Dan Rather should resign.
It's Journalism 101 to verify your sources, regardless of the size of the story. If there's even a remote chance you may have a hidden agenda, remove yourself from the story.
Top-notch journalists don't have hidden agendas.
Top-notch journalists check their sources.
Which is why the Rather debacle is so pathetic.
On a newspaper, entry-level journalists write obituaries, then work up the ranks to cover real news. If they're really good, they become beat reporters. If they're really, really good, they get high-profile assignments like covering state government policy issues. And if they're exceptional, they become managing editors.
TV journalism works the same way. Breaking into the business, TV journalists pull stories off the newswire. They help write copy. If they're good, they'll get their own assignments, reporting on house fires and car accidents.
The holy grail? News anchor. This is the ultimate job for TV journalists. If you get there, it's because you're outstanding at your job. If you're a woman, a pretty face helps. If you're a man, a chiseled look is preferred. Shows substance. Experience. Credibility.
Rather reached the top. And now's he's abused this power. He's betrayed the public's trust. He broke two important rules of Journalism 101: Never act on a hidden agenda and double-check your sources before reporting a story.
Rather got it wrong. And with so many qualified journalists waiting for their chance at news anchor, it makes sense for him to step aside.
You're right. Rather is a bad example. No one should listen to him.
Posted by: Darcy | September 27, 2004 at 04:06 PM