If there is no Quagmire, it is necessary to invent one (Wizbang)

You may recall, during the deadliest months of the Iraq War, how major media defended their incessantly negative coverage. It was, as one CNN big-wig put it, their "obligation to report the news, good or bad." Naturally, once the news ceased to be overwhelmingly bad, they simply forgot their "obligation" to report the "good" news. In fact, they have gone out of their way to find and report more bad news, even if it isn't true.

Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit details no less than SEVEN false stories about mass killings, bombings, and other atrocities reported in major media within the last seven weeks:

Previous Bogus Reports the Past 7 Weeks:

The media's bogus report on 20 headless bodies in Diyala Province Nov. 1, 2007
The media's bogus report on journalist Dia al-Kawwaz slaughtered family members (with photo!) Nov. 29, 2007
The media's bogus Afghanistan "construction worker" bombing. Dec. 2, 2007
The bogus Dwelah Massacre -December 2, 2007
The bogus refinery rocket attack -December 10, 2007
The bogus 12 mutilated bodies in Muqdadiya story -December 13, 2007
The bogus Diyala village reports -December 16, 2007

Read it all at the link above, including details, links to original stories, and even a video of the members of a supposedly "massacred" family smiling and waving to the camera.

I doubt any of these phony stories were the result of intentional reporting of fake incidents. Rather, the media has become so desperate for bad news to interrupt the steady reports of progress and success in Iraq that they eagerly accept any hint of mass violence, and rush to publish it.

Say, what was the big advantage the "professional journalists" have over mere bloggers, again? Oh, yeah - it's their "rigorous fact-checking."

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Comments (5)

"rigorous fact-chec... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by Rovin | December 18, 2007 9:19 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Rovin

"rigorous fact-checking." recipe:

Tie two "stringers" together,

Add a cup and a half of "un-named military officials",

Sprinkle in a photo of a burning dumpsite,

Bake in a "news analysis" front page OR use AP as the "cooker".

Special instructions: #1)Use your "journalistic skills" to make sure the consumer swallows product before "rigor" sets in. #2) Prepare a retraction to appear on backpages three weeks later. (see editors for this recipe)

Caution: If your "ingredients" are out of proportion, prepare to update your resume and send a copy to TNR.

Posted on December 18, 2007 09:19

I doubt any of the... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Son Of The Godfather | December 18, 2007 10:26 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

Son Of The Godfather:

I doubt any of these phony stories were the result of intentional reporting of fake incidents.

I could not disagree more.

Posted on December 18, 2007 10:26

SOTG, I am second to none i... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Veeshir | December 18, 2007 10:54 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Veeshir:

SOTG, I am second to none in my contempt for today's "journalists", I believe that they're not just biased, they're lazy, stupid and ignorant.

In this case, I would chalk it up to willful ignorance. "Too good to check and besides, if I check it out it might turn out to be false. Safer just run it and then we can issue a correction (maybe) in a week or two on page Z-38."

So I would suggest they didn't "intentionally report false stories" but that they intentionally didn't check them out very thoroughly in case they turned out to be fake.

I can even see their "logic". Fake but accurate is the watchword these days, so even if that particular atrocity didn't happen, it's telling a higher truth.

Posted on December 18, 2007 10:54

Veeshir,I can see ... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by Son Of The Godfather | December 18, 2007 3:32 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

Veeshir,

I can see your point, but to me, willful ignorance that can actually get people killed is no different than intentional reporting of fake incidents.

They can claim the former, when deep down they know that due diligence on a follow-up could kill a perfectly good lie.

Posted on December 18, 2007 15:32

"Once is happenstance, twic... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by John Irving | December 19, 2007 2:11 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

John Irving:

"Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action."

Posted on December 19, 2007 02:11

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