Salon.com blogger Glenn Greenwald ripped into the popular media a few days ago in the wake of Walter Cronkite's passing. Much like the death of journalist David Halberstam, mainstream television and print reporters are using this occasion to slap themselves on the back in celebrating the achievements of one of their own. Greenwald notes that today's celebrity journalists are often little more than shills for the government and corporate America. They praise Cronkite while ignoring that, in 1968, the CBS news anchor told Americans on live TV that the government wasn't being honest with them and that the Vietnam War would end in nothing better than a draw.
Those eulogists had their chance to step forward with equivalent truth-telling but instead they spouted the party line on Iraq. Greenwald quotes one network reporter as saying it's not his job to point out to Americans when their government is lying. Cronkite himself wrote in 1999 that "there has been an abdication of responsibility within the profession..." And that's the way it is.
6 comments:
Speaking of abdication of journalistic responsibility, Jim, do you think the Times or either city daily will take the time to investigate and report on instances of a certain incumbent's using gutter invectives to blast city employees for not supporting his candidacy? Just wondering because I thought this was still a democracy where one could decide to support the candidate of his/her choosing. Word is that at a certain BBQ a certain incumbent was less than cordial to a well known East Bostonian. Where is a reporter or camerman when you need one for recording such a display for public consumption? Maybe the BPD brass present would be willing to validate the story. We'll see.
I was at the BBQ and Menino flipped out because of his latest polling in EB not being to his liking.I am a neighbor of Joe( the host) and actually changed my mind about voting for the Mayor after observing his behavior.Sorry to stray off topic. Walter Cronkite was an institution in America,the likes of which we will never see again.
Oh, so it happened at two BBQs? Very interesting. I was referring to a gathering at a house other than Joe's. If it's true that the mayor has reacted this way on more than one occasion, then we really need to be concerned about his temperment and how it reflects on his ability to continue to run the city.
Eastie Knitter was this also on Sat July,11th?He (Menino) really tore into more than one person,but wasnt actually yelling.Swearing alot though,he was more than verbally abusive to someone who is a city employee who couldnt tell him off for obvious reasons. If it happened one more than one occassion you have to wonder about his temperment,you're right.He came off like a bully.
I was told the latest incident happened yesterday, July 23. When the city employee is enjoying a social time in his/her own neighborhood, being verbally assaulted by the mayor is beyond the pale. What is he going to do: fire every city employee due to his being so thin-skinned?
This syndicated bullying by the mayor and some of his supporters needs to stop. Start acting like adults and not spoiled brats in a playground sandbox. Sixteen years of getting his own way and he's going to end on this note of being acerbic to anyone who disagrees with him? Shame on him.
Sorry, Jim, I thought both monikers came through earlier. It's important that people see both sides of the mayor's personality and these incidents need to be reported. Thanks, as always, for providing a forum.
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