Another Question
Why, I wonder, does the United States lack credibility as it tries to downplay the Newsweek story about alleged desecration of copies of the Quran during interrogations at Guantanamo Bay? Is it because of the [INSERT LARGEST NUMBER KNOWN TO MAN] times it has not been truthful?
Next, it's quite interesting and hypocritical for the administration to condemn Newsweek for using anonymous sources. After all, in the run-up to the Iraq war, there seemed to be a single-sourced story (anonymous Pentagon source, usually) every day trumping up the fictitious reasons for war. The administration seemed to have no problem with that.
Finally, we'll see how the facts play out, but Newsweek -- and the rest of the media -- should have long ago stopped using single, anonymous sources for stories except in the most extraordinary of circumstances. Remember in "All the President's Men" when "Woodstein" worked like mad to get multiple sources to confirm facts? Ah, such a quaint notion of responsible journalism, ain't it?
Next, it's quite interesting and hypocritical for the administration to condemn Newsweek for using anonymous sources. After all, in the run-up to the Iraq war, there seemed to be a single-sourced story (anonymous Pentagon source, usually) every day trumping up the fictitious reasons for war. The administration seemed to have no problem with that.
Finally, we'll see how the facts play out, but Newsweek -- and the rest of the media -- should have long ago stopped using single, anonymous sources for stories except in the most extraordinary of circumstances. Remember in "All the President's Men" when "Woodstein" worked like mad to get multiple sources to confirm facts? Ah, such a quaint notion of responsible journalism, ain't it?
posted by Bill at 4:42 PM
2 Comments:
Though the fact that " Deep Throat " us still an unknown after 30 years suggests that he is probably a conglomeration or a figment. Can you imagine a journalist getting away with that kind of evasion these days ?
My take would be that today's journalists get away with much more. "Deep Throat," who was probably Al Haig, was just another anonymous source. One difference between then and now is that Woodward and Bernstein almost always had other sources to confirm (or, in that famous phrase, issue a "non-denial denial") the information. Today, anonymous single-sourced stories are commonplace. This administration uses them regularly to put things out there, and journalists -- whether because of perceived competitive pressure or laziness -- too often run stories with just one anonymous source.
It's informative to go back and review a lot of the news coming from anonymous Pentagon sources in the run-up to the Iraq war. Mostly pro-administration, and as we discovered tragically, often lies or near-lies.
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