Just some brief observations of the war coverage on mainstream TV. Of the major networks, for what it’s worth, ABC seems to be doing the best job. One reason is their access to the freelance journalist Richard Engel, who is an Arabic speaker, and is located in Iraq. Last night he was able to report what the Iraqi media was saying about the bombing, while you could hear the radio on in the background. I don’t think any other U.S. based media has an Arabic speaker working for them. Also, ABC has Ted Koppel “embedded” in the 3rd Infantry Division. This guy is hardcore (isn’t he about 60 years old?!). I saw a couple of live reports he gave; he is very professional and has a critical eye.
However, the best TV coverage I saw was on BBC America. Their reporters are just so knowledgeable; they know why we’re their, ask important questions, and have pointed follow-up questions. The reporters know the history of Middle East and the history of this crisis. For example, the BBC had a reporter in Amman, Jordan, reporting about the potential refugee problem, which is something the U.S. media has totally missed.