| Submit your comments on this article |
| -Lurid Crime Tales- |
| Michael Yon: where is the American media? |
| 2007-07-04 |
| Since the publication of “Bless the Beasts and Children” many questions have arisen: some of which I can and will answer here, and some whose answers lie elsewhere. . . . . . . the biggest question rippling across the internet–“Why hasn’t the mainstream media picked this up?” –is something only representatives of mainstream media can answer. In fairness, several large outlets did publish it online: National Review Online and Fox News were both quick to place the story prominently on their websites. A few others also published excerpts. It was even briefly up on the Drudge Report. On the blog front, Instapundit, Hugh Hewitt, Blackfive, Andrew Sullivan, Captain’s Quarters and many others picked it up. But for those publications who actually had people embedded in Baqubah when the story first broke and still failed to cover it, their malaise is inexplicable. I do not know why all failed to report the murders and booby-trapped village: apparently no reporters bothered to go out there, even though it’s only about 3.5 miles from this base. Any one of the reporters currently in Baqubah could still go to these coordinates and follow his or her nose and find the gravesites. On this question of media selectivity, the blogosphere has become incensed that big media mostly ignored the murders, especially given that there are reporters currently in Baqubah. Newsbusters and countless others are on it. More disturbing to many bloggers is that major mainstream players were busted (again) by Pajamas Media just days ago for reporting outright fabrications of a “massacre” that never occurred. Although I can’t answer to the cause of the problem, I humbly offer permission to media outlets to republish excerpts of the dispatch or the dispatch in its entirety, including my photographs from the story (if used as they are in the dispatch) at no cost during the month of July 2007. I only ask that the site receive proper attribution and that any publication taking me up on the offer email the website with the details. If much of mainstream media does not recognize barbarity, clearly their readers can and do. Readers throughout the world might consider contacting their local papers and favorite websites with the link to this update. The story is very important in that it is well-documented with photos and video, and the Iraqi and American soldiers who were present are named and easily reachable. Those mainstream reporters currently in Baqubah could readily take up the baton. |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #10 It does not fit the defeatist propaganda of the American left the MSM tells. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-07-04 18:44 |
| #9 The MSM has finally crossed the line into irrelevance. That was fast. Michael Yon, keeping busy with troops in Iraq didn't see it coming, but those of us who have watched the media decline with wild eyed anticipation, welcome it. The really interesting thing is that they still refuse to correct their methods. I guess this is a lesson in denial. Some day, the left, the donks, and the MSM will slam into a wall, and then they will know that time has moved on without them. Don't look back. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2007-07-04 15:28 |
| #8 Journalist, Tree, Rope Some assembly required" Correction required, replace "Journalist," with "Editor" (He sets policy, not the reporters/journalists) they report, he ignores, fix the problem at it's source. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-07-04 15:11 |
| #7 Its a dangerous world out there and the media is not making it any safer. Actually, they want to see a conflaguration where AQ or some other terror group strikes us and kills only republicans and gives money, oil and tickets to U2 concerts to democrats, journalists and film makers. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2007-07-04 14:42 |
| #6 Some assembly required" |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2007-07-04 14:03 |
| #5 Surprisingly, my local newspaper did run the story, but without photos. It wasn't a large piece - less than four inches - but it WAS reported. Of course, the local area has about 40,000 US military present, and dozens of Rantburg "lurkers". |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-07-04 13:33 |
| #4 "A journalist whose name you'd recognize emails" That journalist needs to take off the mask. This bullshit has got to stop. Especially after watching hot air's NBC Dragon Armor expose. |
| Posted by: Danking70 2007-07-04 13:01 |
| #3 Pravda and Izvestia: The truth isn't true and freedom is free. |
| Posted by: SR-71 2007-07-04 12:35 |
| #2 Yes, pretty damning. In addition to the story being humiliating for the MSM it does not fit with their perceptions of who they are and what "important" role they play in society--in a few words, it does not fit their agenda. Their agenda should be honest reporting which they have not done for a long time but alas is not. The "fourth estate" becomes part of the "fifth column" because of false reporting or no reporting. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-07-04 12:28 |
| #1 Instapundit notes: UPDATE: A journalist whose name you'd recognize emails: Yon's story doesn't get attention because it is humiliating. It is humiliating because it is obvious that we media – and our allies in the state department, the legal trade, the NGOs, the Democratic Party, the UN, etc., - can’t do squat about such determined use of force. Our words, images, arguments and skills can’t stop the killing. Only the rough soldiers and their guns can solve the problem, and we won’t admit that fact because the admission would weaken our influence and our claim to social status. So we pretend Yon’s massacre – and the North Korean killing fields, the Arab treatment of women, the Arab hatred of Israel, etc. - doesn’t exist, and instead focus our emotions and attention on the somewhat-bad domestic things that we can ‘fix’ with our DC-based allies. Things such as Abu Ghraib, wiretapping, etc. When we ‘fix’ them, then we get status, applause, power, new jobs, ego, etc. Please don’t be surprised. We media are an interest group not much different from the automakers, the unions, and the farmers. pretty damning |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-07-04 11:45 |