CNN ends up with much egg on its face (Aaron Browns high-value target)

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_20-3-2004_pg7_43

Washington: After according saturation-type coverage to the al-Zawahiri story most of the day Thursday, CNN, realising it had raised worldwide expectations of the imminent capture or death of Osama bin Laden’s deputy, suddenly dropped the story Friday.

“There should be many red faces at CNN which calls itself the ‘world’s news leader’ today because of what it did Thursday,” said a New York-based South Asian journalist who like millions of people across the world stayed glued to his television set most of the day, waiting for the drama to come to an end.

The excitement began because of an interview President Pervez Musharraf had granted to visiting CNN anchor, Aaron Brown. The President told him in answer to a question about the military operation in progress in South Waziristan that the resistance being offered by the besieged militants suggested that they might be defending a “high-value target” who had “very likely” been surrounded. He said the fierce resistance being experienced led him to believe that it was a senior al-Qaeda leader. “Who, I don’t know,” he added. snip

However, CNN, taking its cue from the President’s carefully-worded remarks, “ran with the bit in its mouth and kept running until late into the night,” as the New York-based journalist put it. The principal reason CNN went over the top with the al-Zawahiri story was the presence of its anchor Aaron Brown in Pakistan, who had actually arrived to cover US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s visit. It is the practice at American television networks that if one of their high-profile stars arrives in a country, they consider that arrival by itself newsworthy and deserving of extensive coverage. Top news anchors like Aaron Brown are expected to file a major story wherever they go. Therefore, when President Musharraf told the American TV news anchor what he told him about the South Waziristan operation, CNN decided that it had a world exclusive and it night be the first to report the biggest story since the capture of Saddam Hussein.

more

[saigon68]

1. They (CNN) were idiots frothing at the mouth.

I wonder how many turned it off after a while. I thought it was ridiculous.

Musharraf however is getting $460 million in debt forgivness and a lot of bullets, bombs, jets, tanks and other things that go Bang, Boom.

[KittyWampus]

17. Isn't Pakistan Also Leaking Stuff To N. Korea & Hosting Taliban?

?????

Guess that info go lost in the High Value Nonsense.

[boobooday]

2. These people are insulting to our intelligence

They act like we have the long-term memory of a cucumber. I was going to say goldfish, but I have some of those, and I don't want to disrespect them.

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[cdeca]

11. How insulting.....

to cucumbers! ROFLMAO.....you could have at least chosen a vegatable the nobody likes. How about a rutabega? (not sure on the spelling of that and to lazy to find out)

[Doug Decker]

22. Welcome to DU!

Great to have your comments here!

:hi:

[Cooley Hurd]

26. Hi cdeca!

Welcome to DU! :hi:

Put me down for broccoli as a least favorite veggie... :thumbsup:

[UpInArms]

14. I have a koi and she is very smart

and sassy and intelligent -

fish are not dumb -

these idiots insult the intelligence of rocks :evilgrin:

[renegade000]

16. hey!

my pet rock is extremely intelligent...i mean it even knows my mood all the time...;-)

[tlcandie]

3. Distractions from all that is happening with countries pulling out

of the coalition of the shilling/billing, etc.! Just more distractions!

[KoKo]

7. Exactly. Massive PsyOps Campaign to distract. Unbelievable how they

feel they can sucker us. I didn't watch any of it. Just saw it passing by here on DU. Glad I didn't bother....ugh..

It won't be looked on as CNN hyping it will just be one more passing story to the average CNN viewer. Something in the background as one goes on with one's daily life. After awhile even hype becomes normal and routine. Dulling American's senses is what it's about.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. That's what happens

when you no longer practice the basic rules of journalism. Eventually you end up make a fool of yourself and losing whatever credibility you might have left.

[The Zanti Regent]

35. Since when has Aaron Clown been a journalist?

You could have fooled me. All he has done is lie for the GOP.

If you send him an e-mail challenging what he does, he responds just like the self-centered prick you knew he was!

[MaineDem]

5. I've felt CNN hyped this from the moment I first heard it

Wolf was pushing it at 5PM, telling us to watch at 10 when Aaron would show the whole interview. I told my husband then it was all hype.

Now we find out about the loan forgiveness and the favored-nation alliance and that this high-value target may not be who they thought and it all becomes very clear.

[readmylips]

6. Aaron Brown in Paki..was Fishie to All us...

We all knew that something was stinking when we saw Brown reporting live from Pakistan. Why? To follow that lier Colon Powell. Why was Powell in Pakis? To help give teeth to Musharaiff's 480billion lie. We all knew that the criminal bush admin had something up their sleeves and they were manipulating CNN. If anything, Brown should have been in Madrid. But the killing of over 200 Spaniards was not a story huge enough for CNN. CNN was also looking to get ratings. What a bunch of fuckers. They should have not egg but chit dripping down their mouths in public view.

[leftchick]

8. I would rather have no cnn/msrnc at all on tv...

than to watch desperately every day for some REAL journalism. It is now extinct in this country. They should be very ashamed.

[MidwestMomma]

20. When did Journalism die?

I'm trying to think back to when the media quit reporting the news and starting reporting what they were told by someone else was news. Wonder what they teach in Journalism school these days. It can't be the same curriculum they taught when I was in school. Back then you were taught to develop leads, investigate and interview sources and remain objective. Now it appears you just pick the story of the day based on attracting viewers and run with it.

[jayfish]

9. Did Anyone See Barbara Starr On "Saturday Morning"

They had her straight from the Pentagon swearing that, even if it was al-Zawahiri, it was no big deal. The one thing they may be doing right in the WOT and now it no big deal. Idiots!

Jay

[Media_Lies_Daily]

12. Actually, at this point in time, it really is no big deal in terms of...

...which "big fish" is captured or killed. Thanks to the so-called "War on Terror" as conducted by the NeoCon Junta, for every OBL that falls there will be five more that will fight to take his place. We've awakened a sleeping giant, and it's not us.

If anyone doesn't understand what I've just posted, then they haven't been paying much attention over the last two and a half years.

[jayfish]

21. Agree And Disagree.

At a psychological level, both ours and the sympathizers who would take up the mantle of QA, it is important. As far as the post goes, it was more about CNN's hypocrisy.

Jay

[robnycny]

33. Babs Starr was also...

...going on about how lovely Mrs. Rumf*ck was to travel with, as if they were on a freakin Hawai'ian holiday! It is simply unbelievable.

[robnycny]

34. I should point out...

...that Starr was discussing her travels with Rumf*cks wife on CNN's saturday morning bullshit "program" called On the Story (a roundtable of lies and propaganda for the female viewer).

[GoBlue]

10. CNN: The most trusted name in news.

/sarcasm

[freeforall]

13. Presumptive Journalism

Jumping to conclusions. Seems CNN and other news outlets do that rather than wait for the story.

I seem to remember tham doing the same thing during the 2000 election. Called it for Gore before they found out Bush swindled Florida.

They'll never learn. And we should learn and just turn off the TV.

[AVID]

15. i agree .. distractions from failed oil war . . .

protests, weary "coalition" support - all legit stories on Thursday


VOTE KERRY 2004 - I won't tell your preacher

[UTUSN]

18. Seems Like Somebody at CNN Is Out to Get Aaron

Or it's him shooting himself in the foot, repeatedly. He ain't perfect but he's closer to being fair to us than most of the media whores. What was that big story that broke while he was playing golf and he got major flak for not running back to duty?

[Cooley Hurd]

24. I agree about Aaron Brown...

Having watched him since his CNN debut on 9/11, he strikes me as one who strives to be fair (most recently, and completely out of professional character, he started his broadcast with an appeal to his audience to contact Hastert and demand that an extension be granted to the 9/11 commission). Many on this board have accused him of RW bias, but fail to see he gives equal time and equal measure to reporting things not favorable to the RW.

Compare him to Blitzer, and it's easy to see the difference...

[Puglover]

31. BWAHAHAHAHA

Wolf was almost wetting himself at 5pm and thurs. I had to turn the tube off. And I have to disagree about Aaron Brown. I think the man is a self important arrogant prick.

[Cooley Hurd]

32. He may be a self-important, arrogant prick...

...but at least he tries to be fair and unbiased in his reporting.

[The Zanti Regent]

36. Dream on

Aaron Clown's idea of "Fair and Balanced" involves pissing on the Democrats only 90% of the time.

Meanwhile the Likud Stooge Whore Blitzer pisses on the Democrats 100% of the time

[UTUSN]

37. Did Wolfie Demand Payback?

He had Darth Rums as his first guest, plus some other high stooge. Did the negotiation go something like, "We toed your line, give us the big names."

[Cooley Hurd]

38. It's a perception issue...

...I watch Newsnight almost every night & I stand on my assessment of Brown.

[Cat Atomic]

39. Aaron Brown is nothing but a shill.

I remember a moment during the Iraq invasion when Brown showed himself to be such.

A missile had hit a mall in Kuwait, and CNN was saying it was an Iraqi missile, possibly a SCUD, and speculating on whether or not it might contain nerve gas.

They cut to Christian Amanpour for a report from the site of the impact. Amanpour insisted the missile had come from the bay, where the American ships were, and not from the Iraqi border. Brown cut her off immediately and kept talking about the "SCUD" that had hit Kuwait.

Aaron brown is the definition of media whore.

[spanone]

19. CNN has spent days on this non-story. Full-time coverage.

Shows the power of this administration. They only have to hint at OBL and the news organizations drool.

[jmcgowanjm]

23. US directing operations in Pakistan border battle

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/03/21/1079823239701.html

Hilferty, the main spokesman for U.S. forces in
Afghanistan, disputed the claim.
"There are no American or combined forces over there,"
he said.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2004/03/21/build/world/60-afghanistan.inc

On Thursday, Pakistani troops who saw a heavily-
guarded "foreigner" flee a siege near the Afghan
border in a bullet-proof land cruiser are certain he
was not Osama bin Laden, a senior security official
told AFP.

A contingent of 50 paramilitary troops was attacked
with grenades and sub-machineguns while
approaching a fortress-like compound.
The entire troop contingent was "virtually wiped out,"
the official said.

So who saw that the person in the Toyota was not OBL?

http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:2DykwezCCM8J:www.sabawoon.com/news.asp%3Fid%3D17158%26view%3Ddetail+vehicle+convoy+waziristan+pakistan&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

[kentuck]

25. We forgave millions of dollars of Pakistan debt so....

they could pretend they were helping us capture al Qaeda leaders. It was all a sham.

[porkrind]

45. What I think sucks,

is that we pretend Pakistan is a friend ?!?. Was it just a marriage of convenience to allow us access to Afghanistan? They are an obvious and outright terrorist state themselves, but somehow they are a friendly good terrorist dictatorship, while Afghanistan is bad? Pakistan will stab us in the back at the first opportunity, no matter how much money we bribe them with.

If it's like all the other failed manipulations of other countries, we will pay millions to create a monster that we will have to destroy at a later date, at a cost of more millions. We will never learn.

:wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf:
:wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

[GOPisEvil]

27. When will we realize that Musharraf is PLAYING US?!?!

Good Lord!

[dusty64]

28. I never bought this story

the first time I heard it. Its really sad, but I simply don't believe a word our regime and their corporate media minions say anymore and am skeptical of EVERYTHING.

[teryang]

29. Aaron Brown is a mediocre journalist

It's remarkable that he's gotten as far as he has. I'm sure he was played by some sources in the administration, maybe Powell. Foreign policy and international affairs are way over his head. He was duped.

With his talent he should be working for a local tv station.

[goclark]

42. Kiddie TV News

I think Aaron Brown is a boring wimp.

He must be a distant relative of the Bushies.
Why else would ANYONE put him on national tv?

[gemini62167]

30. Baaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!

I can't stop laughing! My sides hurt! Help help!!!!

I saw this going on tv and couldn't decide what american citizens needed more... drummed up drama to sparken their hum drum boring lives or electro shoch therapy so they can always walk in lock step with what ever the purveyors of mind crap dole out.

[SoCalDem]

40. Damn it.. We were promised FIFTY years of war, and how dare they

try to cut it short by "catching" the 2nd in command..??

Anyone who ever watched the old serials on tv knows that the REALLLLLY bad guy always escapes, so that he can return to torment the hero next time..

Musharaff is our good buddy, as long as we pay him well enough..

[Just Me]

41. That's what they get for dropping principles to grab for profits,...

,...of course, CNN is definitely not the worst example of whoring for profits or power. Good gawd,...we have far, far worse examples of corporatism in our midst. So,...oh, well,...it is good that they get a kick in the butt. My question is,...when will the truly "cheap" products of media (ahem, FAUX et al) get a healthy whipping which they have certainly earned?

[number6]

43. CNN is a joke

:thumbsdown:

[saigon68]

44. kick

[peterh]

46. Maybe it’s just me…but I think it was a setup….

Too much publicity about Faux tied with the GOP…let’s give CNN a fake bone and see what kind of ass they can portray themselves as….thus moving fence viewers over to faux….classic…. where ratings (ads) trump truth….


CNN took a deserved hit by allowing itself to be compromised by the twit….was anyone else running with this…with the same vigor…Hello….

[peterh]

47. Hopefully…when you get burned like this….

You look to get even….CNN…are ya listenin’