How the Press and America Got Played

[Talon-]

I'm a Journalism major at Northwestern, and I'm taking a class where we're stepping back and taking a look at the history of journalism and how certain events were covered. This week, we covered Enron, but next week we're looking at post 9-11 and the buildup to Iraq.

One of our reading is from the Columbus Journalism Review and the title is How Chalabi Played The Press (http://cjrarchives.org/issues/2004/4/mccollam-list.asp).

It's a lengthy read, but it's absolutely worth it to get to the bottom of where our "evidence" was actually coming from.

And, for the record, I'm a moderate that probably leans to the right in my heart of hearts.

[IrishWhiskey]

Definitely an interesting read all right.

[pacman]

MU grad here; yeah a lot of the INC stuff snowballed until finally need of proof arose and there wasn't any to be found. It's a telling lesson for all journalists; check, recheck and check again your fucking sources

[Johan]

It's a telling lesson for all journalists; check, recheck and check again your fucking sources

I think politicians could use the same lesson.

[Kefkataran]

MU grad here; yeah a lot of the INC stuff snowballed until finally need of proof arose and there wasn't any to be found. It's a telling lesson for all journalists; check, recheck and check again your fucking sources

(Totally off-topic warning:) I just visited MU over my winter break. It's one of the two schools I'm considering (along with Columbia New York) for if I decide to Journalism School in a year or two.

[pacman]

(Totally off-topic warning:) I just visited MU over my winter break. It's one of the two schools I'm considering (along with Columbia New York) for if I decide to Journalism School in a year or two.

I think both are great schools for journalism, although some of the lower-end j classes are a waste at MU (maybe Columbia too, I dunno). Some of the faculty that teach at the Columbia Missourian (the paper students work on) are awesome people, though. A couple supported me when I decided I wanted to write about games, which is as we all know generally looked down upon in the mainstream media.

I'd say look me up if you end up here, but I'll probably be moved by then. If anything, I know I'll be back to visit. Columbia (town, not school) has some of the best local food ever.

I think politicians could use the same lesson.

Quoted because truer words were never spoken

[Kefkataran]

I think both are great schools for journalism, although some of the lower-end j classes are a waste at MU (maybe Columbia too, I dunno). Some of the faculty that teach at the Columbia Missourian (the paper students work on) are awesome people, though. A couple supported me when I decided I wanted to write about games, which is as we all know generally looked down upon in the mainstream media.

I'd say look me up if you end up here, but I'll probably be moved by then. If anything, I know I'll be back to visit. Columbia (town, not school) has some of the best local food ever.

Yeah, the city/area around the school was quite awesome for a college town. And the couple people I met at the Missourian were fantastic. I'm just not sure if I'm going to do J-school at all. Sort of depends on how current work goes, I guess. :) I really appreciate the advice, though, might want to chat with you about stuff some time.

[pacman]

Go for it man. You ever have questions just drop me a pm. I'd drop my aim but I'm almost never on it anymore

[Johan]

How the press can often "play" the world. (http://www.zombietime.com/reuters_photo_fraud/)

[Beelzebud]

Very interesting read. Thanks for pointing it out. I had read about most of this in various places, but it's nice to have a comprehensive article about it all.

[pacman]

How the press can often "play" the world. (http://www.zombietime.com/reuters_photo_fraud/)

An interesting read, but to my mind its themes are no different than the original article, when it seems you posted it to contrast with the original (but I could be wrong).

[Magnanimous Gnome]

(Totally off-topic warning:) I just visited MU over my winter break. It's one of the two schools I'm considering (along with Columbia New York) for if I decide to Journalism School in a year or two.

I have a friend who started at Columbia this past fall, and he loves it.

[Johan]

An interesting read, but to my mind its themes are no different than the original article, when it seems you posted it to contrast with the original (but I could be wrong).

I had no intention of contrasting or reinforcing...I knew of the link and had posted it in the thread on the Iraqi mother and her son, and thought, "perhaps someone in <this thread> would be interested?"

Not trying to prove anything, except that I don't trust what I read or see very easily, personally.

[Kagger]

I'm a Journalism major at Northwestern, and I'm taking a class where we're stepping back and taking a look at the history of journalism and how certain events were covered. This week, we covered Enron, but next week we're looking at post 9-11 and the buildup to Iraq.

One of our reading is from the Columbus Journalism Review and the title is How Chalabi Played The Press (http://cjrarchives.org/issues/2004/4/mccollam-list.asp).

It's a lengthy read, but it's absolutely worth it to get to the bottom of where our "evidence" was actually coming from.

And, for the record, I'm a moderate that probably leans to the right in my heart of hearts.


As a Houstonian, who was barely in high school, if that even, I'd love to hear what your prof had to say about Enron and the media.

[pacman]

I had no intention of contrasting or reinforcing...I knew of the link and had posted it in the thread on the Iraqi mother and her son, and thought, "perhaps someone in <this thread> would be interested?"

Not trying to prove anything, except that I don't trust what I read or see very easily, personally.

Cool then. :)

Yeah, as someone who has written professionally for newspapers (nothing huge, mind you) it's often embarrassing how words can get changed in editing, thus changing the meaning of the entire sentence. In this it could easily be the editor or writer's fault (unclear sentence, overzealous editor, unreachable writer—the worst), and with photos it can be the same (with captions) or far worse (in terms of changing or staging content).

gotta be ever-vigilant. MU has actually taken steps to offer a convergence degree now, as I recall, and is doing a lot in terms of showing that blogs and bloggers aren't the dregs of the Internet as many mainstream journalists originally painted them to be.

[Talon-]

As a Houstonian, who was barely in high school, if that even, I'd love to hear what your prof had to say about Enron and the media.

We watched Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, and then talked about the blanket failure of journalists in failing to remain skeptical. Business Journalists largely rely on the companies themselves and the "analysts" that are in the companies' pockets as their sources.

Throughout the entire Enron rise, only one major reporter (a Fortune writer) asked to actually see Enron's books to see where the profits were coming from, which is a failure on the entire Press' part. Enron was able to somewhat brush her away, but if at least a sizable percentage of the press had remained skeptical, I'm sure somebody would've been able to uncover the dirty dealings that were going on before it ruined the lives of thousands of workers.

If anyone hasn't seen that documentary, I highly recommend it. You just have to remain skeptical on the California energy director's side towards the end.

gotta be ever-vigilant. MU has actually taken steps to offer a convergence degree now, as I recall, and is doing a lot in terms of showing that blogs and bloggers aren't the dregs of the Internet as many mainstream journalists originally painted them to be.

Yeah, Medill's going through things a bit more drastically with our "2020 Initiative." The problem is that most of our faculty are also making that shift towards technology in their professional careers, so it's a learning process on both sides. I appreciate how undergrads get to get on the job working as reporters immediately entering school, though.

You can't go wrong with Columbia University's J School, kefka.

[Kefkataran]

If anyone hasn't seen that documentary, I highly recommend it. You just have to remain skeptical on the California energy director's side towards the end.

Agreed. Very good (if slightly depressing) doc.

That convergence degree is what I was looking at, what with my mixed interest in print, online, and radio journalism. Again, still not sold on doing J-school altgoether, but if I do both Columbia's are my top choices.

[GrinR]

Skepticism is not profitable. Neither is objectivity. Didn't anyone learn from Fox's success?

[Talon-]

Skepticism is not profitable. Neither is objectivity. Didn't anyone learn from Fox's success?

Of course. We've already gone over Fox News and the decline of "real" news programs with the direction that 20/20 and Nightline have both gone over the past decade: from news programs focused on one strong story to a medley of 5-6 minute pieces including "To Catch A Predator."

Largely, I'm assuming that the conclusion is going to be that we can only keep news truthful and important with how we conduct ourselves as journalists.