Eason's Fables Comes To Video Near You!
Captain Ed
The blog Sisyphean Musings has contacted the head of media for the World Economic Forum at Davos, Mark Adams. Sisyphus got Adams to confirm Forumblog's testimony that videotape was taken of the forum where Eason Jordan spoke, and agree to send a copy to Sisyphus:
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First, big kudos to Mr. Adams for the quick response! Please pass the word that I'm working this with him so please do not flood him with requests.
Second, he has confirmed that he has the video. He needs to make a copy. I have asked for it to be mailed to me by Wednesday next week. I'll update this post as more information becomes available.
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CNN has until Wednesday at the latest to come clean about Jordan. If they allow the blogosphere to get to the finish line first, they're toast. And not just CNN, either; the major media have all gone AWOL over this story. While the media blackout mostly doesn't surprise me, I must admit to being very disappointed in Howard Kurtz, whose work I respect. I understand that Kurtz has a contract with CNN, but his primary obligation is to the Washington Post, and to his readers and the truth. As the leading media critic in the mainstream media, he should hold them accountable, not help hush things up for CNN and Jordan.
I wanted to write him an open letter asking him why not a single word of the long string of Jordan's allegations has made it into his work. Fortunately, the Sundries Shack has already done so:
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Mr. Kurtz,
More than 36 hours ago, CNN executive Eason Jordan apparently accused the US military of purposefully targeting journalists in Iraq and killing at least a dozen. The story was reported firsthand on the forum’s blog, spread widely around the forum’s attendees, and was apparently witnessed in part by at least two US Senators. He presented no evidence that this was true and this is apparently not the first time he’s made similar accusations.
To date, the only major media outlet to report anything on this story has been the Washington Times, in an editorial today (http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20050203-094808-5506r.htm). The story has been covered extensively by the Captain’s Quarters blog (http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/) and by Hugh Hewitt
(http://hughhewitt.com/).
They’ve done nothing special to get the information they’ve gotten. They’ve contacted the forum blog author, attempted contact with Mr. Eason or his office, and researched similar statements from Eason that tends to establish his Davos comments as a recurring theme.
But we’ve heard nothing from the major media outlets reporting this as a news story in any way. Why?
There are a considerable number of people who believe that the MSM is consistently biased toward the left. This may or may not be true. But this story, and the mystifying lack of coverage, can only lend greater credence to that belief. After all, it could be immensely harmful to CNN if the American public heard that one of it’s top executives and the man responsible for its news division believes that American soldiers are purposefully killing journalists. It would be doubly harmful if we learned that he said this in front of an international audience and received cheers and accolades from some in the crowd.
What disappoints me the most is your silence. I’m sure you’ve heard about the story - you are far too media-savvy not to. But I’ve read nothing that I can recall from you on it - not even to acknowledge that the story exists. I have read that you may be working on a report on the story, and I very much hope you are, but after 36 hours, I’ve grown skeptical. I’ve come to respect you a great deal since I’ve started reading your media column in the Washington Post and I have always enjoyed “Reliable Sources". Right now, though, it looks like this story is just passing you by, and that you’re letting it go. I’d like to believe that’s not the case.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. You may contact me at any time, should you wish to do so. Have a wonderful evening.
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Read Jimmie's entire post at the Shack -- and if Jimmie doesn't mind, I'd love to co-sign this letter.
Note: Keep up with all the links at La Shawn Barber, who's detailing the blogswarm with regular updates.
UPDATE: Since the beginning posts on this subject may soon scroll off into archives, now would be a good time to point out that the CNN category has all of the Eason's Fables posts.
Posted by Captain Ed
captainsquartersblog.com |
