But we don't do the carnage du jour. We don't highlight every terrorist attack because we learn nothing from that. And that's exactly what the terrorists want us to do. I mean, come on, does another bombing in Tikrit mean anything other than war is hell? No, it does not.

KURTZ: Let’s talk about the broader issue of war coverage. FOX’s Bill O’Reilly says that the other networks — he did not mention CBS — are constantly showing bombings and suicide attacks and other violence in Iraq to undermine President Bush, and that this is giving the terrorist what they want.

What’s your reaction to that kind of criticism? I know you wrestle with how much violence to show in your regular reports.

LOGAN: Well, I mean, with all due respect to Bill O’Reilly or anyone who takes that line, I mean, I just — it’s ridiculous. It’s completely and utterly ludicrous. And how can you — the media’s job is not to serve one side or the other. That’s never been our job. We’re there to be the watchdog for all sides.

So it’s not up to us to say, oh, you know, it doesn’t — it doesn’t do well for the war effort if you show how many people are being killed, so we’re not going to show it. I mean, what are we talking about? That’s not even journalism.

It’s so ridiculous. I actually don’t think that I should — I mean, you shouldn’t have to stoop to address those kinds of issues.

And also, I mean, where are all of these people who think that we’re helping the terrorists’ cause? I mean, what about the fact that this is the reality, that these bombings are still taking place, that in spite of the surge, and people are still dying in Iraq, that huge numbers of American soldiers are dying over here? I mean, now we’re in the game of hiding, only telling what some people want to hear? That’s not what we do.

Permalink| Posted @ 12:27 PM |