Journalists as Gamblers
Journalists are not psychics, and they should not be gamblers, betting that the outcome of a story will vindicate them; they should publish stories they can stand behind whether a suspect turns out to be guilty or not.
Terrorism ‘Experts’ Strike Again
Among the elite of media pundits are the “terrorism experts,” whose authoritative pronouncements are almost never challenged by the news outlets that rely on them. Many of them (including Richard Haass of Brookings and Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies) were featured in a Sept. 1, 1996 New York Times piece […]
Liddy’s Lethal Advice
“If the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms insists upon a firefight, give them a firefight. Just remember, they’re wearing flak jackets and you’re better off shooting for the head.”
Islam: Fundamental Misunderstandings About a Growing Faith
There are approximately 5 million Muslims in the U.S. — nearly as many as there are Jews, and more than there are Episcopalians. Early in the next century, Islam will probably be the largest non-Christian religion in the country (L.A. Times, 12/17/94). Yet there’s rarely a mention of Muslims in the media that doesn’t have […]
The ‘Experts’ Speak
Steve Emerson: Emerson is a journalist (late of U.S. News & World Report and CNN) noted for his anonymous U.S. and Israeli intelligence sources (Extra!, 10-11/92, 11-12/93). These sources led him to announce, in the wake of the World Trade Center explosion, that the “bomber or bombers may be from one of the former Yugoslav […]
Knee-jerk Coverage Of Bombing Should Not Be Forgotten
So much has happened since the horrendous bombing in Oklahoma that the initial media coverage may already seem like a distant memory. But one person who will never forget is Saher Al-Saidi, a refugee from Iraq now living in Oklahoma City. The morning after the explosion — following nearly 24 hours of knee-jerk news coverage […]
Is Murder Moral?
It was shocking, but hardly surprising, when Paul Hill was arrested for the killing of a doctor and his escort outside a Pensacola, Fla., abortion clinic on July 29. After all, the former minister had been advocating such action on national TV for more than a year. Appearing as a guest on CNN‘s Sonya Live […]
SoundBites
Second Opinion Being a terrorism expert means never having to say you’re sorry. After the World Trade Center bombing, Steven Emerson of CNN’s Special Assignment Unit filed an “exclusive report” (3/2/93) announcing that unnamed “law enforcement officials…suspect the bomber or bombers may be from one of the former Yugoslav republics.” Three days later, after Mohammed […]
Northern Ireland From London’s Perspective
In October 1988, British Home Secretary Douglas Hurd announced a ban on broadcasting statements by members or apparent sympathizers of eleven political and paramilitary organizations (three of them legal). “This is not censorship,” Hurd announced. Affected journalists tried to adapt to the new conditions. Some news reports in Britain and Ireland now declare that stories […]
U.S. Media on a Terrorist Tirade
No sooner was it established that Pan Am Flight 103 had been destroyed by a bomb than the U.S. media went into its predictable ritual. Journalists prepared President Reagan and President-elect Bush with all the usual questions: How can we bring terrorists to justice? Will we retaliate against any country harboring those responsible for bombing […]
Hypocrisy on Terrorism
No sooner was it established that Pan Am Flight 103 had been destroyed by a bomb than the American press went into its predictable ritual. Journalists peppered President Reagan and President-elect Bush with all the usual questions: How can we bring terrorists to justice? Will we retaliate against any country harboring those responsible for bombing […]
Are You on the Nightline Guestlist?
ABC News Nightline is widely considered to be the preeminent public affairs program in the United States. It undoubtedly has the biggest audience of such shows; five to seven million households are tuned to Nightline on an average week night. With its combination of near-universal acclaim from critics and a large number of loyal viewers, […]
