Tom Shales reminds us to tune into PBS tonight.
Tonight’s edition of “Bill Moyers Journal” on PBS is one of the most gripping and important pieces of broadcast journalism so far this year, but it’s as disheartening as it is compelling.
It’s always depressing to learn that you’ve been had, but incalculably more so when the deception has resulted in thousands of Americans dying in the Iraq war effort.
In this 90-minute report, called “Buying the War,” Moyers and producer Kathleen Hughes use alarming evidence and an array of respected journalists to make the case that, in the rage that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the media abandoned their role as watchdog and became a lapdog instead.
I’m looking forward to it.
Absolutely, we’re switching as soon as Keith is done.
“We’re not making progress in Iraq. We’re making widows. And widowers.” – Rep. McDermott (D-WA-07) just now on the floor of the House.
Aside from making me nauseas, I thought the program was excellent.
Isn’t there some way to have Russert drummed out of what should be the service (to the country). Cowardice in the face of the enemy, perhaps? I’d even accept something as innocuous as the journalistic equivalent of 4-F–unfitness to serve. Just get rid of him somehow–anyhow.
for those, like me, that are tv free…the program is up online at pbs: Bill Moyers Journal: Buying the War…video and transcript.
must see tv
I fault Moyers program for only one thing;
I don’t recall any mention of the leftwing blogs, such as BT, having had the truth on nearly all of these run-up-to-the-war issues, in most cases years prior to any of the MSM outlets’ “awakening.”
And it’s wonderful that Knight-Ridder was on top of it all, or looking into it, or whatever… but to what effect?
And then I have a question as to whether the sell-off of Knight-Ridder was the “reward” for having questioned the BushCo “facts”.
We no longer have a Knight-ridder paper in this state, since The Grand Forks Herald was bought by the privately owned Fargo Forum.
So, I would like to know if Knight-Ridder retains it’s previous zest for BushCo critique under its new owners.
McClatchey has been doing good work.
Thanks, Booman, that’s good to know.
I have no doubt that those Knight Ridder reports performed heroically and its great to know how committed they were to the truth.
But we had a Knight Ridder newspaper here in St. Paul and this particular affiliate was/is worthless. I don’t remember seeing any of these ground-breaking articles at the time. I eventually ended my subscription when the editorial page endorsed Bush in 2004. They were/are a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chamber of Commerce.
I had to Tivo the show and watch it first thing this morning. I feel so sad and angry and ripped off.
This question comes to mind: Can the media be sued for not doing due dilligence? Could it be a class action suit involving any Americans? Could military families who have suffered most directly initiate it.
Or do these creeps get off scott free because they were to scared or lazy or sycophantic to do their jobs?
Probably not… but maybe someday in a saner world, those two stalwart young reporters from Knight-Ridder might deserve Pulitzers or something. Talk about heroic effort! That was one aspect of the whole story I wasn’t aware of, that Knight-Ridder was doing the job that a lot more reporters should have been. Even though their stories didn’t get picked up in the New York or Washington papers, someone out there was reading them, and every bit helps when it comes to grassroots.
I don’t have a working TV, so I went to my parents’ house to watch it — the advantage to this being that it was a sneaky way of making sure THEY saw it too. They’re already not fond of Bush & Co. but they weren’t aware of how bad the lies were with regards to the war.
Now if I could find a similar eye-opening program on the topic of immigration…
It really riles me that the media probably can’t be held accountable. If the actions of any other industry contributed to so great a loss of life, they could be sued — even in these days of corporatacracy.
I too appreciate the work of Knight-Ridder. It does seem that the blogosphere has gained some ability to lift stories from obscurity over the past several years, and I think that power will continue to grow.
You should write to Moyers and ask him to tackle the immigration issue. Who knows, he just might.
that was one of the most important teevee shows i ever watched.
i think they missed one part of the puzzle
how dumb americans are…i mean downright dumb as rocks in a box…. uninquisitive, unedumacated, easily distracted by fluff, addicted to infotainment, too dumb to understand the consequences of not voting, too dumb to use a condom, too dumb to link war and oil and their mortgage payment and school shootings and poison in pet food…the list goes on.
50 kajillion people watched american idol last night
about 36 watched moyers.
natural selection is at work.
Actually, I watched both. Guess I’m only half brain-dead. LOL.
and my tastes involve someone like Bill Moyers’ informing my universe.
He didn’t tell me anything that was new–ya know what I’m saying–but he did tell me that some other reporters, way off the Beltway, weren’t buying this crock and bull story.
Which makes me wonder how many were watching this 90- minute informative extravaganza about how suckered Americans were on lies.
That’s right. Lies. Oh, I know Moyers is a gentleman. I know that he can be partisan only to a certain extent. Which is why he never said the word. But I sure was thinking it.
Lies. Americans let themselves be bamboozled by racism, jingoism, nationalism…and LIES. To the tune of thousands of incinerated American lives, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians.
I keep asking…where’s the rope?
I think Moyer’s strength may be his soft-spoken, gentle manner. People probably relax and say more to him. I know for sure I’d rather listen to Moyers than Tweety.
It’s Bill Moyers.
If it’s possessive, it’s Bill Moyers’ or Bill Moyers’s, NOT Bill Moyer’s.
It’s not just you, but a lot of people with some grammar problems all over the Net.