Reporter troubles in Iraq

Reporters have been having some difficulties during the Iraq war. Some have been killed, wounded or are missing. Others are constantly backpedalling on what they have reported as it turns out only to be rumour. Last week a Christian Science Monitor reporter was un-embedded for giving away too much information during a live broadcast. Today the notorious Geraldo Rivera (who claims it’s not true and called MSNBC “pathetic” for spreading a “pack of lies”) was given the boot for exactly the same thing. And finally, NBC has fired Peter Arnett for telling Iraqi TV that the American war plan has failed.

Could it be true? Are these reporters human? Are they truly imperfect and often wrong? You betcha they are. Remember, the news ain’t necessarily an honest objective statement of what’s happening. There’s always that filter of human falliblity between the facts and the story we get. A live as-it-happens war sure does have it’s pitfalls.