My first reaction after watching Peter Jennings' "UFOS: Seeing is Believing" is that it is, as best, mediocre reporting. But then, I never expected it would be a serious investigation. Because nowadays very little that comes to us via the mainstream media is true journalism.
I'll review my recording of the program and produce a more detailed analysis later but for now let's just say that the glaring journalistic omissions are:
1) Lack of follow-up. EG: Did the Air Force ever confirm they had released flares that night over Phoenix? Are these flare releases done on a regular basis and, if so, why was this event something so new to all those Phoenix residents?
2) Omitted details. EG: Why do the Air Force and FAA refer calls about UFOs to this one man in Seattle, Washington and how is he able to do this full time? What is the source of his income?
3) Time wasted. EG: On such things that everyone already knows about such as the SETI project. Exactly who were they trying to educate on this particular subject. Ever see the movie CONTACT? We get SETI already!
Of course, my very first reaction upon hearing that the grand high exalted mystic Peter Jennings was doing a program on UFOS made me ask only one question.
WHY?
Peter Jennings and UFOS uttered in the same sentence? Why would anyone of Peter Jennings caliber report on such a wacky, far out, fairy dust subject like UFOS. Especially when other more dire subjects such as WAR/TERRORISM or the Social Security program or even catastrophic (some might say bizarre) weather patterns loom before him and cry out to be investigated.
My suspicions are many but the two that top my list are:
1) All other subjects are verboten. The Powers That Be are not interested in any investigation of the invasion of Iraq or the "election" in Iraq or the allegedly ailing Social Security System or White House "reporter" James Guckert/Jeff Gannon. You can do reports on faith healers and UFOS, the Powers pronounce. So what's next? Those voices George Bush is rumored to be hearing while in the White House are actually ghosts of past presidents? My suspicion is they're beastily bellowing ala Amityville "GET OUT!"
2)This "report" was a prelude. The Powers That Be are preparing us for the "discovery" of the "golden nugget" of UFOlogy as Jennings calls it. Suddenly, something will appear that will "prove" UFOS are real. And why? HAARP, STAR WARS etc. etc. etc. The Powers will cry, "See, it's all true. We NEED to launch an orbital defense. Right now. Yesterday! We might be attacked by one of these alien races. OH NO! Mr. Bill. SLUGO the alien is coming. And oh how much $MONEY$ there is to be made with orbital defense contracts. They've been trying to sell us this STAR WARS system since Ronald Reagan was president. But with the USSR just a James Bond memory why would we need missiles in space. Not even al Qaeda merits that. But ALIENS. That's not fear. That's FEAR!!!!
Of course, none of this has anything to do with actually investigating the UFO phenomenon. But then, very little of Jennings report did either.
More later.
Files by zedpoint 12:07 February 25, 2005
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