Bill Keller: Diary of a Madman

[G_j]

http://www.thesimon.com/magazine/articles/canon_fodder/01000_bill_keller_diary_madman.html

Bill Keller: Diary of a Madman

Memo to Bill Keller: your latest open letter hasn't exonerated the New York Times from its shoddy reporting. Not by a longshot.

By Matt Hutaff Oct 25, 2005

<snip>
.. Because with few exceptions media corporations have been willing participants in the lies used to justify war with Iraq. They have reported blatant falsehoods while downplaying peaceful activism around the world. And no paper was more instrumental in forging a case for invasion than the New York Times.

The Times is the genesis seed of Plamegate, the Beltway scandal showing that associates of President Bush outed undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame as a means of intimidating her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson. Wilson dismantled Bush's 2003 claim that Iraq had sought "yellow cake" uranium from Nigeria as crude forgeries, reason enough to threaten the life of his wife. Later, when the paper's WMD coverage was exposed as completely inaccurate, the paper said, "we consider the story of Iraq's weapons, and of the pattern of misinformation, to be unfinished business. And we fully intend to continue aggressive reporting aimed at setting the record straight."

No follow-up has been issued thus far.

In an effort to "set the record straight" and stave its eroding readership and integrity, Times editor Bill Keller penned (with the help of his lawyers, no doubt) a memo to his staff last week attempting to steer the paper back on track. In it, Keller lays the paper's woes squarely on Miller's shoulders while promising to return the Times to glory. And amazingly, his rhetoric has been heralded by some as all they needed to hear. They actually believe the paper will tackle with renewed fervor the government's malfeasance and cover the interests of the people and not the shareholders. Like a bulldog released from its chain, chomping on the asses of corruption and secrecy.

I have news for you, Bill – we don't buy it.

..more..

[knowbody0]

1. like any relationship

when trust is betrayed it's all over. done.