Critiquing the Press

Howard Kurtz has been The Washington Post's media reporter since 1990. He is also the host of CNN's "Reliable Sources" and the author of "Media Circus," "Hot Air," "Spin Cycle" and "The Fortune Tellers: Inside Wall Street's Game of Money, Media and Manipulation." Kurtz talks about the press and the stories of the day in "Media Backtalk."

Howard Kurtz was online Monday, June 19, at noon ET to discuss the press and his latest columns.

Read Media Notes .

The transcript follows.

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Columbia, Md.: I've seen quite a bit of chatter about Dan Rather's departure and how "poorly" he is being treated. You had Jim Lehrer on your show talking about it as well. My question is why is there so much sympathy for Rather when he broke what I always thought was one of the cardinal rules of journalism, don't fabricate information to advance an agenda under the guise of objectivity. To this day, Rather still refuses to admit the documents were fake.

Howard Kurtz: Your "fabricate information to advance an agenda" is unfair. While the agenda part is certainly subject to debate, Rather's mistake in the Bush/National Guard story was in relying on documents, from a suspect source, whose authenticity could not be verified. No one has suggested he fabricated anything. It was a major mistake, to be sure. But some of those sympathetic to Rather are saying, in watching CBS cut him loose, that the mistake has to be weighed against his 40-year career at the network.

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Greenbelt, Md.: How do you feel about the burying into the bowels of the papers (particularly The Post) on Sunday of the Al Kamen story about two cables from the U.S. Embassy in Iraq? The conditions mentioned in those cables suggest something worthy of national first page treatment, yet, well...

Howard Kurtz: Maybe it should have been on the front page, but it was hardly buried. It ran at the top of the Outlook section, which is the second section people see on Sunday. Also, a straight news story wouldn't have allowed the paper to run the actual cables.

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Avon Park, Fla.: Is there a particular reason why Katie Couric, Meredith Vieira, and Rosie O'Donnel starting their respective new jobs, in September? What I mean is that is it bad business for TV news shows to start new things in the summer or is it always better to wait until the fall?

Howard Kurtz: It's called marketing. Viewership levels are lower in the summer. New shows, on the entertainment side, launch in the fall. In the corporate world, you don't launch new products in August. Couric will be working over the summer but not be on the air until the beginning of September.

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Elma, N.Y.: Back in the days when TV was still black and white, I recall Network news divisions who actually put on specials that dealt with more than a rehash of criminal trials,or interviews with forgettable personalities. Why have weekly "news" specials turned into electronic versions of reality TV, and political discourse into a race to see who screams the vilest epithet?

Howard Kurtz: There has certainly been a decline in news specials, but in the B&W days there was no 60 Minutes, Dateline, 20/20, 48 Hours, Nightline, etc. So the networks now have vehicles for longer-form reporting without labeling it a special or documentary. There was also no cable in those days, and cable news has picked up some of the heavy lifting (continuous convention coverage, for example) that the Big Three used to do.

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Washington, D.C.: Good Morning,

I have wondered about the newsmedia's fascination with celebrity for some time. It seems the news is barely about "real news" and more about Britney and Brad and Angelina.

So the question is, why doesn't the newsmedia ever delve into the lives of other newsmedia folks? Certainly they aren't all saints. There must be a few who are out drinking and partying? Why not hound them like singers and actors?

Howard Kurtz: Are you kidding? You know how often Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer are in the gossip columns? Isn't Anderson Cooper on the cover of Vanity Fair? As for delving into personal lives -- something I'm not generally in favor of -- we certainly got plenty of that during the Jeff Gannon controversy.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi, Larry King asked Al Gore yesterday why he didn't campaign on the global warming issue in 2000. Al Gore's answer was that he did devote effort to it, but the media didn't give it attention in their reporting. He said that Bush suggested to the press he also would support anti-global warming efforts, so the media thought it wasn't an issue. Then, right after the election, Bush repudiated his campaign position.

How often does this sort of thing happen? A real difference exists between candidates, but one candidate is just prevaricating. The press doesn't dig enough, and so they don't report the issue.

Global warming is the biggest issue of our time, and the press clearly fell down there.

Howard Kurtz: I don't believe that Gore gave as much emphasis to global warming as he is suggesting. Recent reports have said that some of his consultants urged him not to talk about the environment much and that he went along. I don't recall the details of what Bush said about climate change in 2000, but it would hardly be the first time that a candidate took a different course once in office.

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Burke, Va.: How well is the cable on Iraq in the opinion section being covered by other news media. I thought it was a great piece of reporting. Did other media sources report on it?

Howard Kurtz: Well, it was only published yesterday. I haven't seen much follow-up but I haven't done an intensive survey.

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Reston, Va.: Hi Howard: Question re. Matt Lauer...is he a real journalist? One would think so, as the senior guy on a top network's morning news program. Why, then, why would he do that insane interview with Britney Spears? While wearing loafers with no socks?!? I understand ratings, blah, blah, blah. But in my mind his credibility has taken such a hit, it couldn't possibly be worth it.

Howard Kurtz: I absolutely believe that Matt Lauer is a real journalist. And you could certainly argue that a morning show job requires you to be able to chat up movie stars as well as presidential candidates. But I don't get the Britney thing or why NBC thought she was worth that much time, other than the obvious explanation.

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Boston, Mass.: Have you noticed a better relationship between the Washington Post and the NY Times of late? Not to say there was any animosity before, but it seems in the last 18 months or so there has been a much better relationship. In Op-Ed pieces and news articles I see one paper mentioning the other all the time now. It seems like this didn't used to be the case. Has the prominence of your two respective web sites helped matters?

Howard Kurtz: I think the approach of crediting each other goes back several years, when both the NYT and WP beefed up their policies of recognizing previous work (not just by each other) if they were following up on someone's exclusive. Of course, three years ago I was reporting heavily on the Jayson Blair debacle and the subsequent ouster of Howell Raines, so that may not have been the smoothest time between the two papers. But the Times also reports on controversies here, and rightly so.

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New York, N.Y.: Very general media question. How does a newsroom or network define "Breaking News"? I just received a "Breaking News" email from CNN. As I clicked on the email I thought perhaps the kidnapped soldiers in Iraq had been found, or North Korea had fired off their test missile. Nope. This was it: "Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to be cited for failure to wear a helmet at time of his June 12 accident." Gee...Thank goodness I got that piece of information.

Howard Kurtz: The definition of breaking news is very broad. Sometimes it's more like oozing news.

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Crawfordsville, Ind.: In a special series on the future of the newspaper industry, Reuters reported that a device capable of downloading an electronic version of a newspaper may be on the market by next year. What are your thoughts on such technology?

Howard Kurtz: Great, for people who want it. I'm in favor of Web sites, podcasts and any other method that will enable newspapers to deliver content to readers. But I'm also old-fashioned enough to think that there's something nice about holding the paper in your hands or taking it on the subway. And let's face it, it's hard to read a long article on your computer or cell phone screen.

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Austin, Tex.: This is a comment, not a question. I'm currently taking a summer course at the University of Texas on the news media as a political institution. I appreciate all the insights that your column, as well as "Reliable Sources" gives to what's going on in media. Plenty of real life examples of the things we've been reading about.

Howard Kurtz: Such comments are always welcome.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: As it was father's day yesterday, I have to ask about media coverage of working dads. A lot of media stories focus on the struggles of working mothers and the deadbeat nature of many dads, and rightly so, as there ring true and have tremendous implications. But, why such limited media coverage for the struggles of working fathers--many dads face long hours, and wish they could spend more time with their kids, and hate the choice of my child is sick but I have a meeting this afternoon.

Howard Kurtz: An excellent suggestion. I know many fathers, myself included, who wrestle with those issues, and yet the media do give the impression that it is exclusively a debate among working women. I don't think we deserve any awards for both showing up for work and changing diapers, but many dads do feel torn between family and demanding jobs.

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Silver Spring, Md.: The current issue of Time Magazine has a column by Dr. Andrew Weil touting the benefits of fish oil supplements. He sells his own brand of fish oil supplements on his Web site. Do you think publications should give columns to people with direct conflicts of interest like that? Don't you think Time should at least disclose that fact when providing Weil such a prestigious platform for hawking his goods?

Howard Kurtz: If what you're saying is accurate, then of course Time should disclose it. I don't think it disqualifies Weil from speaking on the subject, but it's information that readers should have in evaluating his comments.

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Missoula, Mont.: Can you please cite the "recent reports" that have said that some of Gore's consultants urged him not to talk about the environment? Without a source for this comment, I have a hard time believing it. Or is this another one of the times someone in the media passes off some hearsay about Gore without fact checking it? I mean, remember when The Washington Post misstated Gore about the Love Canel?

Howard Kurtz: Joe Klein has some reporting on the subject in his new book "Politics Lost," and I believe Gore has acknowledged the tension with his 2000 consultants in his recent interviews promoting the movie.

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Cincinnati, Ohio: Dan Rather should retire gracefully,he is old enough and then some. Surely he has enough money to live comfortably for his remaining years.

Howard Kurtz: I don't think it's a question of money. The man is 74 and healthy and wants to work. Mike Wallace, after all, is still going at 88, though he claims he will only be part-time at 60 Minutes beginning next season. There are reasons to question whether CBS should provide a continuing role for Rather, but I'm not sure age is one of them.

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San Francisco, Calif.: This is a politically divided country. So why are the cable "news" personalities mostly right-wing hacks or "wannabe" right wing hacks. Is there no liberal to lefty personality capable of generating ratings? Or are the cable executives who do the hiring just showing their own bias.

Howard Kurtz: Well, Keith Olbermann has certainly been working the liberal side of the street.

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Herndon, Va.: LOL! I just got that breaking news too. It beat the one they sent out last week about Bill Gates leaving Microsoft...in 2 years!!!!

Howard Kurtz: But Gates led several of the network newscasts and was a front-page story in many papers--I think as much because of his symbolism as the man who invented the modern software industry as for the details of his separation from Microsoft down the road. Microsoft considered it important enough news that the company did not release it until after the markets closed.

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Maryland: Thoughts on Bill O'Reilly? Sean Hannity? EXACTLY why is the press/media/anyone really giving any air time at all to Ann Coulter? If she was talking about people of a certain color,faith, etc, instead of using the term "liberal," she'd be branded a hate-monger. Yes, she's given the time b/c "shock-value" = ratings. Exactly though when is it too much and making money isn't the #1 goal?

Howard Kurtz: I had my say on Ann Coulter in last week's column, in which I argued that media organizations have become her enablers by putting her on TV shows and magazine covers while expressing shock and horror about her personal attacks.

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Media's Role in Politics...: I have an office-mate who swears the media is being unfair to Bush. Not certain if he believes Bush is a Republican of if the media personally (with their liberal bias) just not like Bush at all. Either way, I told him that functionally, the role of the press, any press, is to almost be adversarial/accountability focused and opposition like to anyone (regardless of party) in public office. And with the media being so big, you can pick your political outlet of left-wing and right-wing streams to get your information from anyway. With all that said, from your point of view, what is/should be the role of the media in politics?

Howard Kurtz: To cover politics fairly and aggressively and in substantive ways that matter to busy people. But I don't quite get your shock over your office-mate's views. There are millions of conservatives in this country who believe the media have not been fair to Bush, and were not fair to other Republican presidents (and were too soft on Clinton to boot). There are also millions of liberals who believe that in their coverage of Bush, journalists have become "lapdogs," to use the title of Eric Boehlert's book. This has become part of the red/blue divide in America.

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Alexandria, Va.: I thought it was odd that the Post gave so much space (in Sunday's Outlook section) to the cable that was purportedly from Ambassador Khalilzad to the State Department, but provided so little context. For instance, the Post say only that it "had obtained" a copy of the cable. Presumably, it was obtained from an anonymous source, but we don't learn anything about how the source was in a position to see the memo. We also don't learn anything about the validity of the comments in relation to other facts known about the situation.

Any comment?

Howard Kurtz: I would have opted for more context. But I guess the Outlook editors concluded that the cables were revelatory enough that readers could draw their own conclusions.

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Burke, Va.: Why isn't there a liberal version of Fox News? A TV show that is factual, but that looks at things from a liberal point of view. Looking at Olbermann's ratings, this could be a huge money maker.

Howard Kurtz: Except that Olbermann is still in third place in the cable ratings game.

There is a radio version of what you're looking for. It's called Air America.

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Re "Breaking News" e-mail: I think the primary purpose of these breaking news e-mail programs is not journalistic but commercial--to cement the broadcaster's relationship with the viewer by seeming to provide a desired service without angering the viewer by sending unsolicited e-mail.

Howard Kurtz: Bingo.

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Bethesda, Md.: Matt Lauer wearing loafers and no socks! Now there's a nightmare I'd care to ignore...and I did.

Howard Kurtz: You think news people should have to wear one standard-issue uniform at all times?? I mean, it's not like he took off his shirt or something.

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Charleston, S.C.: Howard,

Thanks for the chat. Just speculation here, but is CBS's decision to force Rather's "retirement" related to the Couric hiring? After all, the salary line in the budget certainly took a big hit with the hiring of Couric. Was Rather still being paid the same salary as when he was the anchor?

Howard Kurtz: I don't know, but I'm sure Rather didn't expect an anchor-monster salary in a new contract at 60 Minutes. The problem was that 60 Minutes, by adding Couric and Anderson Cooper as part-time contributors, has a large stable of correspondents and a limited supply of air time. You may recall that Rather originally went to 60 Minutes II, but when that program was canceled last year, he wound up with Mike, Morley, Lesley and the gang.

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Baltimore, Md.: Howard - After all the furor over Coulter's book, I actually read it to see what else there might be. While I agree that the most publicized statements were outrageous and far over the top, the book in large part had many well-documented facts and intelligent opinions. But it seems all the focus has been on one or two inflammatory statements - clear evidence again, I think, of the media's "go with the exciting headline and to heck with the rest of the story." Your opinion?

Howard Kurtz: You're certainly entitled to your assessment of the book. But it's hardly unusual for the lion's share of publicity for a book to focus on a couple of controversial passages or allegations. In Coulter's case, she knows that saying something inflammatory -- such as accusing the 9/11 widows of enjoying their husbands' deaths -- will create the requisite media storm to boost her onto the best-seller lists.

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Father's Day: CBS Sunday Morning yesterday did 3 pieces on the changing nature of fatherhood, in Italy, Japan and the USA. The one here contrasted a current dad balancing his work and parenting time with his own dad who was the traditional breadwinner type. I'm sure other stories like this have been done, but you're not necessarily going to find them on the nightly newscasts.

Howard Kurtz: Good for them.

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San Francisco, Calif.: Time and Newsweek both have stories about al Qaeda supposedly planning to release cyanide gas into the New York subway system in the fall of 2003. Maybe if we'd captured bin Laden at Tora Bora instead of letting him get away, they wouldn't be able to plot these kinds of attacks.

And speaking of terrorist attacks inside the United States, how's that anthrax investigation coming?

Howard Kurtz: Time actually broke the story based on excerpts of a forthcoming book by Ron Suskind.

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Austin, Tex.: Doesn't the vast number of media outlets now available to people, in addition to giving more choice than ever to readers/viewer, also lets people get away with pigeonholing themselves ideologically--only getting their information from sources they think are being fair and honest with them? I feel like there are many people who think they're more informed than ever, but informed only by the politicians and media that they agree with. Do you see this happening? Or think it's a problem that is blown out of proportion?

Howard Kurtz: Sure, but it's a free country. If conservatives or liberals only want to gravitate toward outlets that reinforce what they already believe, that's the right, even though I may think they're closing themselves off from interesting material on the "other" side.

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Milwaukee, Wis.: Why in your opinion has Tony Snow's "it's a number," comment not gotten more attention?

Howard Kurtz: Because I don't think he was trying to be callous toward the families of those who have lost their lives. He was, instead, making the inarguable point that 2,500, like 2,000 before it, is an arbitrary benchmark seized upon by the media. I mean, is the situation any less dire if 2,499 Americans have died in Iraq? But journalists like big round numbers.

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Greenville, S.C.: Howie - could/would you tell us how you got your start in journalism by covering all the HUD secretaries from Reagan forward, except those in the Clinton administration? Thanks.

Howard Kurtz: I detect a whiff of sarcasm here. I only covered HUD for most of Reagan's first term, then moved on to other beats. I did not cover the recent Alphonso Jackson controversy, just commented on the relative lack of media interest.

But -- and far be it from me to suggest that you don't know what you're talking about -- I did write about media coverage of Clinton's first HUD secretary. Here's is the top of a piece I wrote back in 1994:

It sounds like an irresistible story: seamy, secretly taped conversations between a Cabinet member and his former mistress about payments to the woman following their breakup.

On Monday, the syndicated show "Inside Edition" played some of the phone calls between Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros and Linda Medlar. The tapes made news in Cisneros's home state, where the Houston Post and San Antonio Express-News gave the story front-page play. But with a few exceptions, such as the Washington Times, the rest of the press has ignored the story.

Medlar's lawyers refused to provide the 140 pages of transcripts to reporters. But "Inside Edition" got them after paying Medlar "in the high five figures," says her attorney, Floyd Holder.

(And HERE's an interesting tidbit. I interviewed the anchor of "Inside Edition" for the piece:)

Asked if Medlar was using "Inside Edition," anchor Bill O'Reilly said the program held off until it obtained an interview with Cisneros. "Once we got him, we felt it was balanced," O'Reilly said.

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Washington, D.C.: Hiya Howard, regarding Ann Coulter, if people keep talking about her, she will soon begin to think that she is real. This cannot be allowed to happen.

Howard Kurtz: I've met her. She's real. She is also a best-selling author.

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Joe Klein "reporting"?: Joe Klein is NOT a reporter. He is a columnist and an author. One should not confuse 'reporting'(up to date, daily, news information gleaned from actual interviews and meeting a deadline) with writing a full fledged book based on a specific view on a much longer, less demanding, and less factual timeline.

Howard Kurtz: That's absurd. He's a columnist and author, but he interviewed people for the book and actually quotes some of them.

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Washington, D.C.: So, is the Post a local paper, or a national paper? If it's a national paper, fine. If it wants to be a local paper, how about more than a tiny sliver of E1 for the Nationals game? They cap off a great series against the Yankees, in their first visit in 35 years, with a game winning home run in the bottom of the ninth, and coverage is completely swamped by an NBA game in Miami and a golf tournament in New York. Ridiculous.

Howard Kurtz: It seemed underplayed to me, but the game may have ended late, creating deadline problems.

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Richmond, Va.: I don't mind at all the MSM talks incessantly about how the Democrats are divided on what position to take on Iraq. In fact, I am glad when it does -- and hopefully shames this party into coming up with some sort of strong, unified message if they hope to win. The problem is that if a majority of Americans do not like this war, and in a recent poll, just today, a majority favors a timetable for troop withdrawal, and would even vote for a candidate that supports that position, how come you don't spin the divisions of Republicans (assuming they are part of the "majority)?

Howard Kurtz: It's not "spin" to say that most Republicans, though not all, support Bush on the war, while the Democratic Party includes a strong faction that says we should set a timetable for withdrawal (Kerry, Pelosi, Murtha) and a strong faction that opposes such a move (Hillary among others). That is not necessarily a bad thing -- there is disagreement in the country as well -- but it is political reality.

Thanks for the chat, folks.

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