Honest Rather

Newsnight, BBC’s late-night news analysis programme, had an extraordinary interview last night with US television anchorman Dan Rather (only the latest programme is available, but once it expires, I’ll try to find an archived version. If you want to watch, start at 31 minutes into the programme). Rather admitted he felt personally ashamed at the inability of American journalists to ask the tough, telling questions in the current US climate.  

“We’ve seen a time in South Africa when people had flaming tires placed around their necks for dissenting,” Rather said. “And in some ways, the fear is that you will be necklaced here, with a flaming tire, for lack of patriotism. That fear is what keeps journalists from asking the toughest of the tough questions and to keep on asking those questions. I’m humbled to say I don’t exempt myself from this kind of criticism.”

There are also disturbing demonstrations of how war is being turned into entertainment.