ABC gives up; admits covering Iraq is "just too hard."

[Atman]

ABC News says they are not interested in covering Iraq War

Why do Americans think journalism is a complete and total joke? Maybe because news organizations treat the most serious, somber news as a a complete and total joke. Just look ABC News's "The Note" today. ( http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/story?id=751452 )

"Brides gotta run, planes gotta stray, and cable news networks gotta find a way to fill a lot of programming hours as cheaply as possible. (CNBC gets to talk about the booming April retail sales numbers, and the NRA's television network will replay the Secretary of State on Larry King over and over.) We say with all the genuine apolitical and non-partisan human concern that we can muster that the death and carnage in Iraq is truly staggering. And/but we are sort of resigned to the Notion that it simply isn't going to break through to American news organizations, or, for the most part, Americans...What is hands down the biggest story every day in the world will get almost no coverage."

Let me reiterate how unbelievable this actually is: A MAJOR AMERICAN MEDIA OUTLET HAS NOW DECLARED THAT THEY SIMPLY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN LETTING THE CARNAGE IN IRAQ "BREAK THROUGH" IN THEIR NEWS COVERAGE - AS IF IT IS SIMPLY NOT NEWSWORTHY. You can just imagine the pathetic newsroom attitude: we don't cover cats getting stuck in trees, we cover don't birthday parties at the local McDonalds, and we don't cover America's multi-billion dollar war in the Mideast.

Sorry America, the insulated, out-of-touch, Washington media is simply uninterested in providing any real coverage about the war. Because remember, the media has to be "very deferential" because "no one wants to get into an argument with the president at this very serious time."

Truly nauseating.

http://www.davidsirota.com/2005/05/abc-news-were-not-interested-in.html

How does this make you folks that got suckered into paying 5 bucks for a yellow ribbon for the back of your behemoth land rover? Do you think that ignoring their deaths is "supporting the troops"? Do you think there'd be much of a market for, oh, I don't know, orange ribbons that say "I don't care", or "the media shouldn't piss off the President" on them?

EDITED BY ADMIN: FIXED LINK TO THE NOTE

[Skink]

1. Maybe the razor wire around the Journalsit hotels...

has an adverse effect.

[snowbear]

2. Wow... complete opposite of...

the lady who filled in for Dan Abrams on MSNBC today.. Sorry, I didn't catch her name.

She spoke eloquently at the end of the program today for quite a bit about how the media is IGNORING Iraq.

She said that her brother had just returned home from Iraq, and that he was the one who mentioned to her how disheartening it is that those soldiers who are killed today get so little recognition compared to when the war began.

She said that as an American, a Journalist, a part of the problem, she apologized. Then she showed the photos of every soldier killed in just the past week.

It was extremely touching to see.. :(

[Up2Late]

7. Did she really do that!?!

Wow, I bet she got fired before she was even out of the T.V. Studio.

NPR DID do another Audio story today about the first solder from Alaska that was killed just recently. Here's the link if you're interested.

Alaska Mourns Its First Iraq Casualty

Listen to this story by clicking on link above, then click the button that looks like this

by Libby Casey

All Things Considered, May 12, 2005 · Alaska loses its first native son in combat in Iraq: 22-year-old Lance Cpl. Jeremiah Kinchen died in Anbar province on April 4.

[MarianJack]

8. WOW! She Mustn't be...

...a patriotic American!

ABC is being VERY American, after all, they have the courage to use **'s cop out of "it's hard work!" :sarcasm:

BTW, larissa, cute avitar. Is it a cartoon character that this old fud doesn't know or (GASP) doesn't remember?

[mmonk]

21. I heard a marine who recently served in Iraq

mention the same thing basically. He said there is a huge disconnect.

[Horse with no Name]

36. I saw her

She was awesome--even indicated she was part of the problem.
I was amazed. I can't remember who it was either, but I was so shocked.
Maybe the tide will turn.

[Up2Late]

3. I haven't decided yet if it's the threat of losing access to the WH...

...(no big loss these days) or if it's the under the table Money they MUST be taking, or could it be the threat extortion and Blackmail that causing this situation. :banghead: :mad:

[Gloria]

4. I've never understood this crap about "access to the WH" when

all they do is report the talking points issued by the WH.....

[Bozita]

10. The best the WH press can do is to make Scotty squirm

Instead of paying one WH reporter >$500,000/yr, why not hire 5 INVESTIGATIVE reporters @ $100.000/yr?

Let them investigate the talking points.

[blondeatlast]

53. Damn straight. Great idea. If one emerges as the next Helen Thomas,

pay him/her a million.

[Daphne08]

64. Yes, that sounds like a great idea!

Back in my day, investigative journalism was the coming thing. Of course, that was before the Corporate Buy-up.

All one needs to do is read foreign press stories to see that we do not have a free press... well, there are some courageous independent U.S. newspapers, but they are too few.

[AndyTiedye]

14. It's Not About Access, It Is About Controlling Public Opinion

Of course, the media companies want to become bigger, and **'s FCC
will surely oblige them if they play nice, but it goes beyond that.
Media moguls like Rupert Murdoch control such vast swaths of public
opinion that we can reasonably conclude that Boosh** would not be
in office unless they wanted him there.

[mom cat]

63. Bingo: The military-industrial complex owns the news. They are

making enormous profits from the war. Why on earth would they kill the goose that is laying all those golden eggs? Bad for corporate profit.
It is not the fault of the American people...they are against the war.
It is not because Kerry lost....he didn't...The election was st olden, pure and simple.
It isn't because Bush is so well respected..His ratings are going down the toilet
As deep throat said: Follow the money. The owners of the media are making a killing off this war and punish the journalists who do not tow the line. Dan Rather referred to it as necklacing. Note Phil Donahue, etc. Journalism that deals with facts that interfere with the corporate profit are fired, edged out, or die of strange circumstances. The only real media anymore is independent or blogged or some combination of both..with the few exceptions like Seymore Hirsch and Helen Thomas.
We help our cause most when we focus on those who are truly responsible for the media blackout of real news.
Thank you for being here and being a beacon. The truth that is told here matters a lot and it's import grows every day. There is strength in numbers and our numbers keep growing as does the level of sophisticated analysis.
:dem::woohoo::toast: :bounce: :bounce: :smoke: :applause: :smoke: :bounce: :bounce::toast::woohoo::kick:

[leftchick]

17. It would be a hell of a lot cheaper to just fax them

:grr:

[blondeatlast]

54. Or just get tem directly from the Heritage Foundation.

You want to know the problem? Check out HF's press room.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. Nobody wants to be there to report. It's too dangerous.

That is the very bottom line.

[Lindsay]

9. It's not only dangerous, it's expensive.

Wouldn't wanna damage the old bottom line.

[The_Casual_Observer]

11. You can't even buy life insurance that covers you for entry

into a place like Iraq. It's the hell hole of hell holes.

[Up2Late]

43. I recently heard it reported that on average, for each 1 reconstuction...

...contractor, they hire 14 "Private Security contractors" to protect that 1 (recon) contractor.

[Carolab]

6. I didn't read it that way at all.

Seems to me they were saying that it is lamentable that the most important story, hands down, in this country (probably the world) on any given day is getting no coverage.

[Career Prole]

34. You're right...today's Note was apologizing for this one...

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/story?id=751452

The thread needs that link. I'll put it in a reply to the OP.

[clem_c_rock]

12. Well - Damn - took so long for one of those fuckers to come out

and admit it.

We - on the internet - knew it a LONG time ago.

[Rex]

13. I've been saving this picture for a time like this!

One day the news media will simply not be interested in covering what happens to it's own citizens. Tell me it can't happen.

[Radical Activist]

15. I truly appreciate this statement and applaud its author.

Finally, a reporter had the candor to say this. The reporter doesn't say that they aren't interested in covering Iraq, so please don't twist and distort it in that way.

The reporter expresses regret and resignation that the biggest news story won't get covered. This is what we need. We need journalists to start criticizing their employers and the public for ignoring things that should be reported.

The person who wrote this statement should be applauded for being honest about how bad things are in the media. If more journalists write this way, things might start to change.

[Atman]

16. Kick.

I think this is a fascinating story. Arianna had some great comments on it yesterday on her blog. Scathing.

[DrDebug]

18. I know it's honest and she did the right thing

But they were fully committed to the run-up of the war and kept on pushing it as the main story and two years later when the war is going nowhere they drop it and ignore it.

In the meantime we are seeing the same happen again with another country - two in fact - and that next war will get full coverage as far as making the case for war. The moment it gets out of hand, it'll be dropped again.

[jilln]

51. excellent point

about them being there to stir the bloodlust frenzy.

[nashville_brook]

37. yeppers! especially informative where she talks about "dramatic arc" and

compelling characters.

jeez -- if they want to do fiction, they need to do fiction. news is news and she is right -- the corporate interests DEMAND these story "features" or else the story won't run. where's the drama? where's the "get"?

jouranlists don't think like this -- executives do.

[blondeatlast]

55. Indeed. I'm amazed that so few got the tone of the piece. nt

[ebayfool]

57. Or actually read more than the snips & subject headline?

Seems to be fairly common, react before reading?

[gristy]

19. "The note" is not the same as ABC news

The note is criticizing news outlets in general. Aren't they just saying what DUers and others on the left have been saying for a long time?

[Stephanie]

20. I think that is an innaccurate interpretation of the column

I don't think the columnists from The Note are announcing that ABC will not cover Iraq, as your post implies. The Note is a political column and the writers seem to be making the same observation you are - that there always seems to be a Michael Jackson story that gets more coverage than Iraq.

[nashville_brook]

38. and like anyone using "company computers" you have to be sly

in what you say.

it's like we are already in the dark ages where the truth can only be told in rhyme or tarot cards.

and what she said about the DEMs not taking up the issue, as if there isn't a story unless there's personalities to populate the narrative. if it doesn't have the "he-said-she-said" component, they might have to take responsibility for the content.

15 years ago, i ran a small paper in east tennessee, a benefactor came to me to complain about coverage of a nimby garbage dump piece -- that the local press was only covering the IDENTITIES in play. i was confused -- he wouldn't say any more. i thought he was talking about "identity politics" -- pomo stuff -- but he wasn't. took me years to for the light to finally go on -- focusing on the people as if they are celebrities obfuscates the story. period. it's that simple.

[KharmaTrain]

22. They Haven't And Can't Cover Iraq

Most journalists walk around with large targets on them in that country. If it isn't by insurgents its by the military. Most reporters sit inside the Green Zone, rarely travel anywhere without a military convoy and many get their information from second and third hand sources.

A lot of the video footage we see of the car bombs and carnage aren't from our media's cameras, but from Iraqi free-lancers and others whose credibility and reliability are dubious at best, but that's what the corporate media has been using in this poor coverage.

ABC isn't ignoring this carnage as much as admitting they don't have the resources to cover it. Most networks no longer have much of a foreign staff and the Iraq beat is the pits. Most "journalists" would rather be posted elsewhere.

I agree that most of our media whitewashes this invasion and plays into this regime's lies and deceptions every step of the way. It's shameful since their complicity in this fiasco puts as much blood on their greedy hands as it does this regime.

[clem_c_rock]

24. The key word here is "COMPLICITY"

Again - thank god for the internet. I can't imagine only having the option of getting my news only from these slimey tools.

[yvr girl]

40. I don't blame anyone for not wanting to be in Iraq but

in the 60's and 70's any journalist worth their salt wanted to go to Vietnam because covering hard news stories was how they built their careers. If you aspired to being a network anchor, you needed to earn your stripes.

It's not the same today. You don't need to earn your journalistic credibility before you become one of the 'faces' of the network. You just need a nice face and to be able to read copy.

Iraq is a piece of Hell on earth, there's no doubt about that. It is also a HUGE story that real journalists should be fighting to tell.

[newportdadde]

23. Its not covered because its not 'sexy'

Riding on a tank with the sand whipping around you = sexy.

Riding an unarmoured Humvee through urban streets praying you dont run over an IED = not sexy.

Planes flying around shootting off state of the art missles with a cool nickname = sexy.

Realzing your a national guardsmen who stayed in for a little extra cash to help pay for your insane insurance premiums and all you get to do is sit over in a hell hole = not sexy.


If war isn't a video game they aren't going to show it. If showing the war means getting people to demand us to leave which in turn means defense contractors who own the networks loose money they aren't going to show us.

[GreenPartyVoter]

25. *looking around for something to smash*

[Atman]

28. How about your teevee?

Send the battered pieces in a box to your cable company with a nice note of explanation. Congress won't listen to us, but the cable industry is a HUGE contributor, and if BushCo is causing them to lose money, maybe they'll put some pressure on.


Sorry. Who am I kidding?

[DemocracyInaction]

26. It takes two baby. Don't just blame the media.

How can I say this----AMERICANS DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT GI JOE, THE WAR OR IRAQ!!!! We are fake to the core. We are not interested. It's far more important to find out what the final episode of some two bit tv series is, etc. How many times do we have to tell America's "bravest" that it's a lie and these people really, really do not care. Big parades down Main Street showing us as victors get attention because people love it. Things not going well really are not exciting and are terribly boring. The media has just learned not to clutter our "beautiful minds" with the boring. The upside of it all is that as more and more Americans become unemployed or unable to afford squat, they might have time on their hands to actually "think"---but don't hold your breath...

[NJCher]

39. Right-o

Helen Thomas said it all. See this thread about Americans who just don't give a damn:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3643019


Cher

[ClintonTyree]

49. But what about all the ribbons?

I see thousands of ribbons every day "Support Our Troops"....some cars, mostly SUVs with 3 or 4. Are you saying those don't MEAN anything? :sarcasm:

It's easy to put a magnetic "Support Our Troops" ribbon on your car, it's another thing to actually CARE about the Troops. I support the Troops, I want them the hell out of bush's oil war. No GI should have to die so bush and his pals can get richer.

And how's that "Democracy" thing going over there, anyway? I guess we'll never know, will we? :grr:

[earth mom]

27. Gotcha. It's Just "TOO DIFFICULT" To SKEW The TRUTH...

That's why they don't want to bother. Lying and deceiving gets tiring after all since it's such "HARD WORK". Isn't that what Dubya complains about all the time?! :eyes:

[Toots]

29. I think this is good news

Maybe if the News Media didn't believe they would reap huge profits with war coverage they may not be such huge cheerleaders for war. One can dream can't they?

[Atman]

30. The media whores have egos the size of Texas

We need to start demonstrating our disdain for them as often and as loudly as possible. Start making all the old lawyer jokes and used-car salesmen jokes into reporter jokes. Make them realize that this lusterous career they thought they were getting is actually slightly below scrubbing septic tanks with a toothbrush on the "Cool Job" scale.

Denigrate, ridicule. Hit 'em where it hurts...the massive bloated heads. The big guys, the monster names of journalism we all grew up with...notice they've all "retired" suddenly? They know better. They don't want to be a part of it. Let Solidad know that her precious twins are going to be Kindergarten Pariahs. "Ewwww....your mommy is a JOURNALIST? EWWWWWWW!"

Conversely, on the rare occasion you hear one tell the truth, be sure to praise the, scritch their bellies. After all, they're just lapdogs craving attention.

[spooky3]

31. Is this yesterday's The Note? Today's says ABC DOES cover Iraq

"But we should have made two other points clear. First, there ARE news organizations in America (such as, we say proudly, our own ABC News) that do cover Iraq day in and day out. Second, in addition to our ongoing gratitude to the troops, everyone in this country owes a huge personal and professional debt of thanks to those journalists from all news organizations who are willing to risk their lives every day to cover this important story."

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/story?id=156238

[K8-EEE]

32. But....It Wasn't Too Hard When Saddam Was There?

How can that be when things are getting so much better...DON'T THEY WANT TO SHOW THE GLORIOUS LIBERATION ALL UP FRONT AND PERSONAL??

BOYCOTT ABC. I would but I have to admit I never watch it anyhow.

[TWiley]

33. Did Rupert Murdock buy another media outlet?

This story is truely disturbing. Without media coverage, then the hoods in the White House will absolutely no accountability.

We are doomed.

[Career Prole]

35. Hey Atman!

The link you have for ABC's The Note is today's...Sirota was commenting on this one:
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/story?id=751452

Is it too late to edit?

[Skinner]

41. Sirota's link is old. Here's a better one.

Direct link to yesterday's The Note:

Brides gotta run, planes gotta stray, and cable news networks gotta find a way to fill a lot of programming hours as cheaply as possible. (CNBC gets to talk about the booming April retail sales numbers, and the NRA's television network will replay the Secretary of State on Larry King over and over.)

We say with all the genuine apolitical and non-partisan human concern that we can muster that the death and carnage in Iraq is truly staggering.

And/but we are sort of resigned to the Notion that it simply isn't going to break through to American news organizations, or, for the most part, Americans.

Democrats are so thoroughly spooked by John Kerry's loss —- and Republicans so inspired by their stay-the-course Commander in Chief —- that what is hands down the biggest story every day in the world will get almost no coverage. No conflict at home = no coverage.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/story?id=751452

Disgraceful

[dogday]

42. If they think it is too hard to cover it, imagine what the soldiers feel

having to fight this war.

[RandomKoolzip]

44. The ghost of Ed Murrow hangs its head and skulks away....

This motherfucking sucks.

[KansDem]

45. Rare photo of ABC News team on Iraq War assignment...

Alexis: "Oh, look, Kent. Another fax from Karl..."
Kent: "Put my name on it this time and send it off to the presses."
Alexis: "This Iraq War coverage is just too hard!"
Kent: "Tell me about it! But the American people have to know! Say, while you're at it, can you get me another MaiTai?"

[MsUnderstood]

46. Thank god Comedy Central covers it. . .Mesopotamia

Sad that I get my news from a FAKE NEWS SHOW--if they can afford to cover it, why can't ABC?

[hippywife]

47. I've pretty much decided

that we need to take a different approach to our dissent to the war.

Last night I watched the movie "Beyond Good and Evil" for the second time. It talks about how children are marketed to and conditioned to accept and even participate in violence because they don't realize the actual consequences of war.

At one point, the movie showed interviews about war and terrorism with children in America where the media has totally sanitized the war coverage and in Mexico where they broadcast showing the actual human devastation. The Mexican kids got that war is horrendous and carrys a terrible cost. The American kids seemed to be of the opinion that "they did something to us, so we need to do something back" and one even thought that the children in the war zone were probably less afraid than she is because they are used to this kind of thing.

We still hold a monthly peace vigil at a very busy corner and I really want to organize new signs with pictures showing the devastation to the children. If the media won't make people realize the cost, I think it's up to us all to make sure the American people still see it.

[MadisonProgressive]

48. How about reporting the NEWS

instead of what you perceive Americans care about??

Dumb asses!

[smartvoter]

50. "No conflict at home = no coverage."

We hear this from the press at every turn.

Dear: Mr. Reporter/Editor/Publisher:

There were real problems this election. Could you please review the attached list of evidence?

-- Joe Citizen


Dear Joe:

Kerry didn't contest the outcome, so none of this matters. Move along.

-- Mr. Reporter/Editor/Publisher

[dkofos]

52. ABC needs to have their broadcast license revoked

If the work is too hard get out of the business!!

:grr: :grr:

[countryjake]

56. ABC has consistently been the most critical of the Iraq mess.

Seems that the point of this "note" may have been misunderstood by some, in that these journalists are clearly complaining that the "news" which "sells" in this country is not that one issue which is actually very high on the minds of most people of the world. I honestly don't see this statement as "giving up" on anything...it's just an acknowledgment of the widespread arrogance and failure of our nation to accept responsibility for our "actions" in the world community, via our obvious desire to avoid "buying" too much analysis of that pitiful situation.


How else should a line such as this be interpreted?

"that what is hands down the biggest story every day in the world will get almost no coverage."

[Timbuk3]

59. Follow up

I thought ya'all might be interested in Sirota's follow up:

Media elite justify no Iraq coverage because its "a hard story to cover"; America, we have a problem

Earlier this morning, I chastised ABC News for essentially coming out and saying they were uninterested in seriously covering the Iraq War anymore, and that Americans basically just don't care about what's going on there. Their statement was truly outrageous on a number of levels - and unfortunately gives other media even more justification to not cover what is the most important foreign policy/national security challenge facing our country.

Not surprisingly, I received a number of angry emails from Washington reporters whining and crying (something I am used to). One guy I know at ABC wrote me and said that they weren't actually endorsing this supposed "conventional wisdom" and that it's "just what is dominating the minds of the Gang of 500" - their term for the insulated Washington, D.C. media who lately seems more interested in preserving their insider connections and cocktail party friendships than doing serious reporting. I'm glad he at least claimed that wasn't the motivation (though who knows if that's really the case had they not been called out). He also said that my "comments were read and digested" at the network - and I do sincerely appreciate that.

But whatever comfort I took in that quickly turned to gagging and heart palpitations when he continued on by saying the networks aren't interested in Iraq, in part, "because it's a very hard story to cover these days."

That was about as disheartening as the New York Times top White House reporter telling the public that the reason the media refused to ask the President hard questions before the war was because the reporters wanted to be "very deferential" and that "no one want's to get into an argument with the president at this very serious time."

For any reporters reading this, here's the deal: As my dad always said, your work is supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it (and granted, some of the no-talent clowns on TV prove, unfortunately, that everyone is doing it). The fact that Iraq is a "hard" story means you need to work extra hard to cover it - not simply ignore the story altogether, and create/justify an insulated Washington, D.C. conventional wisdom that says no one cares. If you spend more than 6 seconds outside the beltway echo chamber, you'd know damn well that people do.

This is a truly sad state of affairs that should make serious journalists from an earlier era (such as Walter Cronkite) sick to their stomach. Polls consistently show that the national media has become a laughingstock. And while some reporters lament this as unfair - this little interchange with ABC proves that it is grounded in reality. Far from stupid, the American public keenly recognizes that many major media today are simply no longer interested in reporting on anything that might fundamentally challenge the Establishment power structure. For when the media seems more interested in covering what's on the President's Ipod and what the President's dancing habits are than they are the death/maiming of American soldiers in Iraq, well, we've got a serious problem.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/david-sirota/media-elite-justify-no-iraq-coverage-because-its-a-hard-story-to-cover-america-we-have-a-problem.html

[liberal N proud]

58. Just too Hard? WTF? Just too hard on bu$h boys ratings!

They sure were eager to help start the damn thing but it is "JUST HARD WORK" to cover it.

This pisses me off in so many ways that I can't even begin to think about them.

I will not watch ABC programing again. DAMN!

[Roland99]

60. But Covering Senior Al Qaeda Coffee Making Leaders is Job 1??

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1470810&mesg_id=1470810

[Cha]

61. Well, they're probably going

to miss the biggest stories EVER! Somehow, someway, somewhere ..Iraq is going to catch up to all those warmongeringmediawhores!!

Fuck abc!

[oppositionmember]

62. Got the ABC "Browser Update" page again...

I'm using a relatively recent version of Opera and NO other site gives me this bullshit, but ABC says we won't let you see our page until you go and download IE and install and sort out the bugs...

Arrrrrrrgh!!!

[Disturbed]

65. "challenge the Establishment power structure"

The Lame Stream Media finds no profit in doing that.

[Bluebear]

66. They can report via long distance, like Frist diagnoses.

Just look at videos that other people take.

[demodonkey]

67. Now, now, now, covering a war, well... "it's HARD WORK."

HARD WORK, mind you.

It's definitely HARD WORK.

:eyes:

[Bluebear]

68. One last kick

before the archives