The Russert weekend, RIP

[DeepModem Mom]

San Francisco Chronicle: The Russert weekend, RIP
Debra J. Saunders
Tuesday, June 17, 2008

....Overall...the hours and hours of tributes across the cable spectrum show the news media at their worst. For me, the Russert weekend only served to confirm my suspicion that in 2008, cable TV stations can only do one story at a time - and then they overdo it, and beat it silly....

***

Here's a question that seems not to have occurred to the network suits: How are viewers supposed to see NBC - or other networks - as impartial when they air segments with numerous politicians calling Russert their "friend?" Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama issued a statement in which he said he was "grief-stricken" over the loss of his "friend." "I was proud to call him a friend," said the statement by Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain. Obama guru David Axelrod talked on CNN Friday and MSNBC Monday. He was a Friend of Russert, too.

The rap all shared about Russert was that he was "tough but fair." But the cozy schmoozing made the bond between politicos and journalists appear downright incestuous....

***

Part of the Russert Weekend phenomenon can be credited to a profession's prerogative. Figure that doctors receive the best medical attention, bartenders pour generous drinks for each other and mortuary owners rate posh funerals. Likewise, one of the perks of journalism is that when we kick the bucket, we get a nice send-off story.

An outstanding journalist of Russert's stripe rated more than a nice send-off story. But there is another tenet of the profession that Washington TV news bureaus seem to have forgotten in the shock of Russert's passing: We are not the story.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/06/16/EDMT11A0S7.DTL

[grasswire]

1. even she calls him an "outstanding journalist" (eom)

[hlthe2b]

2. This is one of the best critiques, I've read...

:thumbsup:

[chill_wind]

3. self-delete to move post

[chill_wind]

4. Not bad.. K & R

Matthews last nite was the final icing on the cake.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. I kinda felt sorry for Tweety -- it had all been said by the time "Hardball" came on.

He did seem to be pushing it a bit.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. Did you see The Daily Show last night?

Russert was their Moment of Zen.

And Colbert paid him a very sweet and funny tribute.

Russert would have loved what these shows did for him.

[chill_wind]

8. Regretfully, I missed it, but I bet it was just right :-)

eom

[Miss Authoritiva]

7. Do you mean when Tweety went Fredo?

Are you referring to Matthews' starting his show with Hail Mary, full of grace?
Yeah, that was a bit much.
But realistically, when a propagandist dies, you can't expect his fellow propagandists to write an honest obituary.
According to Slate, MSNBC plans to broadcast a private memorial service for Russert from the Kennedy Center (Today...Live! From the Kennedy Center!) on June 18 at 4 p.m. I'm surprised MSNBC didn't get the Russert family to bump the time back for prime time demographics.

[chill_wind]

9. "broadcast a private memorial " I heard that and did a double take.

eom