'Fahrenheit 9/11' is bell tolling for many mainstream journalists

'Fahrenheit 9/11' is bell tolling for many mainstream journalists: "Los Angeles -- This is a story about why it's a good thing Peter Jennings isn't retiring and it's also about Ted Koppel and journalism, with a little bit of Tom Brokaw thrown in and the shiny new moon that is 'Fahrenheit 9/11' illuminating, or perhaps casting a shadow on, the whole thing. And it starts backward, like 'Memento,' so be patient.
In all earnestness, Jennings, sitting on a panel in front of the nation's TV critics on Monday (with Koppel and George Stephanopoulos at his side), said this: 'What we're trying to do every day is really important.'
In equal earnestness, and just moments before, Koppel said this: 'There is still, I think, a desperation for down-the-middle-news.'
Literally moments before that, Stephanopoulos recalled talking with people who had seen Michael Moore's controversial documentary, and he asked them why they went. Their answer: 'Because we wanted to get the facts.' "


Tim Goodman
San Francisco Chronicle