Saturday, September 08, 2007

又是Lara Logan



這個星期,CBS主播Katie Couric到了伊拉克和敘利亞採訪和直播。Katie坐上晚間新聞主播位置過了一年,CBS的收視仍是無甚起色,很多人已在揣測她的去留。一直以為,外界批評她報導風格太感性,是觀眾對女主播先入為主的偏見;但昨天看了她訪問敘利亞總統的片段,也覺得是過份柔和了:



Katie訪問中的態度和語氣,不似在質問敵對國家完首是否在包庇恐佈份子,反而似是Oprah在刺探明星婚變真相。(題外話:單看這訪問的「演出」,al-Assad總統表現真的很不錯。不但組織能力和應對皆比現任美國總統優勝;就連英語的運用,也好像要比布殊流暢。)

不過,看CBS新聞,當然不是為了Katie Couric,而是為了我的偶像Lara Logan。一連兩晚,Lara都有戰事的專題報導。看她戴著頭盔,穿著避彈衣,跟士兵出入伊拉克各地;敬佩之餘,也有點擔心她的安全。畢竟,戰爭開始以來,已有多名記者殉職;而她又是美國駐伊記者中,最觸目的一位。

大半年前,寫過Lara被指責報導太負面。兩個月前,她採訪了一宗美軍拯救伊拉克孤兒的正面新聞,卻又被批評太歌頌功德。在CNN,她說出對這報導的感受:



在政治掛帥的美國新聞界,很多人都懷疑新聞報導背後有沒有hidden agenda。但我相信,Lara並沒有政治立場,她只想忠實地反映戰場狀況。因為,在言談間流露出來的對採訪的堅持,對戰火中人民的關心,對Bill O’Reilly等無賴的痛心,是假裝不來的。

其實,在各新聞媒介,都有不少認真和出色的記者。唯獨喜歡Lara Logan,只因...她實在太迷人了。

2 comments:

  1. Speaking of Katie, she has her strengths... but not on the "hard news" aspect. She knew that and tried it. I don't blame her. Katie might be thinking about Plan B. Obviously she cannot go back to "Today" - humm... how about another "Oprah" show? Let's called "Katie"...

    O’Reilly.... whenever I surf the channel and see him, he just yells at everyone... if people criticize CNN is bias, I'm not sure how to describe FNC - actually I don't really think FNC is a news station - I report, I decide! btw, unfortunately nowadays people do not like hard news... Headline News used to be my default channel until HN keeps adding those talk shows and I have no way to get real time news on TV...

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  2. I like Katie. I think she's an OK anchor, but not a competent "hard news" journalist. Think about Diane Sawyer..she too is sentimental at times, but viewers believe that she can stand firm against political leaders in interviews. Katie, on the other hand, has softened all the edges and it really hurts her credibility.

    I gave up watching cable news channels long time ago. Those talking-head shows are too politicized and a pain to watch. Luckily, we always have Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert for a healthy dose of sanity.

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