March 10, 2005

The Other Side of Rather

HOWARD ALTMAN OF PHILIDEPHIA'S CITY PAPER offers this parting assessment of Dan Rather's career in the Poynter Online - Forums

Dan Rather had a career most journalists envy and no blogger can match. And I say this as a journalist and a blogger.

The sins of the MSM are many, the reasons for its careening demise well documented and certainly, the end game of Dan Rather's remarkable career will go down in history as how not to cover the news. But, for nearly every major story of my lifetime (and I just turned 45) Rather was there. Whether fueled by curiosity, ego, the priest-like calling to find the truth, or some combination, Rather got out of the studio and into the frontlines of unfolding history. From Kennedy's assassination, to the civil rights movement, to Vietnam, Watergate, Tianan-men Square - the list is as long as it is ubiquitous - he was there. Something my colleagues in both journalism and blogging should not be so quick to dismiss.

It's one thing to sit in an office or at home, make some phone calls, type some words and call it a day. Sure, you can make a difference that way. You can even take down an icon like Rather. But it is something else entirely to go to the story. To risk safety and comfort in search of the truth. For a variety of reasons, most journalists don't do that. Few bloggers do. Yet both groups are vital to the future of our democracy. Yes, Dan Rather did not have a pristine career. He erred, he faltered. But in my mind, his successes - which far, far outweigh his failures - offer a roadmap of how the media (in whatever form it may exist) has to live up to its First Amendment rights by living its First Amendment responsibilities.

Laugh all you might. But it does have a lot to do with courage. Now more than ever.

Inspite of all the other things written here and elsewhere about Rather, these things are also true.

And with that, via con Dios, Dan.

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Posted by Vanderleun at March 10, 2005 2:21 PM | TrackBack
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"It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood." -- Karl Popper N.B.: Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately. Comments that exceed the obscenity or stupidity limits will be either edited or expunged.

Bullshit.

If Rather hadn't of done it, somebody else would have. He wasn't anything special. Period.

Say for instance, Dan and his Mujahdeen got ambushed in Afghanistan in 1980. I'm willing to bet we wouldn't remember his name now, the same way we don't remember the name of that NBC cameraman or reporter who was killed by Somoza's troops in 1978.

Or even better, say he copped a round in Vietnam. A few people remember Sean Flynn, because his dad was Erroll Flynn. Anyone remember anybody who was with him?

And the City Paper should stop running all the prostitution ads. But it won't because then it wouldn't have any money to publish with.

Posted by: Eric Blair at March 11, 2005 1:03 PM
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"It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood." -- Karl Popper N.B.: Comments are moderated to combat spam and may not appear immediately. Comments that exceed the obscenity or stupidity limits will be either edited or expunged.










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