Good Ol' Days

Saw a great movie the other night. Good Night, and Good Luck gives an inspiring look at how skepticism, determination and a little faith can do everything a good journalist wants to provide as the public service he/she often set out to do.

Obviously I, nor probably anyone who will read this blog, has seen Edward R. Murrow's reports in the 1950s. So you must consider that we can only estimate how accurate this account was of Murrow's attempt to get to the bottom of McCarthyism and keep his show on CBS. Taken as so, this piece should remind you just how much you need reporters and the media.

Clearly now is the perfect time to remind Americans of how Murrow's effort is exactly why journalism, a free press, a federal sunshine law, and Freedom of Information Acts are an absolutely needed part of a democracy. When information is being illegally or very restrictively withheld by gov't bodies, media types are unfortunately left scrambling for sources and often left sqwaking and spinning story angles on the tube. Perhaps more disheartening to me is the lack of public focus on this very issue. Unless it's an immediate issue that can scare the hell out of someone, news isn't hitting you these days. But hey, maybe you're fine with a never-ending supply of puke from today's broadcasters, 24/7 speculation, and willing to accept a failure of understanding on worldly events and the policies set by the people you voted into office.

Murrow learned it the hard way 50 years ago. The public just doesn't seem to care or they'd make calls to Washington demanding better government accountability. Maybe you don't want to know everything. Maybe that'd scare the hell out of you. But without the documents, the interviews, or the newspapers, how the hell are you going to know?