The Media's 'Balancing' Act

摘要

There's a big difference between the right to do something-and the right thing to do. The noce legendary Sen. Hiram Johnson was the first to say it, back in 1917. But the idea is as old as human conflict: in war, truth is "the first casualty." From the phony reports on Sept. 11 ("The State Department's been hit by a car bomb!") to rumors du jour on the Internet, these extra casualties are mounting. The challenge for the media in the months ahead is to stay focused on ferreting out the truth, while respecting those few situations where secrecy is truly necessary.