This whole thing has been fishy from the get-go. My guess is it's an elaborate ruse to try and convince the public that the NYT isn't part of the propaganda arm of the Taliban. #davidrohde
@econdave: The story itself is really something, with the spector of the Daniel Pearl horror hanging over it.
But this is a media-oriented site, so the that angle deserves to be mentioned, in my opinion. I am curious about it. How does big media black out a story and how often does it happen? #davidrohde
@son of spam: I agree, it is a subject that needs to be acknowledged. Who decides what 'we' should know, and when 'we' should know it? What else has not been reported, for the safety of others? Do all the network news heads, and newspaper editors, get together and agree to keep something quiet?
We had the same discussion here in Canada after one of our CBC reporters was held for a month in Afghanistan last year. We knew nothing about it until she was freed. We were happy she was safe but curious how it had been kept from us. It is a legitimate question. #davidrohde
@econdave: Odder still to harp on the blackout given that Gawker has admitted to participating in it, and after the fact blamed it on a cynical attempt by NYT management to keep the price of Rohde's ransom under 7 figures. I guess Rohde didn't get the memo, as he mentions telling his Taliban captors that he was worth $25 million.
Look: a *lot* of people knew about his situation (myself included) and people kept it secret for the very good reason that nobody wanted to be responsible for making that situation worse. If his kidnapping had gotten out on Gawker on day 1, do you think he'd ever have had a window to escape? #davidrohde
The A-listers are going to be tripping all over themselves to option this, a story which ends in the protagonist climbing a small wall and strolling to a nearby American military base. Hopefully in the big screen version the terrorist kidnappers can muster up enough effort to point a rocket-propelled grenade in the direction of Clive or Brad as he swerves away on an out of control camel. #davidrohde
"Chaunce also comes across former roommate, Peal, now a professional saxafone [sic] player at the west sides' jubbly jerusalem. The hooter holy land also ends up being the meeting place for a group of government agents who want to hire Chaunce and Tony to be best buddies and also cops."
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It honestly sounds like you would have preferred that the Times had acknowledged the kidnapping and he was killed. It's really unbecoming. #davidrohde
10/18/09
But this is a media-oriented site, so the that angle deserves to be mentioned, in my opinion. I am curious about it. How does big media black out a story and how often does it happen? #davidrohde
10/18/09
We had the same discussion here in Canada after one of our CBC reporters was held for a month in Afghanistan last year. We knew nothing about it until she was freed. We were happy she was safe but curious how it had been kept from us. It is a legitimate question. #davidrohde
10/18/09
Look: a *lot* of people knew about his situation (myself included) and people kept it secret for the very good reason that nobody wanted to be responsible for making that situation worse. If his kidnapping had gotten out on Gawker on day 1, do you think he'd ever have had a window to escape? #davidrohde
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Also - "Chaunce"? Really?
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Depends on how close you are to Silicone Valley.
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