Tick Tick Tick

This smells funny:

Viacom co-president Leslie Moonves told an investors conference Tuesday that results of an independent investigation into what went wrong with its CBS News "60 Minutes" report "obviously … should be done probably after the election is over so that it doesn't affect what's going on."

Regardless of what the meaning of the word "it" is (either "the election" or "the investigation"), by this logic, you either A) don't believe you are capable of delivering a factual investigation in a partisan atmosphere, B) are somehow worried about the impact your reporting could have on an election, or C) both. None of which seems like the proper comportment for a news organization that takes itself (too) seriously.

Comments

[Ruthless]

We seem to be piling on Dan and "60 Minutes" here.
What concerns me more is the chilling effect on "60 Minutes," because it's the only main network show that digs deep and blows whistles.

And could we bring up here other stories "too hot to print," from Nick's recent panel discussion?

[R C Dean]

So lemme get this straight - it is perfectly alright for CBS to run a story that might "affect what's going on" (the election) by helping a Demmie beat a Republican, but its not alright for CBS to run a story that might "affect what's going on" by indirectly helping the Republican.

Got it. Thanks, CBS, for letting us all know you haven't learned a single thing.

[SR]

Your knee is jerking, RC, given that CBS is also the network that's suppressing a report on the Niger uranium fraud until after the election. (http://www.fair.org/activism/cbs-niger.html) Indeed, given that regardless of what CBS's internal investigation about the forged National Guard finds, it doesn't reflect on Bush, whereas the uranium memos would, CBS is, on net, favoring Bush in these decisions.)

[fire him!]

CBS is trying to bury the issue without being forced to fire Dan Rather, which is what they need to do!

Dan Rather needs to go!

He didn't just report the story, he made it personal. He wasted airtime to tell the president "answer the question". That's not the appropriate actions of an impartial and unbiased journalist.

And the folks at CBS are still operating under the delusion that even though the DOCUMENTS are forgeries, what they said was still the truth! What a load of crap!

Moonvies needs to realize that Rather and his people at CBS News are a liability that cannot be pushed under with some delayed investigation.

FIRE DAN RATHER!

[TM]

we should make the airwaves public, like Canada and some european countries. I don't trust major coorporations telling me what is going on in the world.

[OL]

"we should make the airwaves public, like Canada and some european countries. I don't trust major coorporations telling me what is going on in the world."

I'd rather get my news from a biased corporation than from the state.

[OPUS]

Dan needs to step aside while the "investigation" continues! Why would the investigation even take a week on this matter?

Note Sam Huston State University named its journalism and communications building after him.

You would think the students would want him to step aside at this time in the 2004 election cycle. But, no, they have no integrity either.

From Dan's CBS BIO....

"(CBS)?Anchor and Managing Editor, CBS Evening News; Correspondent, 60 Minutes II

Since 1962, when Dan Rather first joined CBS News, he has handled some of the most challenging assignments in journalism. His day-to-day commitment to substantive, fair and accurate news reporting and his tough, active style have earned him a position of respect among his peers and the public.

In October 1994, Rather was honored by his alma mater, Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, which named its journalism and communications building after him."

[too many steves]

CBS didn't quite say they needed more time to complete their investigation, instead it sounds as if they may have finished it already. Their commitment to seek out and present the facts appears to be the main casualty; we just don't know when, exactly, it died, but I suspect that happened awhile ago.

[Isaac Bartram]

we should make the airwaves public, like Canada and some european countries. I don't trust major coorporations telling me what is going on in the world.

Comment by: TM at October 6, 2004 03:35 PM

While Canada has a govt owned TV and Radio network (CBC) there are several privately owned networks as well. From everything I hear the BBC in Britain is increasingly considered a joke and is losing to private broadcasters.

You don't trust major coorporations telling you what is going on in the world but you trust government bureaucrats? Interesting.

[Ruthless]

Assume these documents had not been forged: then would this story have had "legs"?

[joe]

"And the folks at CBS are still operating under the delusion that even though the DOCUMENTS are forgeries, what they said was still the truth! What a load of crap!"

Um, no. There were two significant charges made in the memos - that Bush had avoided his obligations in the Guard, and that he had had strings pulled to protect him. Both are amply documented. For example, just yesterday, the Texas Air National Guard released Bush's last daily orders, which reflect that he had been grounded for a year because he had skipped his mandatory physical. The former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives has gone public with his admission that he pulled strings to get W into the ANG.

This story was true before Dan Rather stuck his nose into it, and it is just as true afterwards.

[Vynnie]

"we should make the airwaves public, like Canada and some european countries. I don't trust major coorporations telling me what is going on in the world."

Pardon me, but I've just got to have some fun with this comment.

Let's completely set aside the oxymoron of banning public access to the airwaves being called "making the airwaves public," since Canada, Britain, and (I believe) the rest of the EU don't monopolize the airwaves, they just operate gov't-funded broadcasters similar to America's PBS/NPR.

Instead, I'd like to know when "I don't trust major corporations" became the rallying cry of persons who trust the Britsh Broadcasting Corporation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

[fire him!]

If the documents are not authentic, then the information in them is suspect. Which part about that reasoning do you not understand?

If CBS ran with the story based on the information that came out NOW, this would be a different matter. But they didn't. They ran the story based on documents that turned out to be forgeries. They knew the documents were suspect and they still passed them off as authentic. Coming out with information after the fact still does not justify the passing of suspect documentation as authentic. The ends still do not justify the means. Fraud is still fraud.

DAN RATHER MUST GO!

[lochia]

Excuse me, SR, but what Niger uranium fraud are you referring to?

[Dan]

There were two significant charges made in the memos - that Bush had avoided his obligations in the Guard, and that he had had strings pulled to protect him. Both are amply documented

So... what's the "ample documentation" that Bush had strings pulled to protect him?

The former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives has gone public with his admission that he pulled strings to get W into the ANG.

That's certainly a euphemistic way of saying "A politician from the opposing party claimed, without offering any evidence, that he pulled strings to get W into the ANG".

So unsubstantiated claims by Democratic politicians qualify as "ample documentation" in JoeWorld. Why am I not surprised?

[Joe L.]

And let's not forget the "DRAFT" story. THERE MIGHT BE A DRAFT, OH MY GOD!!! We have no evidence of it, BUT THERE COULD BE A DRAFT!!
Heck there might be Aliens and Predators lurking in abandonned warehouses in your city, too! We have no evidence of it, but like the draft story there IS an e-mail floating about...

[Tim Cavanaugh]

Indeed, given that regardless of what CBS's internal investigation about the forged National Guard finds, it doesn't reflect on Bush, whereas the uranium memos would, CBS is, on net, favoring Bush in these decisions.

The investigation would, however, reflect on Kerry if it turned out there was some collusion between Mary Mapes and the Kerry campaign. As with most of the stuff on this thread, there's no evidence that that occured, but as far as I can tell it's the only explanation for CBS' insane behavior during the two weeks Selectrigate was erupting.

[sp ecial de al 4 u]

excuse me and thank you for reading this email. my uncle, the nigerian finance minister, recently passed away leaving me $12 million us in nigerian uranium. if you will be kind enough to give me your us bank account numbers and social security, i will give you much percentage of the profits from sale.

in addition, as you may be aware, us will soon be instituting draft to support the many wars it will be fighting. for nominal fee, i will pull strings to get you out of draft. if you are draft, you will be forced to have many physical exam, and if miss one then you will lose right to hold public office forever.

please forward this e-mail to as many people as possible. if you forward to 20 people within 36 hour, it will be ample documentation that you are good person. if you not forward to any people, all airwaves in your country will be made public.

[SR]

Iochia, assuming you're not being sarcastic, read the page at the link I provided in my original post.

[Curtis]

I just hate admitting that this is what I expected. It's disgusting that this network can't grow up. I'm absolutely serious in stating that many heads should roll and the sooner, the better. The other 2 big anchors in their recent comments didn't impress me at all. Clubby, weren't they? I'm disgusted.

[joe]

"If the documents are not authentic, then the information in them is suspect. Which part about that reasoning do you not understand?"

The part where you pretend these documents were the only indication that there was anything sketchy about George Bush's stint in the National Guard.

The biggest fool in the world can say the sun in shining, and that won't make it dark.

[fire him!]

Other information does not make a forged document credible, joe. Stop sidestepping the issue.

[joe]

OK, Rather sucks. He either got punked, or he's corrupt, or both. I haven't suggested otherwise. But frankly, that's peripheral.

The story is still true - Bush got strings pulled to get into the Champagne Divisions, then didn't even live up to his responsibilities there, and didn't suffer any consequences for blowing off his obligations. Daddy's friends bailed him out of the mess he made. Not for the first time, and not for the last.

[Dan]

The story is still true - Bush got strings pulled to get into the Champagne Divisions

I'm still waiting for that "ample documentation", joe...

[Ruthless]

Dan, did you see the interview Dan did with the secretary of the Lt. Col.?
I thought that was "ample documentation."

[joe]

You have got to be kidding me, Dan. How much caulk do go through to keep your cocoon that tight?

The Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives has been spilling his guts about this for months, Dan. Try reading something that isn't designed to back up your prejudices for a change.