The terrorist attacks in Iraq deserve wide coverage; even if that coverage is partially what terrorists are after. But complaints have been made that positive stories about Iraq are often ignored. And now we've got an inside glimpse of how such decisions are made by a former NBC correspondent.
Dr. Bob Arnot (search), used to cover Iraq for NBC. But Dr. Arnot's contract with NBC expired in December and, according to the New York Observer, it's not likely to be renewed. The reason, according to Dr. Arnot, is that he kept pitching positive stories from Iraq that the network kept rejecting.
In his parting letter to NBC News President Neal Shapiro, Dr. Arnot wrote:
“As you know, I have regularly pitched [positive stories] to ‘Nightly,’ ‘Today’ and directly to you. Every single story has been rejected."
To back up his point, Dr. Arnot enclosed an e-mail message from Jim Keelor, president of a broadcast group that owns eight NBC affiliates. Mr. Keelor also complained about NBC's unwillingness to broadcast positive stories from Iraq, saying: "The networks are pretty much ignoring the good news stories."
In response, NBC News president Shapiro insists: "Any implication that NBC News has been reluctant to cover the rebuilding story in Iraq is absolutely ridiculous."
And that's the Asman Observer.
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