CNN News Executive Eason Jordan Quits

Chalk another one up for the bloggers!

AP is reporting "NEW YORK (AP) - CNN chief news executive Eason Jordan quit Friday amid a furor over remarks he made in Switzerland last month about journalists killed by the U.S. military in Iraq. Jordan said he was quitting to avoid CNN being "unfairly tarnished" by the controversy."

During a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum last month, Jordan said he believed that several journalists who were killed by coalition forces in Iraq had been targeted.

Then the AP come to Jordan's defense.

But the damage had been done, compounded by the fact that no transcript of his actual remarks has turned up. He was the target of an Internet and Web site campaign that was beginning to rival the one launched against CBS's Dan Rather following the network's ill-fated story last fall about President Bush's military service.

Got that? None has "turned up". As if maybe someone, somewhere, you know maybe, just happened to have taped the remarks.

What the AP is not telling you is that Jordan's remarks were taped by the World Economic Forum, who are refusing to release the tape. The fact that neither Jordan or CNN requested the tape to be released tells you all you need to know.

The AP goes on to shower Jordan with praise and point out his numerous awards.

They conveniently leave out Jordan's sins. Such as admitting that CNN's coverage of Iraq was biased in order to stay in favor with Saddam. CNN was the only US news agency allowed access to Saddam and other high ranking Iraqi officials.

The blogsphere is lit up like a Christmas tree over the announcement. First the face of CBS, Dan Rather and now CNN's Jordan.

BBC executive Richard Sambrook was present when Jordan make the allegations. I hope you and the BBC are paying attention Sambrook because the blogsphere is paying attention to you.

Instapundit has a great roundup with some good questions. Like, why did Jordan resign without calling for the tapes release if there is some doubt about exactly what he said.

Another interesting note is that news outlets are having to report on Jordan's resignation when they never covered the controversy in the first place. Except CNN of course, who, last time I checked, have no mention of Jordan resigning on their website.

UPDATE

I found CNN's announcement - buried, and you'll love this - in the Showbiz section! Where he and CNN belong I suppose.
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