The liberal news media

[antiimperialist]

Point: In a new Gallup Poll, 77 percent of Republicans say that the news media is "too liberal."

Counterpoint: In an excerpt from his new book, Howard Kurtz describes the pressure Katie Couric felt from management at NBC to toe the line on Iraq:

"Two months before the 2004 election, when she was still at NBC's "Today" show, Couric had asked Condoleezza Rice whether she agreed with Vice President Cheney's declaration that the country would be at greater risk for terrorist attacks if John Kerry won the White House. Rice sidestepped the question, saying that any president had to fight aggressively against terrorism.

"Couric interrupted and asked the question again. Would a Kerry victory put America at greater risk? Rice ducked again, saying that the issue should not be personalized.

"Soon afterward, Couric got an e-mail from Robert Wright, the NBC president. He was forwarding a note from an Atlanta woman who complained that Couric had been too confrontational with Rice.

"What was the message here? Couric felt that Wright must be telling her to back off. . . .
Read more http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2007/10/08/media/index.html

By Tim Grieve
Oct. 8, 2007