Also at the LAT, Robin Abcarian lauds the incredible work of the broadcast journalists onsite in Louisiana, Mississippi and other beleaguered areas, reporting round-the-clock on the horrendous devastation wrought by Katrina. It's true, we made fun of them posturing in front of the camera at the beginning (see our own penchant for a wet Anderson Cooper back home at FishbowlNY and Wonkette's "weather porn" post) -- but any gentle mockery has long since given way to respect, admiration and serious gratitude for being there and telling it like it is, hour by unbelievable hour.

"Those early images have been replaced by ominous ones -- images of reporters on the dangerous front lines of a complete breakdown of civilized society. Great work by real reporters -- brave reporters -- bringing back simple news about the living and the dead," Abcarian writes.

She brings up a lot of the examples you would have seen over the past few days at TVNewser, our brother-blog, whose coverage of the coverage has been comprehensive bordering on insane, as well as what we've reported on back at FishbowlNY -- Anderson Cooper and Soledad O'Brien hauling off at the administration brass; the incredible reports coming through from the CNN blog here and here; plus the front pages and the stories behind them at NewsDesigner, which has chronicled the struggles of the Times-Picayune to keep on delivering crucial information, or the Biloxi Sun-Herald (which had help from your neighbors at the San Jose Sun-Mercury to keep it afloat). Meanwhile, many Sun-Herald staffers remain unaccounted for.

It's true; the media has taken a massive hit in public opinion over the past few months. I agree with Abcarian -- these guys have all earned back our trust.

On another note, TVNewser noted the absence of Peter Jennings during this tragedy; I also bet that David Shaw would have had something thoughtful and meaningful to say (especially if he could work in a reference to Creole food!). Those voices are missed now too.

--Rachel Sklar, FishbowlNY