Democracy Now's EXCLUSIVE interview with NYT's Barstow on Pentagon Pundits Scandal
Written by Karl Frisch
Published
Democracy Now's Amy Goodman sat down for a fascinating interview with the New York Times' David Barstow to discuss his Pulitzer Prize wining explosive reports detailing the hidden relationship among numerous media military analysts, the Pentagon, and defense contractors. Specifically, Barstow uncovered last year that “the Bush administration has used its control over access and information in an effort to transform” media military analysts “into a kind of media Trojan horse -- an instrument intended to shape terrorism coverage from inside the major TV and radio networks.”
He also wrote: “Hidden behind that appearance of objectivity, though, is a Pentagon information apparatus that has used those analysts in a campaign to generate favorable news coverage of the administration's wartime performance.”
Following Barstow's story, Media Matters released an exhaustive report which found that since January 1, 2002, those named in the Barstow's report appeared or were quoted more than 4,500 times by news outlets.
To put a finer point on it, Barstow's exposé came out more than a year ago and Goodman was still able to call her interview an “exclusive.” As Barstow notes, he hasn't received “any invitations” to appear on “any of the main network and cable programs.”
Be sure to watch this entire interview, it is must see web tv:
Previously:
Post ignores DOD inspector general's repudiation of report the Post covered in Jan.
NBC report on NY Times' five Pulitzers ignores military analysts report
Barstow wins Pulitzer for military analysts story; will networks notice?
McCaffrey again discusses Afghan security forces without disclosing ties to company training them
Networks continue to ignore NY Times' military analyst story, but all find time for Hannah Montana