1. On Successive Nights Jennings Cites Same Mosul Civilian Deaths ABC's Peter Jennings so liked an al-Jazeera report, about how U.S. bombing supposedly killed 18 Iraqi civilians near Mosul, that he used it twice, citing it on successive editions of World News Tonight. Jennings on Thursday night: "The television network al-Jazeera reported that 18 civilians died during bombing near the northern city of Mosul." Jennings on Friday night: "The al-Jazeera network reported today that 18 people were killed near Mosul during a U.S. bombing raid." 2. ABC: "Long War" Ahead; CBS: Iraq's Military Status "Disastrous" With "U.S. intelligence sources" saying... continue reading
1. ABC's Koppel Sees Only "Modestly Enthusiastic Onlookers" CBS and NBC on Thursday night conveyed enthusiastic greetings from Iraqi civilians for U.S. soldiers, but not ABC News. "There were some modestly enthusiastic onlookers," Ted Koppel grudgingly acknowledged. CBS's Jim Axelrod, however, saw "men, women, children, smiling and waving. We heard people say 'welcome.' 'Hello Mr. Bush.'" NBC's Dana Lewis declared: "For the most part American troops have been warmly welcomed by thousands of Iraqis, many curious enough to wait hours just to get a glimpse of them." 2. ABC's Engel/Jennings Civilian Decimation Tag Team The Engel/Jennings civilian decimation tag team,... continue reading
RIP to Michael Kelly Who Countered Claims There is No Liberal Media Bias Sad news today. Nationally syndicated columnist Michael Kelly, the former Editor of the New Republic and The Atlantic magazines, was killed in Iraq yesterday in a Humvee accident while traveling with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division. CyberAlert readers may be familiar with his work due to excerpts in past CyberAlerts of his columns countering claims there is no liberal media bias and documenting the radical-left, Stalinist leadership of the largest group behind the anti-war protests. The Heritage Foundation's TownHall.com has regularly posted his columns and features a... continue reading
1. Rather, Brown and Even Jennings Acknowledge Coalition Success The U.S. forces have even won over Peter Jennings as he led Wednesday's World News Tonight by espousing coalition success and mocking the Hussein regime's claims of victory: "At one point on Iraqi television today a government official read a statement, allegedly from Saddam Hussein, which said 'victory is within our reach.' It doesn't look like it on the battlefield." Dan Rather provided an upbeat assessment on CBS: "Tonight there is major progress and a stunning battlefield victory to report." CNN's Aaron Brown decided: "The end game is on." NBC's Tom... continue reading
1. Jennings Relays How Iraqis "Don't Wave at Us Any More" ABC's Peter Jennings again emphasized the negative on Tuesday night, passing along how one embedded reporter, whom he did not name, claimed that as the unit with which he was traveling moved into farmland outside of Baghdad, they went from "the desert where they waved at us" to an area where "they don't wave at us any more." 2. NBC's McCaffrey: Military Plan a Success, No It's a Failure Barry McCaffrey versus Barry McCaffrey. In an op-ed in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal the Army General turned NBC News military... continue reading
1. Arnett Blames "Right-Wing Media" Who Fear His "Truth" Telling It took Peter Arnett just a few hours to hook up with a far-left, virulently anti-American tabloid in London. In his first piece for the Daily Mirror, Arnett charged that he lost his job because the U.S. government and "right-wing media" fear his "truth" telling. He blamed the end of his "successful NBC reporting career" on how "I stated the obvious to Iraqi television; that the U.S. war timetable has fallen by the wayside." Arnett elaborated on the conspiracy against him: "The right-wing media and politicians are looking for any... continue reading
Peter Arnett's Years as Conveyer of Enemy Propaganda 1. NBC Condemns Arnett for Sharing Personal Views, Not for Them Peter Arnett delivered an anti-U.S. propaganda bonanza to Saddam Hussein, but that's not why NBC canned him. Arnett pumped up the Iraqi cause: "Clearly, the American war planners misjudged the determination of the Iraqi forces." Arnett also boasted that his stories about civilians being killed are aiding the anti-war effort in the U.S.: "It helps those who oppose the war when you challenge the policy to develop their arguments." 2. Perfect Timing: Today NY Times' Frank Rich Fawns Over Arnett From... continue reading
1. Stephanopoulos Suggests Blair Resign If WMD Not Found British Prime Minister Tony Blair must deal with the BBC regularly, but even he seemed aghast when ABC's George Stephanopoulos asked him, in an interview for Friday's 20/20, if he would "resign" if weapons of mass destruction are not found in Iraq. ABC appears insistent that such weapons be found immediately. At Sunday's CENTCOM briefing, ABC radio reporter Neal Karlinsky proposed to General Tommy Franks: "If you continue to come up empty handed in searches for weapons of mass destruction doesn't that present a big problem?" 2. AP: Not Terrorism But... continue reading
1. MRC's "DisHonors Awards" Presented on Thursday Night A rundown of the MRC's "DisHonors Awards: Roasting the Most Outrageously Biased Liberal Reporters of 2002," as presented on Thursday night before an audience of more than 800 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. 2. The Judges Who Selected the Winning Quotes List of the 15 judges who evaluated the quotes and picked the winners. 3. Audience Awarded the "Quote of the Year" to Bill Moyers The Quote of the Year, as chosen via the cheering, clapping, hooting and all around noise of the audience. MRC's "DisHonors Awards" Presented on... continue reading
1. ABC: Iraqis Hate U.S.; NBC: Iraqis Still Fear Hussein's Wrath When the Red Crescent food trucks arrived in Safwan, ABC's Mike von Fremd heard Iraqis denouncing America. "People are sick and hungry" because of the U.S. invasion one woman complained and von Fremd highlighted a man who channeled Phil Donahue: "It is all because of U.S. greed for Iraqi oil." But NBC's Don Teague suggested the uniform expression of revulsion towards the U.S. and fidelity for Hussein was based on fear and playing to cameras: "Wherever there are cameras, Saddam Hussein is still the hero. Iraqis, not yet convinced... continue reading