Something I've Heard ...

Those of you who hold some level of disdain for the media in general (and National Public Radio, in particular) missed out on a real treat this week ...

I'm referring to "Talk of the Nation," NPR's midday news-talk show, where host Neal Conan leads what's been described as "a productive exchange of ideas and opinions on the issues that dominate the news landscape. From politics and public service to education, religion, music and healthcare." One of the perk's of listening to the program is that Conan seems content to sit back and devote the lion's share of mic time to caller, e-mail writers and his studio guests ... especially those guests ...

On Monday, those guests were Donatella Lorch, who covered the war in Afghanistan for Newsweek, and the Gulf War for the New York Times; David Turnley, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer for the Detroit Free Press who's covered war and revolution in just about every part of the world ...

And then, sort of the 'senior correspondent' in the room, was Joe Galloway, who served three tours in Vietnam for the old UPI organization (during which time he earned the Bronze Star ... a first for a civilian). If you'd like to learn more about his experiences back then, you could read his book, "We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young," or see the movie based on that book. Or, you could ask Wallace, over at Streams, who has corresponded on a number of occasions with Galloway (and who, by the way, can tell you a thing or two about 'Nam, himself).

The topic of Monday's program was "The Risks and Rewards of War Reporting," and it was a great look at what is expected of journalists who choose to cover war and rumors of war in far and sometimes forgotten corners of the world ... it's not a job to which all journalists aspire ... and, frankly, it's not a job for which all journalists are qualified ...

So, why do they do it? ... and how? ... and have the why's and how's changed from one era to the next, from one war to the next? ... Give a listen to the program, and find out for yourself, from a distinguished panel of guests well-suited to answering those questions, and more ...