Please don't look for exact quotes in my diary. I am writing this before I 'fact-check' myself. I am not running for office and I post my recollections as much as I post my own thoughts.
Awhile back I wrote that some enterprising network manager would notice that they were not going to beat FAUX News by being FAUX-Lite.
I predicted that some network would catch on to the fact that there was a huge group of Americans watchers/listeners/consumers that were not ditto heads. And since a larger number of voters voted for Al Gore than voted for George WhistleAss Bush, they were going to catch on to a forgotten demographic and start moving to being more balanced in their coverage.
Well, I always thought that it would be CNN.
Now I am starting to catch a whiff of an editorial change at CNN. Perhaps they are just tired of parroting Rethuglican Talking Points. Perhaps they are tired of pushing propaganda while more American kids die and are maimed in Iraq. Perhaps they just want to make more money by building market share.
But something is starting to happen at CNN.
And if the media start doing their jobs instead of being campfollower brainless parrots of the Rethuglican talking points, even if they are only doing it for the most disgustingly mercenary reasons, I have got to take notice.
So I am making this post. Does anybody else see what I see?
Click for the soapbox portion of this post.
[soapbox]
I have been hectoring CNN for a while for having the CIA Agent Outing TRAITOR Bob Novak on Crossfire. CNN got rid of Peter Arnett for a lot less journalistic indescretion.
I don't care if the CIA Agent Outing TRAITOR Bob Novak stays on 'Capital Gang' but when I see him on Crossfire, I generally change channels. And if I do leave Crossfire on, I have some socks to throw at the TRAITOR's smug face.
Let's all remember that the Bill of Rights protects the free press. I am not favoring any criminal sanctions in this post. And I am not in favor of the government regulating the press.
But the media is supposed to be self-regulating. We can provide positive and negative feedback by watching or not. But let's see a little of that 'self-regulation', huh?
Do you hear me, CNN? Are you the free press or are you some corporate propaganda machine for the Republicans? If you think Bob Novak crossed the line then get up on Crossfire and say so. If Bob Novak wants to wipe the smug, self-righteous, 'kiss my ass American patriots doing a damn hard job in the CIA' look off his face and apologize to us and them, I'd be inclined to drop it.
But a lot of 'journalists' have been punished for poor editorial judgement and the CIA Agent Outing TRAITOR Bob Novak used very poor judgement when he helped a TRAITOR in the Bush Administration out a CIA Agent.
Nothing would have been lost in Bob Novak's CIA Agent story if he had 'made-up' a name. Lots of other stories use those kinds of 'cut-outs' to get the story out there without revealing the identity of a CIA Agent.
Bob has not even apologized. I'd be tempted to accept that as a sign that he realized he has helped a TRAITOR do their dirty work.
So, if you agree with me, or even if you think I am full of skeit, please send a message to CNN at: crossfire@cnn.com
Personally, I'd like to know that Bob Novak is going to apologize. I'd gather a crowd of watchers... and (for the mercenary) help their ratings.
What do you say?
[/soapbox]