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The Pulitzer-winning investigation that dare not be uttered on TV
The Pulitzer-winning investigation that dare not be uttered on TV
The New York Times' David Barstow won a richly deserved Pulitzer Prize yesterday for two articles that, despite being featured as major news stories on the front page of The Paper of Record, were completely suppressed by virtually every network and cable news show, which to this day have never informed their viewers about what Barstow uncovered. Here is how the Pulitzer Committee described Barstow's expos�s:
Awarded to David Barstow of The New York Times for his tenacious reporting that revealed how some retired generals, working as radio and television analysts, had been co-opted by the Pentagon to make its case for the war in Iraq, and how many of them also had undisclosed ties to companies that benefited from policies they defended.
By whom were these "ties to companies" undisclosed and for whom did these deeply conflicted retired generals pose as "analysts"? ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, CNN and Fox -- the very companies that have simply suppressed the story from their viewers. They kept completely silent about Barstow's story even though it sparked Congressional inquiries, vehement objections from the then-leading Democratic presidential candidates, and allegations that the Pentagon program violated legal prohibitions on domestic propaganda programs. The Pentagon's secret collaboration with these "independent analysts" shaped multiple news stories from each of these outlets on a variety of critical topics. Most amazingly, many of them continue to employ as so-called "independent analysts" the very retired generals at the heart of Barstow's story, yet still refuse to inform their viewers about any part of this story.
And even now that Barstow yesterday won the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting -- one of the most prestigious awards any news story can win -- these revelations still may not be uttered on television, tragically dashing the hope expressed yesterday (rhetorically, I presume) by Media Matters' Jamison Foser that "maybe now that the story has won a Pulitzer for Barstow, they'll pay attention." Instead, it was Atrios' prediction that was decisively confirmed: "I don't think a Pulitzer will be enough to give the military analyst story more attention." Here is what Brian Williams said last night on his NBC News broadcast in reporting on the prestigious awards:
The Pulitzer Prizes for journalism and the arts were awarded today. The New York Times led the way with five, including awards for breaking news and international reporting. Las Vegas Sun won for the public service category for its reporting on construction worker deaths in that city. Best commentary went to Eugene Robinson of The Washington Post, who of course was an on-air commentator for us on MSNBC all through the election season and continues to be. And the award for best biography went to John Meacham, the editor of Newsweek magazine, for his book "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House."
No mention that among the five NYT prizes was one for investigative reporting. Williams did manage to promote the fact that one of the award winners was an MSNBC contributor, but sadly did not find the time to inform his viewers that NBC News' war reporting and one of Williams' still-featured premiere "independent analysts," Gen. Barry McCaffrey, was and continues to be at the heart of the scandal for which Barstow won the Pulitzer. Williams' refusal to inform his readers about this now-Pulitzer-winning story is particularly notable given his direct personal involvement in the secret, joint attempts by NBC and McCaffrey to contain P.R. damage to NBC from Barstow's story, compounded by the fact that NBC was on notice of these multiple conflicts as early as April, 2003, when The Nation first reported on them.
Identically, CNN ran an 898-word story on the various Pulitzer winners -- describing virtually every winner -- but was simply unable to find any space even to mention David Barstow's name, let alone inform their readers that he won the Prize for uncovering core corruption at the heart of CNN's coverage of the Iraq War and other military-related matters. No other major television news outlet implicated by Barstow's story mentioned his award, at least as far as I can tell.
The outright refusal of any of these "news organizations" even to mention what Barstow uncovered about the Pentagon's propaganda program and the way it infected their coverage is one of the most illuminating events revealing how they operate. So transparently corrupt and journalistically disgraceful is their blackout of this story that even Howard Kurtz and Politico -- that's Howard Kurtz and Politico -- lambasted them for this concealment. Meaningful criticisms of media stars from media critic (and CNN star) Howie Kurtz is about as rare as prosecutions for politically powerful lawbreakers in America, yet this is what he said about the television media's suppression of Barstow's story: "their coverage of this important issue has been pathetic."
Has there ever been another Pulitzer-Prize-winning story for investigative reporting never to be mentioned on major television -- let alone one that was twice featured as the lead story on the front page of The New York Times? To pose the question is to answer it.
UPDATE: Media Matters has more on the glaring omissions in Brian Williams' "reporting" and on the pervasive impact of the Pentagon's program on television news coverage. Williams' behavior has long been disgraceful on this issue, almost certainly due to the fact that some of the "analysts" most directly implicated by Barstow's story are Williams' favored sources and friends.
On a different note, CQ's Jeff Stein responds today to some of the objections to his Jane-Harman/AIPAC/Alberto-Gonazles blockbuster story -- quite convincingly, in my view -- and, as Christy Hardin Smith notes, the New York Times has now independently confirmed much of what Stein reported.
UPDATE II: For some added irony: on his NBS News broadcast last night suppressing any mention of David Barstow's Pulitzer Prize, Brian Williams' lead story concerned Obama's trip to the CIA yesterday. Featured in that story was commentary from Col. Jack Jacobs, identified on-screen this way: "Retired, NBC News Military Analyst." Jacobs was one of the retired officers who was an active member of the Pentagon's "military analyst" program, and indeed, he actively helped plan the Pentagon's media strategy at the very same time he was posing as an "independent analyst" on NBC (h/t reader gc; via NEXIS). So not only did Williams last night conceal from his viewers any mention of the Pentagon program, he featured -- on the very same broadcast -- "independent" commentary from one of the central figures involved in that propaganda program.
On a related note, Howard Kurtz was asked in his Washington Post chat yesterday about Mike Allen's grant of anonymity to a "top Bush official" that I highlighted on Saturday, and Kurtz -- while defending much of Allen's behavior -- said: "I don't believe an ex-official should have been granted anonymity for that kind of harsh attack."
The two Pulitzer prize articles,
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/u...erals.html?_r=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/w...general.html?hp
Oh wow, did you write all of that?
Yeah I had nothing better to do this morning.
thanks for the article, really interesting.
This would have to be the first interesting article cretinrot has ever posted. Keep it up champ, there might be hope for you yet!
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| Originally posted by tathi thanks for the article, really interesting. |
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| Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN This would have to be the first interesting article cretinrot has ever posted. Keep it up champ, there might be hope for you yet! |
And fuck you too, no-degree internet detective! 
I'm pretty sure I saw that story on 60 Minutes or something... at least, I knew about it and definitely didn't read the articles.
Just saying.
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| Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN This would have to be the first interesting article cretinrot has ever posted. Keep it up champ, there might be hope for you yet! |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN This would have to be the first interesting article cretinrot has ever posted. Keep it up champ, there might be hope for you yet! |
FINALLY someone has said what I've been trying to say for a while, but people actually believe this person WOOHOOO!!!
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| Originally posted by Magnetonium I was totally expected you to label this as another case of conspiracy theorists and 9/11 truthers gone crazy. A bit disappointing. |
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| Originally posted by Magnetonium This was a pretty darn big conspiracy on the behalf of various military, media and government folks to manipulate the public opinion and support their agenda from the get-go of 9/11.[/COLOR] |
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Q. While this is an excellent piece of reporting in covering the relationship between the networks' star military analysts and the Pentagon, the networks themselves essentially get a free pass. To say that the networks simply neglected to investigate conflicts of interest obscures the fact that overall there was a huge gap between the picture of the war presented through news reporting and that presented through so-called expert analysis. That gap must have been as obvious to the networks themselves as it was to anyone else. The editors and executives who made no effort to close that gap have questions to answer. Why did you not dig more deeply into the network side of this story? � Paul Woodward, Asheville, N.C. A. We did dig into the network side of this story. Two networks, CBS and Fox News, declined to answer any questions about their use of military analysts, including what specific steps they took to vet them for business ties that could pose conflicts and what ethical guidelines they established for them. NBC would not allow any executives to be interviewed, but released a short statement saying it had �clear policies in place�� to avoid even the perception of a conflict of interest. Spokesmen for CNN and ABC said that while their military analysts were expected to keep them informed of outside sources of income, neither network had written ethics policies governing potential conflicts of interest with their analysts. But the question you raise � why didn�t the network news executives try to �close the gap�� between what journalists were reporting and what some analysts were saying � is a good one. One possible answer: Several analysts said in interviews that network news officials tended to defer to their experience and expertise in military matters. David Barstow |
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Most of the analysts have ties to military contractors vested in the very war policies they are asked to assess on air. Those business relationships are hardly ever disclosed to the viewers, and sometimes not even to the networks themselves. |
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Still, almost weekly the Pentagon continues to conduct briefings with selected military analysts. Many analysts said network officials were only dimly aware of these interactions. The networks, they said, have little grasp of how often they meet with senior officials, or what is discussed. �I don�t think NBC was even aware we were participating,� said Rick Francona, a longtime military analyst for the network. |
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Some networks publish biographies on their Web sites that describe their analysts� military backgrounds and, in some cases, give at least limited information about their business ties. But many analysts also said the networks asked few questions about their outside business interests, the nature of their work or the potential for that work to create conflicts of interest. �None of that ever happened,� said Mr. Allard, an NBC analyst until 2006. |
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| why are you acting like this is some huge revelation? we're talking about the bush admin ffs. easily the most dishonest leadership the US has had in my lifetime. |
Bush administration were chronic liars - after a while people stopped taking seriously what Bush said anymore, thats how bad things got. They had a monkey in charge and it did what it was told, pure unimaginable horror ... "you're either with us, or you're with the terrorists", hahah. I would take anything they said or done with a grain of salt - it was all bullshit.
But PKC is having difficulty to see the full scope of the horrendous pile of horseshit they unloaded on their own country. Well, sometimes denial is better than acknowledging the full scope of the problems because that's just too dam hard to believe and for some people seeing it all can cause a heart attack.
All I am saying is that if they lied about everything surrounding the outcomes of 9/11, and that event and investigation/commission itself only resulted more questions, omissions and holes to deal with - imagine what they else are lying about. No doubt about it, more lies are there and haven't been found because we all are so gullible. Bush cronies 'n associates probably didn't fly the planes into the buildings, but they sure as hell had some kind of knowledge or involvement - after all, the New Pearl Harbour gave them a carte blanche to expand their empire. Judging by all the lies and shit they shown, I dont consider 9/11 and its aftermath as a coincidence at all.
And you know what is one common thing about it all? That they got away with it. Everything - all their lies, crimes and shit. They will probably never be prosecuted. Why? For the same reasons they got to do it in the beginning: by manipulating the public - the corruption and criminals are far too deeply rooted into the American system. Whats worse, is that those events are only an encouragement for shit like that happening again in the future. No accountability from anyone for anything. Its almost disgrace and ignorance, and people's lack of interest or action.
In 1776, Americans revolutionaries fought and died for much smaller issues than these horrific crimes against American democracy and ideals. They've rolling in their graves for a while now. Those true democrats - sorely lacking in USA today - would have long ago rose up or did something about this injustice. But they are mostly gone. The new America has been fine-tuned and brainwashed into denialism, consumerism, ignorance and living in a similar system that their forefathers fought, died AGAINST.
In the way of real democracy are people like PKC - denialists, ignorant folks who minimize the problem and play in their own little worlds, coming up with excuses for the events unfolded. They try to suppress any discussion of dissent, by labelling as "conspiracy theory" or "wackos", just like Bush would be more than happy to do. These type of people actually play to the tune of the same criminals like Bush, by letting them off the hook for whatever the shit they've done. For example - turn the whole campaign by portraying it as conspiracy theorists gone wild, point fingers and criticism at them, and protect the Bush administration. Yeah, instead of impeaching and criticizing the administration for allowing the attacks to occur, failing to deal with them OR THEIR AFTERMATH, they only took advantage and gained on their personal interests and goals at the expense of America, democracy, the world, human rights. Thanks, PKC!
It wasn't even this bad during the Cold War. Shit's loose now! His own Australia is now censoring internet - he merely signed a petition and "OH WELL", and put it in his sig - but now it's gone. Oh well, fuck it, whatever - what a great attitude!
All these issues are only the beginning of worse things to come. Just look at it - 9/11, post-9/11 events, growing Islamism, decline of American empire, world economic downturn, rollback on democracy and freedoms, internet sensorship, etc. etc. etc. - while PKC thinks he lives in a fucking fairytale land. We keep appealing and appeasing the same regimes and countries that are threatening our own values, system, future, and fighting, suppressing systems and countries that can stand up to that threat. This is part of a big picture, of REAL issues, REAL threats, but we all have to step aside and let people like PKC harrass those who dare to question it.
PKC - If you don't like the thread, dont post on it. Or get your own forum. I'm getting tired of your Gestapo tactics myself. I want to read and hear all views, not just the ones you want to see and hear.
I'm sure the Illuminati had something to do with it.
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| Originally posted by Magnetonium Bush administration were chronic liars - after a while people stopped taking seriously what Bush said anymore, thats how bad things got. They had a monkey in charge and it did what it was told, pure unimaginable horror ... "you're either with us, or you're with the terrorists", hahah. I would take anything they said or done with a grain of salt - it was all bullshit. But PKC is having difficulty to see the full scope of the horrendous pile of horseshit they unloaded on their own country. Well, sometimes denial is better than acknowledging the full scope of the problems because that's just too dam hard to believe and for some people seeing it all can cause a heart attack. All I am saying is that if they lied about everything surrounding the outcomes of 9/11, and that event and investigation/commission itself only resulted more questions, omissions and holes to deal with - imagine what they else are lying about. No doubt about it, more lies are there and haven't been found because we all are so gullible. Bush cronies 'n associates probably didn't fly the planes into the buildings, but they sure as hell had some kind of knowledge or involvement - after all, the New Pearl Harbour gave them a carte blanche to expand their empire. Judging by all the lies and shit they shown, I dont consider 9/11 and its aftermath as a coincidence at all. And you know what is one common thing about it all? That they got away with it. Everything - all their lies, crimes and shit. They will probably never be prosecuted. Why? For the same reasons they got to do it in the beginning: by manipulating the public - the corruption and criminals are far too deeply rooted into the American system. Whats worse, is that those events are only an encouragement for shit like that happening again in the future. No accountability from anyone for anything. Its almost disgrace and ignorance, and people's lack of interest or action. In 1776, Americans revolutionaries fought and died for much smaller issues than these horrific crimes against American democracy and ideals. They've rolling in their graves for a while now. Those true democrats - sorely lacking in USA today - would have long ago rose up or did something about this injustice. But they are mostly gone. The new America has been fine-tuned and brainwashed into denialism, consumerism, ignorance and living in a similar system that their forefathers fought, died AGAINST. In the way of real democracy are people like PKC - denialists, ignorant folks who minimize the problem and play in their own little worlds, coming up with excuses for the events unfolded. They try to suppress any discussion of dissent, by labelling as "conspiracy theory" or "wackos", just like Bush would be more than happy to do. These type of people actually play to the tune of the same criminals like Bush, by letting them off the hook for whatever the shit they've done. For example - turn the whole campaign by portraying it as conspiracy theorists gone wild, point fingers and criticism at them, and protect the Bush administration. Yeah, instead of impeaching and criticizing the administration for allowing the attacks to occur, failing to deal with them OR THEIR AFTERMATH, they only took advantage and gained on their personal interests and goals at the expense of America, democracy, the world, human rights. Thanks, PKC! It wasn't even this bad during the Cold War. Shit's loose now! His own Australia is now censoring internet - he merely signed a petition and "OH WELL", and put it in his sig - but now it's gone. Oh well, fuck it, whatever - what a great attitude! All these issues are only the beginning of worse things to come. Just look at it - 9/11, post-9/11 events, growing Islamism, decline of American empire, world economic downturn, rollback on democracy and freedoms, internet sensorship, etc. etc. etc. - while PKC thinks he lives in a fucking fairytale land. We keep appealing and appeasing the same regimes and countries that are threatening our own values, system, future, and fighting, suppressing systems and countries that can stand up to that threat. This is part of a big picture, of REAL issues, REAL threats, but we all have to step aside and let people like PKC harrass those who dare to question it. PKC - If you don't like the thread, dont post on it. Or get your own forum. I'm getting tired of your Gestapo tactics myself. I want to read and hear all views, not just the ones you want to see and hear. |
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| Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN as you did on page 1.[/b] |
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| Originally posted by Lebezniatnikov Noob. /40ppp |
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| Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN United States > Australia. |
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| Originally posted by Lebezniatnikov I'd have to agree. |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Magnetonium Bush administration were chronic liars - after a while people stopped taking seriously what Bush said anymore, thats how bad things got. They had a monkey in charge and it did what it was told, pure unimaginable horror ... "you're either with us, or you're with the terrorists", hahah. I would take anything they said or done with a grain of salt - it was all bullshit. But PKC is having difficulty to see the full scope of the horrendous pile of horseshit they unloaded on their own country. Well, sometimes denial is better than acknowledging the full scope of the problems because that's just too dam hard to believe and for some people seeing it all can cause a heart attack. All I am saying is that if they lied about everything surrounding the outcomes of 9/11, and that event and investigation/commission itself only resulted more questions, omissions and holes to deal with - imagine what they else are lying about. No doubt about it, more lies are there and haven't been found because we all are so gullible. Bush cronies 'n associates probably didn't fly the planes into the buildings, but they sure as hell had some kind of knowledge or involvement - after all, the New Pearl Harbour gave them a carte blanche to expand their empire. Judging by all the lies and shit they shown, I dont consider 9/11 and its aftermath as a coincidence at all. And you know what is one common thing about it all? That they got away with it. Everything - all their lies, crimes and shit. They will probably never be prosecuted. Why? For the same reasons they got to do it in the beginning: by manipulating the public - the corruption and criminals are far too deeply rooted into the American system. Whats worse, is that those events are only an encouragement for shit like that happening again in the future. No accountability from anyone for anything. Its almost disgrace and ignorance, and people's lack of interest or action. In 1776, Americans revolutionaries fought and died for much smaller issues than these horrific crimes against American democracy and ideals. They've rolling in their graves for a while now. Those true democrats - sorely lacking in USA today - would have long ago rose up or did something about this injustice. But they are mostly gone. The new America has been fine-tuned and brainwashed into denialism, consumerism, ignorance and living in a similar system that their forefathers fought, died AGAINST. In the way of real democracy are people like PKC - denialists, ignorant folks who minimize the problem and play in their own little worlds, coming up with excuses for the events unfolded. They try to suppress any discussion of dissent, by labelling as "conspiracy theory" or "wackos", just like Bush would be more than happy to do. These type of people actually play to the tune of the same criminals like Bush, by letting them off the hook for whatever the shit they've done. For example - turn the whole campaign by portraying it as conspiracy theorists gone wild, point fingers and criticism at them, and protect the Bush administration. Yeah, instead of impeaching and criticizing the administration for allowing the attacks to occur, failing to deal with them OR THEIR AFTERMATH, they only took advantage and gained on their personal interests and goals at the expense of America, democracy, the world, human rights. Thanks, PKC! It wasn't even this bad during the Cold War. Shit's loose now! His own Australia is now censoring internet - he merely signed a petition and "OH WELL", and put it in his sig - but now it's gone. Oh well, fuck it, whatever - what a great attitude! All these issues are only the beginning of worse things to come. Just look at it - 9/11, post-9/11 events, growing Islamism, decline of American empire, world economic downturn, rollback on democracy and freedoms, internet sensorship, etc. etc. etc. - while PKC thinks he lives in a fucking fairytale land. We keep appealing and appeasing the same regimes and countries that are threatening our own values, system, future, and fighting, suppressing systems and countries that can stand up to that threat. This is part of a big picture, of REAL issues, REAL threats, but we all have to step aside and let people like PKC harrass those who dare to question it. PKC - If you don't like the thread, dont post on it. Or get your own forum. I'm getting tired of your Gestapo tactics myself. I want to read and hear all views, not just the ones you want to see and hear. |
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| Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN i'll always be here to correct the ignorant whining of people like you that make erroneous inferences and illogical deductions in vain attempts to paint every action ever made as some kind of evil government plot. |
blah blah blah *yawns*
i proved you wrong about the TV networks, don't be such a sore loser. perhaps you should read the article before you get your paranoid knickers in a twist.
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| Originally posted by Magnetonium Ummm ... there are MANY proven evil government plots, going all the way back to Watergate and beyond, its just obviously the evidence is lacking for some of the well-planned and well-carried out ones. The most recent episode: covering up the torture allegations - illegal in the first place. Thats probably worse than 9/11 coverup. You just have a problem connecting the pieces. Oh, here's a new one - the link is now connected to Obamaville with its agenda to help out its dear Bush camp. What a great family!!! Catching my drift now? You really that ignorant to believe these bastards support and represent the people? They dont give a flying shit about the people. They bail out the corporations before they ever bail out your sorry ass. Because corporations have great influence and say in the government, and some person like you is nothing, meaningless, and they will put billions of tax dollars into ever-increasing debt and into faltering companies (GM is still going to go bakrupt - despite the billions, last time I checked). Its all a joke. There's little transparency - what the hell is political transparency anyway? Most of the shit is classified and waaaay out of the public view to be decided on or scrutinized. Public support may be against a piece of legislation, but politicians dont give a fuck. Take the American politicians, for example - they've been allied with, gave (and still give) support to some of the world's most horrible regimes - which is why those regimes are alive and strong. Quite frankly, they are learning some tips from those dictators. What an idea - lets ask our friends to provide space to illegally torture people, like they do in some other places - if they do it so successfully, why cant we? Well, after all those years supporting those regimes and seeing how well they oppress and control people all the way from China to Saudi Arabia ... It can play mind games, thats for sure. Quite scary, actually. This is undermining our system, our free world, and feeds those terrible regimes. As a result, our senior politicians, like in America, have a mentality related to those psychopaths - well, they shake hands with them, deal with them, talk nice, etc. Money can buy anything, after all. Its pathetic. Still dont see it, PKC? Stop trying to make government look like an angel, stop living in ignorance and denial. Or dont be part of the problem, and dont post unless you want to contribute to a discussion. You dont see me posting personal hate attacks on "Iran appreciation thread!", as an example - though I am no fan of Iran. |
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