Judgement call

Fox News Carries Bin Laden Speech Uninterrupted

Fox News Channel chose not to heed a request by the Bush administration to show restraint in broadcasting taped messages purported to have originated from Osama bin Laden and instead carried a new message ostensibly from bin Laden in its entirety as it was being carried by the Al-Jazeera Arabic news network. The administration had earlier warned that such messages could contain coded instructions to terrorists. CNN and MSNBC carried only highlights of the bin Laden statement.

I can certainly understand that a news network would want to bring the full news story to the public - and there's been a great deal of criticism lately that news outlets have not necessarily been providing complete coverage of important information.  At the same time, however, the possibility that these tapes, ostenibly from Osama bin Laden may include coded instructions is something that needs to be taken very seriously - especially when one is released at a time when we're being told that we have to be on heightened alert and that the government is concered about what they consider to be credible threats.

Under these circumstances, it's my opinion that broadcasting the tape in its entirety is irresponsible.  There are many factors that need to be considered when deciding what and how to report on something, and the risk to the public safety should be one of them.  In most cases, reporting on a story or about an incident doesn't contain any kind of a threat to the public safety, and, indeed, not doing so may be the greater threat.  But tapes that are allegedly being produced by a man who has made it clear that he wishes to destroy our country, and is the head of a global network that has to find very discreet ways of communicating, are really a different matter.

Regardless, I do have to say that I am glad that the government can only request that they not broadcast the tapes in full, rather than being able to order them not to, or punish them if they do.  I may want the editors and directors of our news media to use better judgement, but under no circumstances do I think the government should be able to dictate what can or cannot be shown.  In a way, I suppose, Fox's choice is a reaffirmation of the fact that - even though it may not always seem like it, we do still have a mostly-free press, and while they're not perfect, they're better than the alternative.