Almost a week and a half ago, the New York Times published a damning article regarding the major TV networks and their military analysts. Reporter David Barstow’s original article was published on April 20.
This was no softball indictment of military analysts – many who are, according to Barstow’s article, are just mouthpieces for the White House, manipulated to spread pro-Bush disinformation while protecting their own vested interests.
Barstow wrote: “Members of this group have echoed administration talking points, sometimes even when they suspected the information was false or inflated. Some analysts acknowledge they suppressed doubts because they feared jeopardizing their access. … A few expressed regret for participating in what they regarded as an effort to dupe the American public with propaganda dressed as independent military analysis.”
That was published April 20th …
Now ‘Editor & Publisher’ has published its own piece that points out how silent the major TV networks have been regarding the NY Times report.
E&P writer Joe Strupp writes: “As for the television networks’ lack of response, (veteran television journalist and now a freelance filmmaker) Don North says: “I am not surprised that the network executives, the suits there, have not been rushing to justify themselves. It is their nature to shut the hell up and hope it will blow over.”
The war in Iraq. The conflict in Afghanistan. The situation with North Korea.
Military analysis is a primary need … but at what cost?
