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March 12, 2007 3:48 PM PDT
Dan Rather: Journalism has 'lost its guts'
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During his hour-long keynote address Monday at South by Southwest Interactive, Rather opined at length on the state of his profession, in which too many journalists have become lapdogs to power, rather than watchdogs.
"I do not exclude myself from this criticism... By and large, so many journalists--there are notable exceptions--have adopted the go-along-to-get-along (attitude)," he said.
So, because of this "access game," journalism has degenerated into a "very perilous state," he said in response to a question from his on-stage interviewer, FireDogLake.com writer Jane Hamsher. (Editors' note: News.com on Tuesday published its full one-on-one interview with Dan Rather.)
Rather left CBS last year in the wake of a scandal surrounding questionable documentation for a story accusing President George Bush of being absent without leave during his military service. Today, Rather works as a journalist for entrepreneur Mark Cuban's HDNet network.
In his speech, he touched on the state of the Internet as a way to get information and news to people.
"The Internet is a tremendous tool for not just news, (because) its potential is unlimited for that," Rather said, but for "illumination and opening things up."
But he spent most of his time on stage talking about why he thinks many people have lost faith in journalists.One reason, Rather said, is that questioning power, especially at a time of war, can be perceived as unpatriotic or unsupportive of America's fighting troops.
That's "a very serious charge in this country," Rather said.
"We've brought it on ourselves," he added, "partly because we've lost the sense that (the) patriotic journalist will be on his or her feet asking the tough questions. My role as a member of the press is to be sometimes a check and balance on power."
Indeed, Rather's ascent to the pinnacles of power in journalism came as a result of his reputation for asking very tough questions and--as Hampshire pointed out--not being afraid to ask follow-up questions, of powerful people like President Richard Nixon, the first President George Bush, current President Bush, Saddam Hussein, and many others.
"In many ways," said Rather to loud applause, "what we in journalism need is a spine transplant."
Rather reiterated his feeling that many journalists today--and he repeated that he has fallen for this trap--are willing to get too cozy with people in positions of power, be it in government or corporate life.
"The nexus between powerful journalists and people in government and corporate power," he said, "has become far too close."
You can get so close to a source that you become part of the problem, he added. "Some people say that these powerful people use journalists, and they do. And they will use them to the fullest extent possible, right up until the point where the journalist says, 'Whoa, that's too far.'"
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It is incumbent on journalists to be willing to risk their access to power to seek out the truth behind a story, he said. And they shouldn't be willing to water down the truth to protect their access to power.
Rather also said that the consolidation of power in a small number of media companies has hurt the search for the truth in newsrooms across the country. As media conglomerates get bigger, the gap between newsrooms and boardrooms grows, and the goal becomes satisfying shareholders, not citizens, he said.
Therefore, Rather supports increased competition between media companies and between journalists. "So next time someone says, 'I believe in the capitalist system,'" he said, "tell them Dan Rather says 'Amen.'"
Rather reiterated the journalist's role as a watchdog.
"Not as an attack dog...But what does the lapdog do? He just crawls into someone's lap," he said. "A good watchdog barks at everything that's suspicious. I submit to you, the American press' role is to be a watchdog."
Hampshire then asked Rather about the state of the Internet and how useful it can be in helping to inform people.
Rather responded that he sees a lot of potential in the Internet, and in the blogosphere in particular, but that he worries about anonymity on a lot of Web sites and blogs.
He said it's very easy to attack someone when you don't have to put your name to your complaints. He's not sure how to strike the right balance between professional and citizen journalism, but he believes the market will eventually provide that solution.
In the end, Rather said, the American people must understand that the news does matter, and that what they see happening on TV or read about on the Internet, is real. War, he said, is real.
"What happens on the streets of Baghdad or Kabul does matter on Main Street."
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B.S.!
Journalists aren't trusted because they use fake documents to try to BECOME the authority. Dan Rather wanted a left wing government, so he used fake documents to try and achieve it. That is why journalists are not trusted.
Wake up, you crook!
1. Evidence That Clearly Establishes the validity of "schizophrenia" "depression" or other "major mental Illnesses" as biologically-based brain diseases.
2. Evidence For A Physical Diagnostic Exam such as a scan or test of the brain, blood, urine, genes, etc that can reliably distinguish individuals with these diagnoses (prior to treatment with psychiatric drugs), from individuals without these diagnoses.
3. Evidence For a Base-line Standard of a neurochemically balanced "normal" personality, against which a neurochemical "imbalance" can be measured and corrected by pharmaceutical means.
4. Evidence That Any Psychotropic Drug can correct a "chemical imbalance" attributed to a psychiatric diagnoses, and is any thing more than a non-specific alterer of physiology.
5. Evidence That Any Psychotropic Drug can reliably decrease the likelihood of violence or suicide.
6. Evidence That Psychotropic Drugs do not in fact increase the overall likelihood of violence and suicide.
7. Finally, then ask that they reveal publicly evidence published in mainstream medical journals, but unreported in mainstream media, that links use of some psychiatric drugs to structural brain changes.
Do this for the American people, and you can win! And you might find that it is not lucrative, but it will be honest and the American people have a real right to know. I will guarantee you that.
You will not only be a hero to me, but you will be a hero to others that understand that they have a right not to have to do this to themself or to their children anymore. Help us to stop this war on the American people, stand up for the constitution and the rights of the American people to know the full and honest unbiased and ethical truth.
Thanks, Janie
Need I go on?
Getting the story out, to make a deadline in the 24/7 news cycle, regardless of truth, is not journalism. And as a result, the bloggers make you out to be the fool you are.
Dan Rather is an old man, acting like an old man, thinking he is in an old man's game, when he is in a young man's game. He is a typical, arrogant snob.
Larry King of CNN commenting on the Internet, November 16 2006: "What do you punch little buttons and things?"
terrorist school. Foxnews reporter becoming whitehouse
spokesperson (hmm.. wonder if my snow buddies at foxnews
will ever do a story critical of him).. you forgot one of the fox
reporters whose sister worked for Bush and he did not disclose
this while pretending to have an objective interview with Bush.
BTW, did anyone at fox lose their job for that fake madrass
story?. Maybe the only problem Rather had was that he worked
for Cbs news instead of FoxNews.. had he worked for fox, he'd
still have a job.
influence, what with an oscar and big documentary. Can we
question him?
Rather is a clown, pure and simple.
NBC "Meet The Press" Host Tim Russert - former staffer for Democrat Senator Moynihan and Gov. Mario Cuomo
CNBC Host Chris Matthews - former advisor to Democrat Speaker Tip O'Neil and Democrat President Jimmy Carter
The job of the media is to dig for facts, and then report those facts that they can verify to us and then to let us form our own opinions. I am tired of journalist trying to pass off op-ed pieces as news reporting. Op-ed pieces have their place, they do matter, but that is not the way the main bulk of news is supposed to be reported.
Ask the tough question, grow a spine again. A good journalist WILL ruffle feathers, that is their job.
Dan You are one all American Journalist making Democrats PROUD
And them there's all the news on America Idol and the latest person kicked off of Survivor. So whatever Dan Rather sees in the relationship between jouralists and subjects, I never see that quality of news to even know about. He talks of Iraq images being real. Well, the "real" news I see is what is Ryan Seacrest wearing, and the new Joke-a-day segment.
When they do report news, they show the "hardhitting" interview with a person who was driving about 5 miles from a fire and saw smoke and stopped her car to watch. Wow!
- More Spine Needed for Questioning the Radicals
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by projectapollo1972
March 13, 2007 7:42 AM PDT
- I whole heartedely agree with Dan that more spine is needed. What I see today from our major news outlets shows just how much power the radical extremists truly have. Night after night, Sunday morning after Sunday morning, we hear unending criticism of the US Government -- exactly because the journalists have nothing to fear. But where is the criticism, the tough questions, the in-your-face David Gregorys, when it comes to the bystanders in the world of radical Islam. Is the press being "sensitive" to being offensive in challenging religious radcials? I hardly think so. No, I believe that they actually fear these people and don't want to risk any personal ramifications. Yes, please do get a spine. I don't think I can take another Meet the Press with Tim pounding the tough questions about the US administration (which is good), while ducking the globe's real threat to peace and stability - radical Islam(which is spineless).
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