CBS Refuses to Broadcast Iraq Footage

[Ian David]

CBS Refuses to Broadcast Iraq Footage

By Rory O'Connor and David Olson, MediaChannel.org. Posted January 26, 2007.

CBS's chief foreign correspondent notified peers that the network won't broadcast her grisly Baghdad story "that is largely being ignored."

Sometimes it's hard to swim in the mainstream.

There has been much heated debate over the past few years over media coverage of the Iraq War. The Bush administration has repeatedly attacked the 'liberal bias' of the mainstream news industry, claiming that it doesn't report enough of the "good news" from Iraq and focuses instead on the sensational and violent.

Those critical of the war and the occupation say just the opposite; that the mainstream news media has ignored much of the "bad news" coming out of Iraq, leaving Americans with an impression of the war based more on a desire to follow the official White House narrative than facts on the ground. MediaChannel has long been in the latter camp, sponsoring (for example) last year's "Show Us the War" project, which published video pieces showing an Iraq overrun with violence and chaos -- and an administration that seemed more intent on faith and "spin" than reality. We at MediaChannel believe that an informed citizenry is necessary to keep our democracy viable, and we have been strong advocates of the call for all news outlets -- mainstream or independent -- to produce and distribute accurate stories on the situation in Iraq.

Which brings us to Lara Logan.

One would assume that Ms. Logan, as CBS chief foreign correspondent, has a fair amount of influence as to what stories she gets to cover, and that most of her important stories, once produced and delivered, will be broadcast. But when a story comes out of the mean streets of Baghdad that doesn't fit the officially sanctioned narrative of Iraqis and U.S. soldiers working arm in arm to help protect thankful Iraqi citizens, even chief foreign correspondents sometimes need to ask for help in getting it seen. Imagine our surprise recently when -- over the digital transom -- we received a copy of an email from a frustrated Lara Logan (see below).

In it, Logan asks for help in getting attention to what she calls "a story that is largely being ignored even though this is taking place every single day in Baghdad, two blocks from where our office is located."

The segment in question -- "Battle for Haifa Street" -- is a piece of first-rate journalism but one that appears only on the CBS News website -- and has never been broadcast. It is a gritty, realistic look at life on the very mean streets of Baghdad and includes interviews with civilians who complain that the U.S. military presence is only making their lives worse and the situation more deadly.

More:
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/47269/

[ShortnFiery]

1. IMO, Lara Logan is an Brave American Journalist

A true rarity, a beautiful woman, body and soul who is HONESTLY trying to report the truth to The American People. Journalists who are incorruptible are few and far between in the USA Corporate M$M of today. I wish her the best of luck at getting this story aired by CBS.

[ShortnFiery]

2. I can't find the video - has CBS purged it off of their Internet Videos?

If you read the article it references the Video link:

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2371456n

When the video did not immediately play, I searched CBS's Videos for Lara Logan's Segment in question: "Battle for Haifa Street" to which I received the response: We're sorry, no results were found. :shrug:

IT SEEMS like some Corporate Executives at CBS have pulled the Internet Video?!?

If this is the case damn those warmongering Corporate Ghouls!!! If this horrid and immoral war continues, their children should be sent to kill and die for King George's empiric ambitions. :grr:

[postulater]

3. Scroll down into the body of the story

there's a link there. I just watched it.

[postulater]

4. That;s the kind of story that used to be on tv during Vietnam

[ShortnFiery]

8. Oh thank you! But still won't play for Me - Here's an alternate source:

I have to admit that I'm upset and don't have all my duckies in a row today. :( An acquaintance of mine, a really nice man whose wife I used to volunteer with, was one of those killed on that last Black hawk downing. I'm beside myself with sadness because it shouldn't happen to such GOOD PEOPLE. Really, isn't it ironic that the giving people seemingly die first? :cry:

I want our beloved soldiers home NOW!

But thanks for keeping me smart and not going off half-cocked for no reason. :blush: :hi:

BTW you can also view "The Fight for Haifa Street" on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTSLKqPyVEo

[postulater]

5. Hope she stays safe.

[tanyev]

6. K & R for Lara Logan.

[PATRICK]

7. I watched it and it's not

gruesome. Even the pictures of bodies could have been removed with little effect on the real story- which is the reality CBS wants to kill in grisly anti-journalistic fashion as it creeps behind Bushco with capped lenses not to see the next horror they are propping up with betrayal of their profession.

[ginnyinWI]

9. keep this kicked.

Lara's one gutsy lady. I used to watch her before Katie C. took over the broadcast.

[ShortnFiery]

10. Kick As Requested :-)

:dem:

[walldude]

11. I posted this the other day and it fell like a stone

hope you have better luck.. K&R

[burythehatchet]

12. Lara and Michael Ware - just get them their own cable channel

It would be tough though, to decide between them and Glenn Beck