NPR Interviews Sharyl Attkisson on Changes in Media Coverage of Government
Sharyk Attkisson has been a watchdog journalist and a "friend of ours" for a long time. Anne Dachel has covered Ms. Attkisson in her news updates. And C-SPAN recently interviewed Ms. Attkisson. NPR interviewed her about her departure from CBS and the changes she has seen in mainstream media's changes over the years. Please read the full story at NPR. You can follow Ms. Attkisson's work at her new website - SharylAttkisson.com. Her new book, Stonewalled: My Fight for Truth Against the Forces of Obstruction, Intimidation, and Harassment in Obama's Washington is available for pre-order now. It debuts in November.
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When the investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson left CBS this year, she did not do so quietly. She contends the network refused to run stories that might damage President Obama.
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
When investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson left CBS this year, she did not go quietly. She contends, the network refused to run stories that might damage President Obama. And her claims have become a flashpoint in arguments over ideological bias in the media. NPR's David Folkenflik has more.
DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: Attkisson joined CBS News two decades ago and covered medical issues in Congress before becoming an investigative reporter. In recent years Attkisson says, CBS News started to shy away from controversy. And here's the claim that stirs real debate.
SHARYL ATTKISSON: You know, times I've been encouraged to begin covering stories about the Obama administration but then mid-stream I've been clearly discouraged from continuing to pursue them as the stories seem to start to get dicey, or as I seem to be able to turn up very good information and sources.
FOLKENFLIK: Attkisson has aggressively chased stories that bedevil the Obama White House, such as the deadly attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya and the botched Fast and Furious gun investigation. Attkisson says, she felt CBS wanted reporters to accept the government statements at face value.
ATTKISSON: That if say something, we're to believe it. If they put out a press release, we're to report it. And I come from an entirely different school of thought where I think - of course we are supposed to check those things out and look at them critically.
FOLKENFLIK: Attkisson left voluntarily. She says, CBS's two top news executives, Jeff Fager and David Rhodes, encouraged her to stay. But she blames CBS evening news anchor Scott Pelley and two veteran producers for keeping her stories off the air.
There is a few like her.
With out her - and Dr. Wakefields of the world - there would never be any change for the better.
-- Change that comes so very slow because for ever one of her there is a dozen - blondes (real or fake) all sporting tiny upper arms that they proudly show off in their sleevless clothes -- even in the dead cold of January winter-- all - thin straight bean poles good mouth piecies that will do what ever it takes to be infront of the camera spouting what ever the powers that hold the fame and fortune but not the ethic --- dictate.
Posted by: Benedetta | July 08, 2014 at 07:36 PM