February 20, 2005

Why 'Mainline' Journalism Sank to Mediocrity

Here we go again -- rehashing the “right” of journalists to withhold sources of information about crimes.

The Federal Appeals Court, Washington, D.C., ruled last week that two reporters who refused to identify those who revealed the name of a CIA agent should be jailed.

Revelation of U.S. secret agents is a serious crime -- as is refusal to answer questions from a Grand Jury.

The controversy erupted last Fall. It was revealed that Joseph Wilson, husband of “secret agent” Valerie Plame, went to Niger at behest of the CIA to investigate whether Iraq tried to buy uranium.

It was determined that Ms. Plame, a former secret agent, had been reassigned to administrative duties before her husband’s sojourn in Niger. Her identity and marriage was well known to Washington journalists.

Unresolved, however, were sources of the leaks. Disclosing unauthorized CIA information of any nature is illegal.

Matthew Cooper of Time Magazine, and Judith Miller of the New York Times, were involved in publicizing the Wilson-Plame connection. However, they refused to name their informants to a Grand Jury.

Miller and Cooper face imprisonment. They contend “common law” regarding freedom of the press protects them. Grand Jury special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald says not so.

First draft of the Bill of Rights treated speech and publication separately. Yet, the final draft lumped in one sentence the right of free speech, publication, assembly and petition – a vagueness that trouble us today.

The defendants assert, “it is their job” to ferret out secret information and publish it. To identify sources supposedly would jeopardize their safety. Phooey.

Nowhere is a journalist’s job defined officially. No matter. Grand Juries are secret so a secret given to it remains a secret.

Of course, grand juries are little more than sieves; but the responsibility to protect a secret is that of the legal system -- not free-wheeling, self-appointed journalists. It is the responsibility of Americans to report crimes to legal authorities, not to protect criminals.

It is likely that Miller and Cooper will be found guilty of withholding criminal information and sentenced to a sobering period in prison. They will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The final, legal donnybrook will be historic.

* * *

My own opinion – as a former newspaper reporter and publisher – is that journalists have exactly the same rights as any American. No more. No less.

I let those who talk to me professionally understand that I am in the business of publishing information, not withholding it or shilling for the police.

My editor of the Cuyahoga Falls (Ohio) News called me one day to say an alleged murderer -- sought by the police -- was in our office wanting to confess that the killing was accidental.

Our informant said he wanted only to get his story on record with a newspaper he and the public trusted.

My directive was to hear, record and publish the confession verbatim – with the understanding we would release the tape if subpoenaed.

We published on a Thursday morning. By noon, my editor was subpoenaed, and the informant arrested. Eventually he was indicted for manslaughter. Everyone was satisfied, the public informed and justice done.

Twice before, in 21 years with seven papers, we were offered criminal information that we refused to hear. In both cases, justice was accomplished by lawful means by lawful authorities. And we reported it all in timely fashion.

Journalists have no license to play God or chief detective.

The nadir of journalism, in my 63 years experience, was the vendetta against President Richard Nixon by the Washington Post. Lying to the people, but not under oath.

The “Deep Throat” informant – still unknown -- and the self-righteous roles of reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, and executive editor Ben Bradlee, are a blotch on the profession of journalism.

So-called “mainline” newspapers no longer report national “news” – TV has usurped that role. Nationally circulated newspapers have reacted by playing gotcha.

Give it up, guys. Check-out-counter tabloids have a monopoly on sleaze. Join today’s real journalism of explaining events as they are -- rather than as one thinks they should be.

Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist who can be contacted at linwms@lindseywilliams.org