Q13, the local Fox affiliate, ran a positive story on the war on terror. It is the first positive story I can recall seeing in months on a local news program, though I have once or twice seen reports that violence was down in Iraq. I don't watch a lot of local news, enough to get the weather forecast, and sometimes sports highlights, but I do watch almost every day, and I can tell you that I was startled to see this story. (I don't watch the national news programs at all.)
Best of all, the story is part of a series; the station is running photographs from an independent photographer, John Simpson. You can find the series here. The photographs, at least the ones I have seen, do not tell a coherent story, but they do give you a feeling for what our troops are doing and seeing. I especially liked the photograph of an American soldier and an Iraqi soldier, who had traded cigarettes, and were sitting together, smoking.
I'm not sure who John Simpson is, perhaps this history professor. Judging by his looks and his work, I would not be surprised to learn that he had an Army career. I would love to know more about him, and would love to have a chance to publicize his work.
I have been choosing a local news program more or less at random. But no more. Q13 will be my first choice from now on.
Cross posted at Jim MIller on Politics.
(Note to commenters: I would have liked to keep this open for comments on the local coverage of the war on terror, but I have learned through bitter experience that a few commenters will not stay on topic, especially when the topic touches something so emotional. And I don't have time to supervise the post over the next few days.
But I would be interested in hearing from anyone who knows more about John Simpson, or who has seen other positive stories about the war on terror on our local TV stations.)
Posted by Jim Miller at December 14, 2007 02:12 PM | Email This