Comments on: Katrina’s Silver Lining?

by: Michael Blanding

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 02:16:25 +0000

Right on, Rory, and good for you for saying it. I must admit when I saw Anderson Cooper crying on camera, the only thing I could think about was that scene in “Broadcast News” where William Hurt films himself crying during the date-rape story. As Albert Brooks’ character says (to paraphrase) - “When did reporters become the story?” That said, I did get a guilty bit of pleasure watching the press corps tear Scott McClellan a new one during his Katrina press conference - it’s about bloody time.

by: stuart fischoff

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 19:24:08 +0000

Eerything noted in the article was undoubtedly correct. Yet, I think it could have been delivered with less of the back of the hand. When people finally, if temporarily, come to their senses(e.g., sometimes be a good reporter is a good idea as well as being a good career move), I think it pays to reward them a little, even as you’re puncturing their inflatable egos. Frankly, I was surprised and impressed with someone I ordinarly despise, Shepard Smith, not only because he seemed to really “be there,” but also because he took on his studio colleagues, the Neanderthal Hannity and the Lord of Puffery, O’reilly. I also think Anderson Cooper is consistent over place and time in his sincerity and shouldn’t be tarred with the same brush with which his bosses were tarred. We males haver such a hard time praising and such freedom in criticizing others,especially other men. I say to these anchors, Thanks, guys, andthanks for injectinginto an horrific situation a little surprising, feisty humanity.

by: tanne

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 10:50:06 +0000

I have to say I agree with Ash–this is a bit cynical. However, I also have to say that I am a little annoyed that the few journalists who have “always had a spine” have had their normally excellent work largely ignored while those who suddenly “found” theirs in the past two weeks have been praised to the skies as the new saviors of journalism and worthy heirs to Peter Jennings, etc. How about some recognition for those who have ALWAYS been “doing their jobs”?

by: Francis V. Scalzi

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 05:50:00 +0000

Katrina’s Silver Lining, 09/13/05:
So what’s new ? You were expecting maybe a real change, an honest return to journalism, not just a passing fancy ? Remember the ten years the media flushed themselves down the hopper in their feeding frenzy over every morsel of trash “reporting” about the Clintons and every daily fake leak from Starr’s investigative colander? Nothing has changed. They’re still in the sewer. Same factors you point out: Careerism, sensationalism, and get the big scoop. Only now the publishers and top level editors are ruling the roost and censoring the stuff THEY don’t like.

by: Ash Roughani

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 02:03:30 +0000

Interesting take. I think it’s a little cynical, though.

Much of the interest taken by reporters has more to do with empathy and less to do with Stockholm Syndrome. Most of the lax media coverage we see is a result of a disconnect between the reporters and the reported (or non-reported). There is an inevitably proportional increase, both in the way and the kind, of stories reported as it “hits home” to those doing the reporting. The more they are connected, the more empathy they have which leads to more attention focused.

Look at all the reports on missing persons cases of whites compared to non-whites. To be sure, would you have said the same on September 11, 2001?