CNN says it won't fire Novak

[quaoar]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000980454

CNN Says It Won't Ax Columnist Novak Over Plame Link

By E&P Staff

BEVERLY HILLS Robert Rivard, editor of the San Antonio Express-News, wrote in a column Sunday, "Robert Novak, a conservative syndicated columnist, publishes the name of a CIA operative and yet continues life as a talking head on cable television. The big scoop sitting right in front of him — the story of his own motives and comportment in this soap opera — is one he would rather not touch."

CNN apparently doesn't see it quite that way. Later Sunday, executives at the TV news channel said Novak's status there would remain unchange while the federal Plame probe continues.

"I think we're all aware that no one really knows what's going on in the investigation of the Valerie Plame incident," said Jonathan Klein, president of CNN/U.S. "So it would be awfully presumptuous of us to take steps against a guy in his career based on second, third, fourth-hand reporting."

Klein also hailed Novak as "one of the most outstanding political reporters this country has ever known."

[tuvor]

1. If novak were fired, I guess CNN's douchebag investments would tank.

:shrug:

[madeline_con]

2. "... second, third, fourth-hand reporting."

Novak's not under a gag order. How about some first-hand reporting, Bob?

[mike_c]

3. kudos to CNN, although I suspect that principle had nothing...

...to do with their decision. I also realize this opinion won't be universally popular here, but think about it-- firing journalists, even hacks like Novak, because you don't like what they report is a damned slippery slope and it slides both ways. It's also the publisher's responsibility to be aware of the legality of the stories it publishes.

Novak's ethics are REALLY questionable, but that's an issue that has to be dealt with outside the context of any particular line of reporting as long as he does his job honestly-- doen't make stories up-- and in good faith (and by that I mean actually researching stories and doing his homework, rather than simply serving as Scott McClellan's stenographer).

[MichiganVote]

6. Novak's making headlines = money for CNN, jounalistic integrity

has nothing to do with it. Guy's a has been hack.

[mike_c]

7. oh I agree with that part 100 percent...

...it's just that he should have been fired for being a hack long ago-- not now because he broke a story that turned out to be a cesspool for all concerned.

[MichiganVote]

11. Agree with that

[autorank]

4. "NBC Says It Won't Ax OJ Over the Double Murder"

Well, well, well...that CNN is something. Of course, OJ never went back to TV sports, for obvious reasons. He f'ing killed two people.

But Novak, he only outed a CIA operative who was actively engaged in finding weapons of mass destruction that could kill/maim several hundred thousand people at one time.

CNN is the most despicable bunch of slime ever to populate air and broadband in this nation's history. They just took the title from former champions W.R. Hearst (for his "Spanish-American War") and Faux (for much of what ails us).

Good work CNN. Now, if we find out that Novak's leak got more than two people killed who were helping Plame, does that mean CNN would apply the NBC test; more than two dead and you fire the correspondent. Perhaps, CNN has a higher death count required to fire Novak because he's in "hard news."

CNN, I lack the words, four letter or otherwise, to describe your calumny.

[Greeby]

5. Well

They're all Douchebags of Liberty now

[autorank]

9. Greeby, Welcome to DU!!! Good 'tude!

[Stinky The Clown]

8. "I lack the words, four letter or otherwise, to describe your calumny"

You want words ...... ? I got words ..... :)

[autorank]

10. Why not, Sparkly's asleep, right! Nobody here will tell.