NBC's Tim Russert dies at 58

[Mr. X]

I thought the media's coverage of Russert's death was excessive in the extreme. It dominated the news cycle for 72 hours and NBC and MSNBC basically went wall-to-wall for a full day. What exactly did Russert accomplish as a journalist to warrant that kind of reaction? He hosted a Sunday talk show but aside from that what were his accomplishments?

Williams F. Buckley, Jr. passed away a few months ago and his death barely got any notice at all. Buckley's contributions to journalism dwarfed those of Russert's IMO. Seems like the reaction to Russert's death was as much about his celebrity status as it was about his journalism. YMMV.

[S197]

I thought the media's coverage of Russert's death was excessive in the extreme. It dominated the news cycle for 72 hours and NBC and MSNBC basically went wall-to-wall for a full day.

I agree. It's evident that he was a well respected journalist but it was excessive. Particularly with the massive flooding going on in Iowa and surrounding areas, which should've gotten more coverage than it did.

But mainstream media is rubbish anyway. No, I'm not some tinfoil hat wearing wacko but there is a serious lack of transparency in today's media.

The absolute lack of coverage regarding the Bilderberg conference is a prime example. A secret meeting of the most powerful and influential American and European leaders isn't so much as mentioned anywhere in the American media.

Hmm....

[Demi]

It's secret, does the evil media have someone wired? Not sure what you want them to say.

They've been covering the flooding since it happened, and aren't slowing down.

They covered it because he was a prominent news man, NOW, not a decade and more ago like Buckley. Not only that, it was unexpected, he wasn't exactly on his death bed.

[S197]

It's secret, does the evil media have someone wired? Not sure what you want them to say.

Yeah who cares that former US Presidents, Prime Ministers, Royalty, Our Fed Chairman, Secretary of Defense, Bank CEO's, heads of the UN & NATO and about 100 other equally influential people are meeting in a private meeting every year to discuss topics that will never be revealed to the public. That deserves no media attention at all, I want to know how many kids Brad & Angelina adopted this week!

[purple guy]

Yeah who cares that former US Presidents, Prime Ministers, Royalty, Our Fed Chairman, Secretary of Defense, Bank CEO's, heads of the UN & NATO and about 100 other equally influential people are meeting in a private meeting every year to discuss topics that will never be revealed to the public. That deserves no media attention at all, I want to know how many kids Brad & Angelina adopted this week!

What, Demi didnt say anything about Brad and Angelina, nothing. He said the guy getting the press is current, and the guy you think should have gotten the press when he passed was a media guru 10 years ago. Seems a logical reason Russert was so highly publicised. Talk about an eye roll, what a joke, not even remotely what he commented on.

[Demi]

What, Demi didnt say anything about Brad and Angelina, nothing. He said the guy getting the press is current, and the guy you think should have gotten the press when he passed was a media guru 10 years ago. Seems a logical reason Russert was so highly publicised. Talk about an eye roll, what a joke, not even remotely what he commented on.

He was referring to the comment in response to his criticism about not covering some event that they could come out with with zero news. Not just news that isn't very meaningful, but literally no news to report, at all.

[S197]

What, Demi didnt say anything about Brad and Angelina, nothing. He said the guy getting the press is current, and the guy you think should have gotten the press when he passed was a media guru 10 years ago. Seems a logical reason Russert was so highly publicised. Talk about an eye roll, what a joke, not even remotely what he commented on.

You're getting my post and someone else's confused. Re-read, try again.

[Mr. X]

It wasn't that the media covered Russert's death (doh); it was how much coverage it was afforded.

Compare the degree of coverage of Peter Jennings' death to that of Tim Russert. Juxtapose that with the accomplishments of Jennings in relation to Russert. Now, explain the enormous difference between the two.

As for William F. Buckley, Jr., the point was that our culture grossly inflates the value of celebrities. The out-sized reaction to Russert's death was as much about his celebrity status as it was about his contributions (which are fairly meager in the larger scheme of things). Using Buckley's age as a rationale for why his death received little to no coverage only serves to prove that to be true.

[Demi]

And I still believe it's entirely because of the situation. He was 58, with no reported health conditions or known issues. No reason anyone should expect it. And then suddenly, he's dead. Unlike Buckley who was 82 and had medical issues, and Jennings, who was also a decade older and had reported health issues.

[DanAS1]

And I still believe it's entirely because of the situation. He was 58, with no reported health conditions or known issues. No reason anyone should expect it. And then suddenly, he's dead. Unlike Buckley who was 82 and had medical issues, and Jennings, who was also a decade older and had reported health issues.

Sorry, but that's too simplistic. Russert obviously touched people in his profession more deeply than most of these other celebrities. You can attribute it to his age, but I think you'd be missing the point of all the tributes of the last few days.

Some people are simply more charismatic and beloved than the rest of us. Russert's energies were exceptionally endearing to those he encountered off-camera. At least that's what they have been trying to tell us.

[Minniman]

He was referring to the comment in response to his criticism about not covering some event that they could come out with with zero news. Not just news that isn't very meaningful, but literally no news to report, at all.

The Bilderberg Conference is news on its own. It is also news that, until the age of the World Wide Web, it has remained a secret to most Americans since 1954.

As far as Peter Jennings goes, he was a better journalist in the field than Tim Russert, in my opinion. This is the case when he was a foreign correspondent rather than a desk man. He was older, and he was known to be ill, but so much less coverage was given to his death. Why, likely because Russert died so suddenly, but also because Russert did not rock the boat the way Jennings had from time to time. Jenning was also a Canadian for much of his life, and he had a less American-First view of things.

Russert had the opportunity to play hardball, ask the hard questions, and then press the issues, but he served up home run balls and soft questions instead. When he did ask tougher questions, usually after some other news source had already broken the story wide open, he didn't follow up to get answers. Again, that was likely the only way he could keep his job with General Electric, but it didn't make for great journalism in a time when great journalism was needed from the fourth estate.

The death of Tim Russert was a tragedy for his friends and family, and it is sad news for television viewers to be sure, but Russert didn't break important fact finding news that was important to the people of the United States or the World. He had that opportunity, and that opportunity was missed. Meet The Press under Russert was not a show feared by lying politicians and corporate scoundrels, and that says a lot about how weak of a job he really did there.

Real journalism is the ability to get the facts and the best valid premise as truth. It simply wasn't good enough for Meet The Press to be an interview show for politicians like Entertainment Tonight interviewing stars of an upcoming movie at a press conference. Too much of what passes for news today is nothing more than political rhetoric, and Russert didn't change that. He was a good guy, but maybe he was too good a guy to get the job done like it should have been. His legacy is tarnished by this, and it is sad that he will not have the opportunity to ever go beyond that.

[VikingMachine]

You need to lighent up on Russert Mini, its like the guy kicked your dog. He was a fine journalist, charismatic person, good father and husband....he could have been better at all of those probobly....couldnt we all.

People liked the guy so get over it. Sounds to me like you are taking out your angst on todays journalist on Russert.

[Minniman]

He was a fine journalist, charismatic person, good father and husband....he could have been better at all of those probobly....couldnt we all.

We don't want to get into politics here, so I won't go into this deeply, but Russert ran Meet The Press for 16 years and could have easily have broken stories about the lies and deceit in the White House that now have come out by different means. It wasn't like this stuff was difficult to prove. He interviewed all those involved, and he broke nothing meaningful. His debate coverage was dreadful, and his debate questions were worse.

If you do not understand why Russert wasn't doing his job as a journalist, then perhaps you may want to Google it up and read why. When the Fourth Estate aids and abets the corruption in governments and corporations, we all lose a needed check on those institutions. Russert had the opportunity, but he played it safe for 16 years. He didn't ruffle feathers, but he didn't get the truth either.

People liked the guy so get over it. Sounds to me like you are taking out your angst on todays journalist on Russert.

Sure, people liked the guy. He was a good and fun guy as far as the reports go. That doesn't have much to do with whether he was a great jounalist or not. Yes, he did win some journalist awards, including the Edward R. Murrow Award, but he was generally ineffective as a host of such an influential news program.

Considering Russert's political roots, and that his wife is a distant relation to me, one would think I would praise him, but these have been hard times, and we needed better. Just because there is a lot worse out there does not mean he was great. Of course, that is just my opinion.

[Mr. X]

There was a widespread consensus among politicians from both parties that Tim Russert was the most aggressive questioner of all the TV talk show hosts (but he did it in a civil manner). No one liked to go on his show but they all knew they had to if they wanted to be taken seriously. I don't see how anyone can make the case that he was a pushover as a journalist, or aided and abetted anyone. To the contrary, he was probably the one journalist who consistently made everyone he interviewed sweat a little by the pressure he put them through.

As for breaking stories ... he wasn't an investigative journalist. He hosted a talk show. Apples and oranges.

[VikingMachine]

We don't want to get into politics here, so I won't go into this deeply, but Russert ran Meet The Press for 16 years and could have easily have broken stories about the lies and deceit in the White House that now have come out by different means. It wasn't like this stuff was difficult to prove. He interviewed all those involved, and he broke nothing meaningful. His debate coverage was dreadful, and his debate questions were worse.

If you do not understand why Russert wasn't doing his job as a journalist, then perhaps you may want to Google it up and read why. When the Fourth Estate aids and abets the corruption in governments and corporations, we all lose a needed check on those institutions. Russert had the opportunity, but he played it safe for 16 years. He didn't ruffle feathers, but he didn't get the truth either.
Sure, people liked the guy. He was a good and fun guy as far as the reports go. That doesn't have much to do with whether he was a great jounalist or not. Yes, he did win some journalist awards, including the Edward R. Murrow Award, but he was generally ineffective as a host of such an influential news program.

Considering Russert's political roots, and that his wife is a distant relation to me, one would think I would praise him, but these have been hard times, and we needed better. Just because there is a lot worse out there does not mean he was great. Of course, that is just my opinion.

What a load of BS...of course, thats just my opinion.