I urge everyone to read the Bill Keller lecture in the UK that Roger quoted. Steve Boriss at “The Future of News” called it “startling.”
It’s more like a theme park thrill ride. Put down your drinks before reading. Motion sickness medication is recommended.
The sudden charisma loss by his predecessor that gave Bill Keller his current position was due to Jayson Blair.
“In 2003 Keller was made executive editor of the New York Times, replacing Howell Raines, who departed after a scandal about journalistic fraud and plagiarism by reporter Jayson Blair.”
The press in the USA has the protection of the 1st Amendment and shield laws, and no prior restraint. Britain’s press is fettered by the Official Secrets Act and Draconian libel laws.
Keller paints a picture of the US government, all the way up to Bush, begging him not to print a story. Keller printed anyway. If he’d done it in the UK his “feet wouldn’t have touched the ground.”
Now he’s bragging in front of an audience of British journalists. Were they impressed by the “hardships” he labors under in the USA? More likely he really meant it at the end when he declined to answer questions saying “Thankfully I am out of time.”
