Rather thinks journalism has lost its guts
David Johnson March 13th, 2007
In his keynote address at South by Southwest Interactive, Dan Rather praised the Internet as a powerful medium for news, but spent most of his time lamenting the present state of the craft and why he thinks the public has lost faith in journalism. “In many ways, what we in journalism need is a spine transplant,” he said.
9 Comments Add your own
1. Rob | March 13th, 2007 at 8:16 am
Maybe the media has enough guts but is too busy double-checking and triple-checking facts and sources and documents (*cough*) out to make sure when a story airs the reporter doesn’t get burned by false or defamatory information or, in ol’ Afghan Dan’s case, alleged forgeries?
His arguments are so thin you couldn’t slide a cigarette paper between them.
2. Allen | March 13th, 2007 at 9:11 am
Ouch.
3. The Tony | March 13th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Just because Dan Rather’s a lazy douchebag doesn’t mean everyone else in the media isn’t just as guilty of consistent douchebaggery.
His guilt in that one scandal doesn’t get everyone else off the hook.
4. Michael Chastain | March 13th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
There’s one thing that always strikes me about Rathergate. The documents were released to the White House, which in term released them without comment. It seems to me if the documents had been factually inaccurate they would have immediately cried foul. Even though the documents may have been forgeries I’d wager they were factually correct.
5. The Tony | March 13th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
I still think he got the short end of the stick in that whole mess, anyway.
Just saying…if he’s the one people want to call hypocritical…there are far worse out there, getting away with a lot more.
6. Michael Rosenblum | March 13th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Rathergate, Schmathergate.
Here is a guy who had his fingers on the levers of jouranlistic power for a whole generation and did diddly squat with it. He has no right to talk about anything now.
7. Stephen Downes | March 13th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
I love the way all those previous commenters are attacking the person rather than the substance of what he says.
Especially since he’s right (and yes, it applied to him too - but he’s *still* right).
8. thedanratherchannel | March 13th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Journalism ‘lost its guts’, and Gunga Dan lost his audience. Sounds like a fair trade to me…
9. worth | March 14th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
There’s a difference between journalism and blogging (don’t ask me to spell it out, but I know it when I see it). Journalists step away from their keyboards (even if only to work the phone) and find/make stories, “in the field” if you will, whereas bloggers (most of us) are more like commentators. Some actually investigate (online research), but not most. Commentators haven’t lost their guts - they’re as opinionated as ever. And there are plenty of journalists risking their lives around the world as we speak/write. So I’m not sure why he’s all bent or who his target is. Crotchety ol’ man syndrome would be my guess.
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