Journalists’ mistakes put their jobs at risk. Loose lips not only sink ships during wartime, they can torpedo a career.
Two of TV’s most recognizable and controversial figures, Peter Arnett and Geraldo Rivera, found this out over the weekend.
Arnett was fired Monday from his job covering the war for NBC and MSNBC after he expressed negative opinions about U.S. conduct of the conflict on state-run Iraqi TV. Rivera was threatened with expulsion from Iraq by the U.S. military for being too specific about the location and battle plans of the 101st Airborne troops, with whom he was traveling.
It was first reported that Rivera had been expelled, but Fox disputed this. On his evening newscast on Fox, Brit Hume said, “His further assignment has not been determined.”
Arnett, an acclaimed war correspondent, was technically working for National Geographic on MSNBC, and freelancing for NBC and its sister cable network. However, when NBC reacted to criticism of Arnett by announcing it would no longer use him, he also lost his job with National Geographic. He was subsequently hired by Britain’s Daily Mirror.
Unlike Rivera, who spoke without thinking, thereby putting the lives of troops and himself in jeopardy, Arnett was punished for being too analytical. The First Amendment doesn’t apply to employee-employer situations.
The Arnett firestorm erupted after he opined on Iraqi TV that the United States’ war strategy is a failure and needs to be revised. “Clearly, the American war planners misjudged the determination of the Iraqi forces.”
Appearing from Baghdad on Monday’s “Today” show on NBC, he acknowledged he had made a mistake. “I want to apologize to the American people for clearly making a misjudgment.”
In a prepared statement, NBC said, “It was wrong for Mr. Arnett to grant an interview to state-controlled Iraqi TV, especially at a time of war. And it was wrong for him to discuss his personal observations and opinions in the interview.”
Given Rivera’s history when it comes to time and place, it’s questionable why the Army would be upset with him. While reporting from Afghanistan two years ago, Rivera told Fox News Channel viewers he was standing on “hallowed ground,” where the day before three Green Beret soldiers had been killed. It was subsequently found Rivera was standing about 300 miles from the hallowed ground.
Trying to recoup, Rivera, whose colorful style is marked by his penchant to make any story all about him, said he had confused the Green Beret deaths with a similar incident. The problem was that similar incident took place three days after his dispatch. Fox News Channel called it an honest mistake.
Having Rivera working for you means often having to say you’re sorry.