Kurtz Does Newsweek

The multi-media Howard Kurtz is a one-man wrap-up of the Newsweek flap from last week.

He reports on a statement in the new issue of Newsweek explaining how the paper will cut down on its use of anonymous sources: “The cryptic phrase ‘sources said’ will never again be the sole attribution for a story in Newsweek.” the mag’s chair says.

The Post’s media machine also examines how the story has basically become one about the left and the right–not the truth or the media.

On the right: Newsweek “wanted the story to be true,” says Rush Limbaugh, because the media “have an adversarial relationship with America” and “end up siding with the bad guys.”

On the left: “Now it’s Newsweek’s job to repair the image of the U.S.?” scoffs liberal radio host Stephanie Miller. “It’s amazing they want Newsweek to take accountability when no one in the administration has taken accountability for either the unnecessary war or Abu Ghraib.

Lastly, on Kurtz’s Reliable Sources yesterday, David “Talking Head” Gergen called for Newsweek to announce who its anonymous source was: “In this case, it may be that the unnamed source was — unintentionally misled “Newsweek,” but nonetheless, given the seriousness of what happened, it seems to me the unnamed source should be unmasked in this case, just as it should have been in the Joe Wilson case, when the name of his wife was given to the news media.”

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