Comments on: The ego of the anchors http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/ by Jeff Jarvis Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:43:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: hey http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-96769 hey Wed, 26 Jul 2006 00:10:29 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-96769 So I forgot to mention how Anderson showed his usefulness. He was in Beirut to cover the results of Israeli attacks. He added running commentary about how Hezbollah had fighters making sure they only shot what Hez wanted to publicise, that they wouldn't let their "minders" be filmed, that they orchestrated shoots, cynically arranged interviews with ambulance drivers they had lined up and then had zoom off with sirens blaring to non-existent emergencies, and ordered a man on a balcony to give the victory sign and play Hez anthems. Anderson called them on their BS and said how they left after the anthems started to play. Amanpour and Robertson won't do this for safety and political reasons, but Cooper was giving straight talk. He even dryly noted how a "civilian" neighbourhood was under such Hez control that they could run a large and effective PR operation amongst bombed out rubble. He also showed how non Hezbollah Beirut was living life as usual, with power, Internet, bars open, hotels taking in guests... As a dose of reality it was only below the French Foreign Minister having to take shelter in a stairwell from a Katushya bombardment (from the misunderstood Hez) and Bill Hemmer showing the effects of Katushyas and their anti-personnel rounds with ball bearings for extra disabling effect. So I forgot to mention how Anderson showed his usefulness. He was in Beirut to cover the results of Israeli attacks. He added running commentary about how Hezbollah had fighters making sure they only shot what Hez wanted to publicise, that they wouldn’t let their “minders” be filmed, that they orchestrated shoots, cynically arranged interviews with ambulance drivers they had lined up and then had zoom off with sirens blaring to non-existent emergencies, and ordered a man on a balcony to give the victory sign and play Hez anthems. Anderson called them on their BS and said how they left after the anthems started to play.

Amanpour and Robertson won’t do this for safety and political reasons, but Cooper was giving straight talk. He even dryly noted how a “civilian” neighbourhood was under such Hez control that they could run a large and effective PR operation amongst bombed out rubble. He also showed how non Hezbollah Beirut was living life as usual, with power, Internet, bars open, hotels taking in guests…

As a dose of reality it was only below the French Foreign Minister having to take shelter in a stairwell from a Katushya bombardment (from the misunderstood Hez) and Bill Hemmer showing the effects of Katushyas and their anti-personnel rounds with ball bearings for extra disabling effect.

]]> By: hey http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-96767 hey Wed, 26 Jul 2006 00:01:24 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-96767 Anderson Cooper showed the benefit of the anchor showing up on 360 last night (July 24th). CNN has admitted that it changed its coverage to protect its people in Saddam's Iraq, and one can rationally expect that this policy extends to other dangerous situations and other networks, where the coverage seems distinctly divorced from reality (such as the BBC noting that male "civilians" of military age dying in Lebanon are frequently unacknowledged Hezbollah fighters). The guy from away can say things that the local correspondent can't say, and the local correspondent can blame the idiot from the home office for the truth getting out. This doesn't happen much (especially on CNN), but it is valuable when it happens. In reporting on the Global Jihad, the beat reporters are a perpetual target, and so have to shade the coverage. Drop the big guns into Bali, Thailand, Java, Jakarta, Kula Lumpur, Kashmir, Pakistan, India, Lebanon, Israel, London, Paris... and you can get the truth out. The only people who will speak truth to power on an ongoing basis are the local opposition bloggers, who are ideologically committed to highlighting the dangers of the jihadis and willing to engage in risks that a Liberal Harvard grad building her resume is unwilling to do. Anderson Cooper showed the benefit of the anchor showing up on 360 last night (July 24th). CNN has admitted that it changed its coverage to protect its people in Saddam’s Iraq, and one can rationally expect that this policy extends to other dangerous situations and other networks, where the coverage seems distinctly divorced from reality (such as the BBC noting that male “civilians” of military age dying in Lebanon are frequently unacknowledged Hezbollah fighters).

The guy from away can say things that the local correspondent can’t say, and the local correspondent can blame the idiot from the home office for the truth getting out. This doesn’t happen much (especially on CNN), but it is valuable when it happens. In reporting on the Global Jihad, the beat reporters are a perpetual target, and so have to shade the coverage. Drop the big guns into Bali, Thailand, Java, Jakarta, Kula Lumpur, Kashmir, Pakistan, India, Lebanon, Israel, London, Paris… and you can get the truth out.

The only people who will speak truth to power on an ongoing basis are the local opposition bloggers, who are ideologically committed to highlighting the dangers of the jihadis and willing to engage in risks that a Liberal Harvard grad building her resume is unwilling to do.

]]> By: Lynn http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95649 Lynn Sun, 23 Jul 2006 05:18:34 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95649 What sickens me is that the horrifying wars are presented to the public as "POP CULTURE"...without the serious respect that these dire times requires...In the far past, journalists would report the news from their desks, as in Walter Cronkite reporting the death of Kennedy...Today that report would be surrounded by zippy graphics, electronic music and commericals. What sickens me is that the horrifying wars are presented to the public as “POP CULTURE”…without the serious respect that these dire times requires…In the far past, journalists would report the news from their desks, as in Walter Cronkite reporting the death of Kennedy…Today that report would be surrounded by zippy graphics, electronic music and commericals.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95635 Jeff Sun, 23 Jul 2006 04:43:03 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95635 When Murrow was in England for the bombing, it was immediate and terrifying to a listening public who was not used to such broadcasts. We've sort of grown up since then. And anchors have retired to the relative safety of their hotel balconies. Why bother? It's like the guy at the fishing dock who stands next to the big shark that someone else caught. When Murrow was in England for the bombing, it was immediate and terrifying to a listening public who was not used to such broadcasts.

We’ve sort of grown up since then. And anchors have retired to the relative safety of their hotel balconies.

Why bother?

It’s like the guy at the fishing dock who stands next to the big shark that someone else caught.

]]> By: Rufus http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95594 Rufus Sun, 23 Jul 2006 02:14:04 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95594 So Katie WOULD go to Iraq? The proof is in the pudding -- Katie, get your rifle and GET IN THE TRUCK!!! So Katie WOULD go to Iraq? The proof is in the pudding — Katie, get your rifle and
GET IN THE TRUCK!!!

]]> By: Jimmy http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95480 Jimmy Sat, 22 Jul 2006 21:18:35 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95480 I never understand why people are surprised at the egos of stars, and no matter what they may think anchors are stars; just ask $20 million Katie. You don't put yourself on television or the silver screen if you don't have a little bit of an ego in need of stroking. Take Mr. Jarvis; can he truthfully say there's no ego involved with having a popular web site that leads to invitations to be on TV shows, write for major news organizations, or speak at conventions? Well, he has to answer to that, but what's wrong with have a healthy ego about your work? It certainly doesn't take away from my enjoyment of often disagreeing with him. Now to the ego of anchors who think they bring something to war zone reporting I think it depends on the consumer. For those 10 million people who still watch the nightly news I do think they enjoy seeing their anchor on (or at least near) the front line. For those who don't watch nightly news programs, myself included, it means little. I never understand why people are surprised at the egos of stars, and no matter what they may think anchors are stars; just ask $20 million Katie. You don’t put yourself on television or the silver screen if you don’t have a little bit of an ego in need of stroking. Take Mr. Jarvis; can he truthfully say there’s no ego involved with having a popular web site that leads to invitations to be on TV shows, write for major news organizations, or speak at conventions? Well, he has to answer to that, but what’s wrong with have a healthy ego about your work? It certainly doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of often disagreeing with him.

Now to the ego of anchors who think they bring something to war zone reporting I think it depends on the consumer. For those 10 million people who still watch the nightly news I do think they enjoy seeing their anchor on (or at least near) the front line. For those who don’t watch nightly news programs, myself included, it means little.

]]> By: Howard Owens http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95338 Howard Owens Sat, 22 Jul 2006 15:21:02 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95338 I think what he really means to say is that it adds more drama to the story. It is sensational. It is entertainment. If anchors would just admit that, then I think we would have nothing to complain about -- go to the Middle East, pump up the volume, but don't act like your intentions are journalistically pure. I think what he really means to say is that it adds more drama to the story. It is sensational. It is entertainment.

If anchors would just admit that, then I think we would have nothing to complain about — go to the Middle East, pump up the volume, but don’t act like your intentions are
journalistically pure.

]]> By: ruth http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95277 ruth Sat, 22 Jul 2006 12:49:15 +0000 http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/07/22/the-ego-of-the-anchors/#comment-95277 Good thoughts. I would suggest that most news viewers are interested in actual events, not who's telling them. And the fact that it seems most of the press is in the ME right now because it's active is preventing viewers from knowing more about events in Somalia, Indonesia and Guatemala, where coverage would draw away personnel from the war zone. Are there any charitable activities taking in the latest tsunami and its 600+ victims? Maybe Katie would consider a trip. Good thoughts. I would suggest that most news viewers are interested in actual events, not who’s telling them. And the fact that it seems most of the press is in the ME right now because it’s active is preventing viewers from knowing more about events in Somalia, Indonesia and Guatemala, where coverage would draw away personnel from the war zone. Are there any charitable activities taking in the latest tsunami and its 600+ victims? Maybe Katie would consider a trip.

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