The CBS Mess Points to Media in Distress

Re “How CBS’ Big Story Fell Apart,” Jan. 16: Your story on the CBS memo mess treads lightly on Dan Rather’s role. Certainly he should have been fired for malfeasance. And for those letter writers (Jan. 16) who say what President Bush did, launching a preemptive attack against Iraq, is worse, let’s remember one fact: The voters had their say on this issue and elected to renew his option.

Paul Knopick

Laguna Hills

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The real tragedy in the CBS News/Dan Rather failing is the more pervasive and destructive problem of pseudo-media pervading cable news, talk radio and Internet blogs. They compete in the same marketplace of ideas and information, but basically have no accountability for accuracy.

They can say anything about anyone and, if they’re not telling the truth, so what, nothing happens. This spreading propaganda poisons our society to the point where more and more people believe things that just aren’t true (or proved), making political discourse and social coherence nearly impossible. Without an honest and responsible media, our democracy teeters in the balance.

Ted Neff

Mar Vista