The state of journalism
Molly Bingham is a journalist who has written an excellent editorial that raises some questions about the state of journalism in this country today.
She asked the questions other journalists were unwilling or unable to ask.
We spent 10 months in Iraq, working on a story, understanding who the people are who are fighting, why they fight, what their fundamental beliefs are, when they started, what kinds of backgrounds they come from, what education, jobs they have. Were they former military, are they Iraqi or foreign? Are they part of al-Qaida?
Those sound like important questions – and certainly legitimate questions that we should have answers to. But she found out not only about some of the people who are fighting against us, but also about the state of mind of those on “our side.”
Along these lines, the other thing I found difficult was the realization that, while I was out doing what I believe is solid journalism, there were many (journalists and normal folks alike) who would question my patriotism, or wonder how I could even think hearing and relating the perspective "from the other side" was important....
To seek to understand and represent to an American audience the reasons behind the Iraqi opposition is practically treasonous.
Liberals often criticize journalists in the MSM for not doing their job – and rightly so – but there is another aspect to this. A good junk of the American people don’t want to hear any bad news, they don’t want to know what’s really going on – they just want to feel good about their country and the way things are going. And journalists who don’t oblige are regarded as treasonous.
This attitude, although it is expressed with great bravado is actually the zenith of insecurity.
She asked the questions other journalists were unwilling or unable to ask.
We spent 10 months in Iraq, working on a story, understanding who the people are who are fighting, why they fight, what their fundamental beliefs are, when they started, what kinds of backgrounds they come from, what education, jobs they have. Were they former military, are they Iraqi or foreign? Are they part of al-Qaida?
Those sound like important questions – and certainly legitimate questions that we should have answers to. But she found out not only about some of the people who are fighting against us, but also about the state of mind of those on “our side.”
Along these lines, the other thing I found difficult was the realization that, while I was out doing what I believe is solid journalism, there were many (journalists and normal folks alike) who would question my patriotism, or wonder how I could even think hearing and relating the perspective "from the other side" was important....
To seek to understand and represent to an American audience the reasons behind the Iraqi opposition is practically treasonous.
Liberals often criticize journalists in the MSM for not doing their job – and rightly so – but there is another aspect to this. A good junk of the American people don’t want to hear any bad news, they don’t want to know what’s really going on – they just want to feel good about their country and the way things are going. And journalists who don’t oblige are regarded as treasonous.
This attitude, although it is expressed with great bravado is actually the zenith of insecurity.
posted by Zack at 1:01 PM
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