney

[freepatriot32]

In the run up to a conflict in Iraq, foreign news websites are seeing large volumes of traffic from America, as U.S. citizens increasingly seek news coverage about the coming war.

"Given how timid most U.S. news organizations have been in challenging the White House position on Iraq, I'm not surprised if Americans are turning to foreign news services for a perspective on the conflict that goes beyond freedom fries," said Deborah Branscom, a Newsweek contributing editor, who keeps a weblog devoted to media issues. In January, for example, half the visitors to the Guardian Unlimited news site, an umbrella site for Britain's left-leaning Guardian and Observer newspapers, were from the Americas.

[Izzy Dunne]

"As a journalist, I find it quite strange that there's not more criticism of the Bush administration in the American media,"

What planet is this guy from?

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Dennis charged that, unlike much of the American press, the Guardian site presents both pro- and anti-war positions.

This isn't a War Thing. The British media have always been more freewheeling than ours.

weblogs, especially Matt Drudge's Drudge Report

Heh-heh. He said the Drudge Report is a weblog. Heh-heh.

Of course, he thought Rather and Krugman might have something useful to contribute to the debate... so what did I expect?

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Dennis charged that, unlike much of the American press, the Guardian site presents both pro- and anti-war positions.

This isn't a War Thing. The British media have always been more freewheeling than ours.

weblogs, especially Matt Drudge's Drudge Report

Heh-heh. He said the Drudge Report is a weblog. Heh-heh.

Of course, he thought Rather and Krugman might have something useful to contribute to the debate... so what did I expect?

[RippleFire]

Wired continues its slide into irrelevance

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Dang itchy trigger finger.

[js1138]

"It's as though the whole U.S. is in shock (from Sept. 11).

No flies on these reporters. Sharp as a tack.

[CaptRon]

Jon Dennis, Guardian Unlimited deputy news editor, said U.S. readers are visiting his site for the range of opinions it publishes, and to engage in vigorous debate. Media outlets in the United States, he said, are not presenting the issues critically.

"As a journalist, I find it quite strange that there's not more criticism of the Bush administration in the American media," he said. "It's as though the whole U.S. is in shock (from Sept. 11). It's hard for (the media) to be dispassionate about it. It seems as though they're not thinking as clearly as they should be."

Given the Guadian's political persuasion I'm sure he is surprised, though if he is it's probably because he isn't reading any American papers.

His remark about "thinking clearly" is pure leftist elitism and arrogance.

[LetsRok]

"As a journalist, I find it quite strange that there's not more criticism of the Bush administration in the American media,"

Where is it written that the job of the media is to criticize it's government????

[Cicero]

Where is it written that the job of the media is to criticize its government????

The 1960's Countercultural Playbook?

Abby Hoffman?

[JmyBryan]

Imagine, foreign news sources being accessed on the US invented and provided Internet.

Would be interesting to see how many of these critical pieces are being read by the pro-war US majority.

I have a hunch the majority of best-informed internet sleuths are pro-war.

[Sloth]

In January, for example, half the visitors to the Guardian Unlimited news site, an umbrella site for Britain's left-leaning Guardian and Observer newspapers, were from the Americas Freepers .