By Samantha Gross
Associated Press
Published 9/20/2007
Excerpt:
Journalism ethics scholar Bob Steele said Rather would have a difficult time
proving that the White House or other political operatives exerted undue
influence on CBS.
"It would be naive for us to believe that there was no influence from
powerful institutions and individuals on journalism," said Steele, a scholar at
the Poynter Institute, a journalism foundation in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Still, he said: "For the most part, the journalists who run news
organizations and who report the news fight hard to protect the independence of
the journalism, and most of the time succeed."
Rather narrated the September 2004 report that said Bush disobeyed orders and
shirked some of his duties during his National Guard service. It also said a
commander felt pressured to sugarcoat Bush's record.
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