Has CBS Learned From Its Mistake?

According to an AP story on FOXnews.com CBS may have learned something from the beating it took over the broadcasting of forged documents in an effort to smear President Bush shortly before the election:

CBS News has shelved a "60 Minutes" report on the rationale for war in Iraq because it would be "inappropriate" to air it so close to the presidential election, the network said on Saturday.

The report on weapons of mass destruction (search) was set to air on Sept. 8 but was put off in favor of a story on President Bush's (search)  National Guard service. The Guard story was discredited because it relied on documents impugning Bush's service that were apparently fake.

CBS News spokeswoman Kelli Edwards would not elaborate on why the timing of the Iraq report was considered inappropriate.

If CBS has legitimate reporting of a legitimate story, they should certainly air it. The idea that a news outlet would not report a story because it might impact the election is disturbing. Providing the public with information necessary to make an informed decision is why that whole freedom of the press thing is in the First Amendment.

On the other hand if their recent scandal caused CBS to take a second look at the story and decide that it was not legitimate news but rather a broadcast piece of Kerry Campaign Propaganda and decided that the cost to what little respect they still have as a news agency was just not worth it, then good for them.

Tin Foil Hat Theory
Of course it is also possible that they decided in the end that the story or the blowback from broadcasting it would hut Kerry more than Bush. Thus rendering it inappropriate.

I speculate, you decide.

UPDATE: Wizbang has its own doubts about CBS' motives

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at 10:30 AM | No Comments | Add Comment