MSNBC's Richard Engel's War Zone Diary Reminds Us We Need the News

Originally Published March 22 2007Last night I saw the most intriguing piece of television Richard Engel39s War Zone Diary on MSNBC The images were shocking disturbing upsetting dreadful and the entire message of it would bring anyone back to the reality of what39s going on across the oceanWhen I studied broadcast journalism I quickly realized I was not the type of person who had the guts to report from the center of a tropical storm let alone from the middle of Iraq I greatly respected my peers who yearned to do just that They didn39t care what those experiences put them through they wanted to bring the news to the rest of the worldAt 10 pm last night MSNBC aired an account of Richard Engel39s four years in Iraq Years As he said quotI39ve used up all my 9 livesquot he39s watched friends die he39s lost his relationship with his wife and basically risked his life with each passing minute Why would he stay To bring the news of what39s really going on over there to us over hereThat39s when I started to get mad Why isn39t this what we see on TV every day Sure it39s depressing but maybe then people including myself would stop and think a little bit more often about our soldiers and the innocent people being injured and dying When our country is at war why are Britney Spears and Anna Nicole Smith all we see on the newsI understand ratings and I understand advertising dollars I respect great advertising I recognize that Britney Spears and Anna Nicole Smith bring in viewers No one wants to watch upsetting disheartening news all day But you know what Maybe we need to Maybe we need to realize that Britney Spears is really the least significant thing in our world especially when you compare her to the importance of any one of our soldiersWhy can39t our advertisers stand up and for one day let a network air the real news Imagine if advertising agencies and their clients banded together and said quotWe39ll give a news network all the money they need to air the real news commercial free for one weekquot Use it as publicity if you want Use that opportunity to sell your products by showing what big hearts you have I don39t care because the impact will be greater than thatAs a journalism student the idea of the media as a watchdog was reinforced constantly throughout my college studies Students are taught to understand what every word of the First Amendment means to aid them in performing that watchdog role No matter what party you support or what your political beliefs are we need the news to let us know what39s going on in our government News organizations will never have the opportunity to carry out their function if we as viewers show them that all we39re interested in is entertainment Reporters are risking their lives to bring us the news let39s show them that means something So I not only ask advertisers to do their part but I ask all viewers to turn off the TV the next time CNN MSNBC or Fox News talk about the latest celebrity divorce Demand better Demand the newsIf you haven39t watched Engel39s War Zone Diary it39s a must see On MSNBCcom you can read part of the diary transcript as well as watch the entire video

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MSNBC's Richard Engel's War Zone Diary Reminds Us We Need the News

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Jacki Garfinkel

"About That with Carl Mayer:" Alaina Donnellon (Episode 10: Political Spending) - By Carl Mayer

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MSNBC's Richard Engel's War Zone Diary Reminds Us We Need the News

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Jacki Garfinkel

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