News War

by Josh Marks
February 22, 2007

PBS' excellent newsmagazine "Frontline" is currently airing a special four-part investigative series called "News War" and it is about as timely and compelling as anything you will see on television this year. Veteran correspondent Lowell Bergman examines the state of the news media in 2007 and takes a critical look at where journalism is headed.

Parts one and two recently aired and they are both available to view on the "Frontline" website at www.pbs.org/frontline. The first two episodes put into context the confrontations between the press and the Bush administration since the president took office, and the thin line between the freedom of the press and national security concerns in our post-9/11 world.

Part three is a must-watch for BrooWaha contributors and anyone involved in citizen journalism. It is titled "What's happening to the News" and examines the challenges facing traditional media and the rise in citizen journalism. Bergman takes viewers into the L.A. Times newsroom to witness the major shakeups going on downtown. It airs on February 27 and will be available to watch online by the next morning if you miss it.

Part four is called "Stories from a Small Planet" and airs on March 27. The final hour of the series takes a look at global media, particularly in the Arab world, and its role in both helping and hurting relations between Islam and the West.

"Frontline" is journalism at its finest and should be commended for turning the lens on itself and the entire journalism profession in a balanced and informative report on the news war.