Tuesday, 16 September, 2003

Given the choice... This story USATODAY.com - Amanpour: CNN practiced self-censorship set a strange image in my mind, a stray almost random picture. I thought of a set piece you would see in old movies. Think the Night they Raided Minskys or some such. The scene: the performers are on the boards, working, the stage lights are on and bright. The camera pans - the back of the theatre is filling up with New Yorks Finest and their billy clubs. The performers can just dimly make them out. One more off-color joke, politcally sensitive reference, showgirl in a less-than-fully-developed-costume - and the show is over. Here CNN War Correspondent Christine Amanpour: I think the press was muzzled, and I think the press self-muzzled. I'm sorry to say, but certainly television and, perhaps, to a certain extent, my station was intimidated by the administration and its foot soldiers at Fox News. And it did, in fact, put a climate of fear and self-censorship, in my view, in terms of the kind of broadcast work we did. Now Torrie Clarke former DoD spokesperson: In my experience, a little over two years at the Pentagon, I never saw them (the media) holding back. I saw them reporting the good, the bad and the in between. And finally Fox News spokeswoman Irena Briganti: Given the choice, it's better to be viewed as a foot soldier for Bush than a spokeswoman for al-Qaeda. Fox au naturale. That's all for tonight folks. Thanks for coming out everyone. Good night! Have a safe drive home. (curtain drops, house lights come up) 11:42:03 PM    comment [];trackback []; Alternating red and White Stripes Last Thursday I think it was, possibly Friday, whenever Apple's Quicktime Newsletter landed in my e-inbox . I propagated myself over to the White Stripes web site, the people responsible for the song 7NationArmy. Where I had been promised a viewing of their lastest cineste treat: the video to Hardest Button to button. I enjoyed it and thank them sincerly. Catchy stuff with a bit of Detroit to it we don't know you and we don't owe you, but if you come round I got something to show you...I had opinions that didn't matter, I had a brain that felt like pancake batter. After viewing the video I poked and proded the site some. Under messages I found a little weblog like structure intended to carry the news to the candy-cane children. Such as Jack White's breaking his hand in July and missing playing Glastonbury etc. Also there, was "Retriever's" story cast - for clarity's sake - as a discussion between Mr. Cotton, Amazing, and Exemplify. This I like I thought. Over the weekend I found my continually humming the old Charlie Pickett song Tarwater, while dreaming of drum kits, Dreiser, stone staircases and Ted Nugent. 10:29:56 AM    comment [];trackback [];

© Copyright 2003 Paul Bushmiller. Last update: 10/01/03; 11:05:14.