Re: Petah Ahnett

["Mark Laurence" <mlaurence@mindspring.com>]

On 31 Mar 2003 at 11:07, Larry Weil wrote:

> At 10:22 AM -0500 3/31/03, Sven Franklyn Weil wrote:
> >
> >Arnett is only accountable to his current employer.
> 
> Which, I just heard, is no longer MSNBC.  I just heard a news report
> that he was fired this morning by MSNBC for making a comment to the
> effect that he feels that the US war plan has failed.  So, based on
> this information, in my opinion he was fired for calling it as he sees
> it, and failing to be a cheerleader for the "coalition".

I think Arnett deserves to be fired for making outspoken opinions to an 
outside organization which concern the story he is covering.  The nature 
of the opinions should not be the issue.

But home-team cheerleaders should be fired also.  What if, for example, 
a US reporter gave an opinionated, pro-war, pro-administration analysis 
and interview to a British news organization?  He would be 
compromising his objectivity.  His future reporting should be just as 
suspect, and he should also be fired.

Mark