Daniel Schorr's book about his life makes you crave for more people like him in journalism. It is refreshing to see another person of the news media community write about the decaying values of broadcasting.
I found it interesting that Daniel Schorr actually read his own name on Nixon's enemy list over the air upon seeing it for the first time. Yet, Schorr kept his professional composure by avoiding making himself the story, while being personally shaken, shocked and dismayed over it. This is what a true professional does when reporting to the public. The story is important not himself and Schorr did just that on that day. Today we have few Daniel Schorr's in news television.
At the same time, the press and media over the Clinton Impeachment crisis actually damaged themselves and our Republic far more than any kind of attack on first amendment rights. What was right in reporting on Nixon should never be ignored on Clinton. The public to this day no longer trust mainstream broadcasting due to this spinning cover up.
The mass media had far too many accomplices not reporting the truth in order to support a president who intentionally lied on TV and under oath to the American people. A Clinton's enemy list of actions and false spin without media challenge is far more sinister than a Nixon public exposed enemies lists. We can expose the known listings of people but it is the hidden agenda that is far more dangerous to our freedoms.
Additionally, the author confirms that TV Journalists are not particularly qualified as far as educational credentials to report the news. In the book he confirms that today's TV News Readers are hired based on their looks and delivery. We know this to be true by CNN recently hiring of a "B Movie Actress" who once posed nude to further her acting career. Does CNN really expects us to believe there are not many well qualified women with educational degrees and much more journalistic experience exists?
It gave me the reason why the O'Reilly Factor is so popular because O'Reilly did go back and acquired an Masters Degree at Harvard in order to discuss the issues for the better public edification. As opposed to the lack of real educational credentials of the three big networks News Readers. O'Reilly's rating are through the roof while Brohaw, Jennings and Rather are in steep decline. Schorr adds that today's "News Readers" are part of entertainment not real news.
What I found refreshing in the book is Schorr's candor, character and vision. He is telling us where he has been and what he felt as he reported events. He is conveying news entertainment can never preserve the public trust. In the future will the mass media be smart enough to tell us the truth or stupid enough to just accept the spin? We already know this answer based upon who is in broadcasting today. Schorr was an example of a fine past and hopefully O'Reilly is the future.
This is quite remarkable but then again Daniel Schorr is quite a remarkable man and dying breed of upright newsmen disappearing from the media. This genuine view of the life of a true professional who did the media proud over the years is worth your time to read it.