‘Upset’ Turner Decries Nerve Gas Story

CNN founder Ted Turner on Friday called the recent retraction of a story by CNN and Time magazine alleging that the U.S. military used deadly nerve gas during a 1970 attack on defectors in a small Laotian village the “most horrible thing that has ever happened to me.”

In his first public remarks since the controversy over the story exploded in June following its broadcast on the premiere of CNN’s “NewsStand,” Turner, who called the all-news network “my baby from the very beginning,” said the embarrassment and sadness he felt over the retraction was worse than anything he had ever experienced.

“Nothing has upset me as much in my whole life,” said Turner, who said the debacle was worse than his Atlanta Braves “losing to the Yankees in the World Series after being up by two games, the failure of two marriages, the death of my father. It’s the most horrible thing.”

Turner made the remarks during a gathering of television writers and critics in Pasadena previewing new programming for the upcoming TV season. The media mogul spoke after an extensive preview of CNN’s ambitious project, the 24-part “Cold War” documentary which will begin in the fall.

He added that while he did not think the mistake would have a lasting negative impact on CNN and its credibility, he believed that new measures would be established to insure the accuracy of CNN news stories.

An oversight committee composed of CNN News Group President Tom Johnson and CNN/USA President Richard Kaplan and other executives has already been instituted to make sure that “nothing like this happens again,” Turner said. Johnson and Kaplan were not present at the news conference.

Another measure may involve having producers who research the story report it on camera instead of having anchors or reporters present the story. Reporter Peter Arnett presented the nerve gas story on “NewsStand,” although he had not participated in the reporting.

“It’s a bad practice,” said Turner. “Whoever did the story should appear on camera.”

The June 7 nerve gas report resulted in firings, resignations and disciplinary actions at CNN. In addition to appearing on “NewsStand”--a joint venture of Time and CNN--a story based on the CNN report was published in Time.

The report alleged that a Special Forces commando unit violated U.S. policy and international norms by using nerve gas to kill American defectors and North Vietnamese during a secret 1970 raid on a small Laotian village.

Prompted by the story, Defense Secretary William S. Cohen ordered an investigation while saying there was no evidence that the gas was used in Vietnam. Time and CNN also announced that they were looking into the accuracy of the stories.

Both news organizations retracted the story July 2, saying the facts could not be supported. Johnson, in a statement on the network, apologized to CNN viewers, Time and to all of the military participants in the 1970 military operation.

April Oliver, the primary producer of the story, was fired, while two other producers, Pam Hill and Jack Smith, resigned. Arnett, who Turner praised for his previous reporting in Baghdad and other areas, was reprimanded.

Although those associated with the story continue to defend the findings, Turner said he did not believe it to be true. “They did not have evidence beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said.

Turner said he knew a little about the story before it went on the air, but he was assured that the report was accurate. However, he said the report itself was cloaked in secrecy and kept from the top brass at CNN because the reporters and producers were afraid of leaks.

He also said the story was more evidence of the relentless competitive pressures surrounding news organizations that can at times result in irresponsible and inaccurate journalism.

The CNN incident was just one on a series of recent situations that has shone an unflattering spotlight on journalism. In the past several weeks, Boston Globe columnist Patricia Smith was fired for inventing quotes in four articles; Stephen Glass, a New Republic writer, was terminated for making up 27 stories; Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Mike Gallagher was fired for allegedly stealing voice messages as part of an expose of Chiquita Brands International Inc.

Turner at times quipped about the CNN setback. When talking about the “Cold War” project, he said he was confident that it would be successful because he liked it, “but I don’t feel as smart as I did a couple of weeks ago.”