The Public Editor: News of Iraq is back -- as readers say it should be

Two weeks ago, I wrote about the public and the media's fading interest in Iraq, with news about the war often consigned to the back pages, when in the paper at all.

This wasn't just my observation. Opinion polls and work by the Project for Excellence in Journalism put statistical muscle behind the reality.

For several months, they confirmed, Iraq had dropped far down the media and the public's agenda.

It was, in my view, shameful.

I asked readers what they thought and for reasons behind the ostensible lack of interest.

Many of them responded.

The feedback was some of the most thoughtful and articulate I've ever received, regardless of the point of view.

Some were short and to the point. Others were long-winded stemwinders. Still others were political screeds. And the responses keep arriving, almost daily.

A good portion of them I've posted at the Public Editor's forum at sacbee.com.

And, of course, in the ensuing two weeks, news of Iraq burst back onto the front page.

This was highlighted by the Iraqi military's foray into Basra to oust Shiite militias, mortars raining down on the fortified Green Zone from outlying Baghdad neighborhoods and news from Washington, D.C., including high-profile presentations by Army Gen. David Petraeus.

Iraq was in the news again, at least for now.

It always should have been, said many readers who sent e-mails, letters or left phone messages.

As you might expect, there was no unanimity, but several themes stood out:

• Follow the money: Readers want more information on how much the war costs and its effect on the nation's economy.

• The draft: Reinstituting the draft, several readers said, would give many more Americans a personal stake in the war, increasing focus and debate on developments there.

• Afghanistan: The media is doing a poor job of telling Americans what is going on there.

• Media distraction: The media, The Bee included, are prone to gorging themselves on fleeting and inconsequential flavor-of-the-month stories at the expense of more hard-hitting, substantial coverage of Iraq.

Perhaps the most interesting thing was the number of responses from parents and friends of those serving in Iraq, as well as from veterans who served there, too.

One reader, William Vizzard of Sacramento, whose son is serving his third tour in Iraq, sent a copy of his son's e-mail.

The candor in it is remarkable, and certainly more interesting than what you find in most news stories. You can read it yourself at the Public Editor's forum.

Greg Rayburn of Sacramento served in Iraq from May 2003 to April 2004. He also has two sons who have served both in and out of Iraq.

"Does the common man and woman care? There is no draft so why worry? Their child is home safe," Rayburn wrote. "No, the common person is more concerned with their own little world, Hollywood, Raiders/49ers/Kings or Tiger Woods throwing a tantrum for his inability to concentrate while having his picture taken."

Douglas Thompson of Antelope said frustration about the war is not the same as disinterest.

"I don't necessarily subscribe to a theory about an apathetic press or public when it comes to the war," his e-mail said. "I do, however, believe that what you see as fading interest is really frustration about the war, which, in itself, does not translate to a lack of concern."

"Without a draft, there is no imminent danger for the majority of us. … Families, for the most part, aren't concerned about their children dying in Iraq," Thompson said. "The result of all this ever-widening gap between the American public and our government: a sense of prolonged frustration. I believe that eventually we will no longer tolerate the abuse of everything we stand for. And the resulting public reaction will constitute front-page material again … with an exponent."

Others said The Bee and the media are to blame.

"Maybe the drop-off in interest in the Iraq war is a chicken-and-egg matter," said Paul Jorjorian of Sacramento. "If the media does not cover it, it's not in the public's mind, and if it's not in the public's mind, then the media does not cover it.

"American soldiers are dying almost every day and it is costing the nation billions, and yet the stories, if any, are buried in the back of the paper and are non-existent on TV. This is news!"

Wrote Lorraine Krofchok of Elk Grove: "The war is in the back pages because YOU put it there. It is your responsibility as the 'free' press to keep the war on the front pages."

This sentiment was echoed by Elk Grove's Gregg and Jolene Matson.

"We are dismayed and confused by The Bee's need to solicit approval from readers to publish the news. Your business is to inform us of the facts. How we react is not your business," their e-mail read. "You say editors are frustrated to find new items of interest about the war. There are none. War is terrible. That's a fact. It's not news. But one goes on, day after day, in all its horror. That is news. We think you need to report it."

And on and on it went, much more than I can describe in this limited space. It was and is, in turns, heartening and discouraging, reflecting readers' wavering emotions since the conflict began five years ago.

There are two things I want to make sure to note:

The McClatchy Washington Bureau is sponsoring a reader Q&A with the authors of the new book, "The Three Trillon Dollar War."

The authors, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stigiltz and Harvard University professor Linda Bilmes, are answering readers' questions through Tuesday. If you're interested, go to www.mcclatchydc.com.

Also, at the request of reader Brian Nakatani of Roseville, The Bee will begin printing the names of U.S. military personnel killed in Afghanistan, as it does for those in Iraq.

Deputy Managing Editor Mort Saltzman said the change will begin immediately.

About the writer:

• The Public Editor deals with complaints and concerns about The Sacramento Bee's content. His opinions are his own. You can contact the Public Editor by mail at P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852; or by calling him directly at (916) 321-1250.