Columnist speaks up about MSM not reporting the news

[ailsagirl]

Fluff stories crowd out news the nation needs
Donald P. Russo
May 28, 2005

=snip=

In a story broken by the Washington Post, former NFL player Pat Tillman's family has spoken out harshly against the Army, alleging that its investigation into Tillman's friendly-fire death in Afghanistan last year was a sham and that the subsequent effort to maintain a cover up has made it difficult for the family to cope with their loss.

=snip=

Underreported story two: A Senate committee led by Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., accused George Galloway, a member of the British Parliament, of improprieties regarding the U.N. Oil-for-Food program in Iraq. Sen. Coleman subpoenaed Mr. Galloway, apparently assuming Galloway would roll over for his committee the way Democrats in this country usually roll over for Republicans these days.

=snip=

Underreported story three: We also have ''The Downing Street memo,'' which nearly caused Tony Blair to lose his government. In this memorandum, British foreign-policy aide Matthew Rycroft summarized a July 23, 2002, meeting between Blair and his top security advisers. Rycroft also analyzed a U.S. visit by Richard Dearlove, who then led Britain's intelligence service. The Dearlove visit occurred while President Bush was still promising Americans that no decision had been made to launch a war against Iraq. The memo said that ''the intelligence and facts were being fixed'' by the Bush administration to support its previous determination to invade Iraq. According to the memo, the British attorney general also seriously questioned the legality of the war. U.S. media have given short-shrift to the Downing Street memo, which essentially affirms that Americans were lied to in the fall of 2002 about the decision to invade Iraq.

=snip=

There is a fourth story, still unwritten. It should examine exactly what has happened to the U.S. media. Many vital news events now receive minimal coverage. This is a shameful development. We should demand more hard news coverage, because we have a right to be well-informed. It is not unpatriotic to print stories unfavorable to the Bush administration.


http://www.mcall.com/news/opinion/oped/all-columnmay28,0,1875503.column

We should email him our thanks... his email address is at the bottom of the page.

:patriot:

[Nite Owl]

1. Done

There seem to be so few journalists out there with any conscience for what they are allowing to happen. Those that do need our full support.

[Celebration]

4. not a journalist

He's a lawyer and it is an oped column. I like it but it isn't as if he is criticizing his own, really.

[Vincardog]

2. I sent him a note of thanks. Did you?

[ailsagirl]

3. Thank you!! I just emailed him.

I really think it's important to give credit to these courageous writers. It can't be easy, going against the tide!!

[MadisonProgressive]

9. Just emailed him my sincere thanks

[Eloriel]

5. And nominate this thread, as I just did. n/t

[MelissaB]

6. Gladly!

[HootieMcBoob]

7. Here are a few more unreported stories

Valerie Plame
Sibel Edmonds
Karen Kriatkowski

And there are plenty more where these came from.

[EFerrari]

8. Emailed. n/t

[RamboLiberal]

10. I sent him a short thank you and wished he'd become

a journalist. I just hope the "morans" don't flood his mailbox.

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. Oh, to see this realization spread! Thanks for posting. n/t

[bling bling]

12. I e-mailed him. Thanks. n/t

[EVDebs]

13. The Church and Pike cmtes disclosed Operation Mockingbird

the CIA's media manipulation program. Lotsa journalists on the take. Wonder why Novak got the leak with the Plame story ? Deliberately.

Walter Pincus ? Check out a reporter's background.

The public now needs to 'vet' reporters before speaking to them. Who can afford to be a whistleblower these days ? Bushco is making that almost impossible. Look at Colleen Rowley for chrissakes.

[sarcasmo]

14. Makes you wonder how many reporters are on the CIA payroll.