Biased Media and Accountability

From Greg Pierce in the Washington Times:

CBS anchorman Dan Rather has received first prize for the most-biased comment of the year, the Media Research Center reports.

Mr. Rather, teasing a report on "The CBS Evening News" on March 31, the day four American civilians were killed and mutilated in Fallujah, Iraq, said: "What drives American civilians to risk death in Iraq? In this economy, it may be, for some, the only job they can find."

Mr. Rather, who had a lot of competition for the award, was chosen by 43 media observers, including radio talk-show hosts, magazine editors, columnists and editorial writers. More about "The Best Notable Quotables of 2004: the 17th Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting" can be found at www.mediaresearch.org.

The New York Times editorializes about the horror of reporters being held accountable for flaunting the law when legal testimony is required. The Times says, "Recent court developments have been grim for those who cherish a free press." Well, maybe. I suspect many other people are pleased to see this happening. Perhaps in the end, it will turn out that these legal actions taken against reporters were less correct than they now appear to be. However, the press has only itself to blame for the low regard it is held in by many--perhaps most--Americans. It's specious to claim that reporters are above the law, and nothing in the First Amendment indicates they should be.

Political cartoon of the day: Glenn McCoy in the Washington Post.