I don't know Judith Miller. We've never met, but from the descriptions of her in various media -- including NPR -- she sounds like one tough, determined journalist whose reputation now appears to be unraveling.
I don't know Judith Miller, but I recognize those qualities that can make reporters like her into stars but at the same time be a challenge for editors to manage.
I also sense a strong lather of sexism in the reporting about her.
Judith Miller of The New York Times has been one of the "persons of interest" in the story about the outing of a CIA operative. She has been investigated by a special prosecutor and subpoenaed by a grand jury, and she served almost three months in jail for contempt for refusing to reveal a source who turned out to be I. Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff.
Miller was investigating (among other things) who may have leaked the name of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative. But she never wrote a story about Plame for the Times. Many questions remain about her approach to this story.
The story around Plame is complex and multilayered. It deals with important questions such as reliability of sources, whether the White House put undue pressure on agencies like the CIA to come up with justifications to go to war in Iraq, and whether journalists are being intimidated into revealing their sources. It also deals with the dangers of being enticed by a highly placed source.
Miller was one of a number of prominent reporters and commentators who seemed to favor going to war in Iraq.
Her role and that of other journalists in the prewar period deserve further scrutiny.
'Ms. Run Amok'
But while the Plame Affair has received most of the coverage, the travails of Miller -- who, according to the Times, described herself as "Ms. Run Amok" -- have been grist for the journalistic gossip mills. Miller is portrayed as a headstrong reporter who defies journalistic convention. As such, she has been portrayed as the author of her own misfortune.
A number of women journalists at NPR with whom I've spoken find this tone offensive.
"I've known a dozen newsroom male 'run-amoks' for every woman who is accused of that," said one.
As a manager, I had my run-ins with tough-minded reporters. They can be, no doubt, hell on wheels to manage, especially when they are doing investigative reporting.
When a strong-willed reporter fights with editors every step of the way, it is sometimes hard to know who is in control of a story. I don't know if Miller was one of those "tough edits." But I'll bet she was, and I can feel the flow of newsroom stomach acid from here...
'More Schadenfreude?' 'Don't Mind if I Do...'
The consequences of Miller's reporting may be enormous. But in my opinion, the journalistic community seems to be taking an unseemly delight in Miller's predicament and the problems it poses for The New York Times.
The Germans have a word for this: Schadenfreude. It means taking pleasure in the discomfort of others. Newsrooms seem to have it in abundance.
Investigative journalists have always had a precarious position in newsrooms: They are often given a degree of journalistic latitude that is denied their colleagues. They deliver the stories that their news organizations value the most. They are lauded by their managers and given prestigious awards. As you might imagine, this can create tensions within a newsroom.
Hard to Handle
Investigative journalists can be, in my experience, hard to handle. They jealously guard their sources and their stories. They can be prickly when it comes to being edited. Every fact they have painstakingly uncovered seems sacred. "Touch my copy," they seem to say, "and I will take it personally. Very personally."
Journalism is, as one of my bosses once observed, a contact sport. A newsroom is a place that values sharp tongues and sharper elbows. It can be a cheery, clubby and collaborative place. But woe to he or she who disdains the newsroom culture even while delivering the journalistic prizes.
It becomes especially difficult when the lone wolf/prize-winning investigative journalist happens to be a woman. Newsrooms have changed enormously over the years, but they can still be inhospitable places for women.
That is why the innuendo and personal attacks on Miller smell like old-fashioned newsroom sexism to me.
Other Fallout from the 'Plame Affair'
Pressure from the left and the right is a recurrent issue in journalism, as those who read this column know. It may be that perfect balance is an unreachable goal, especially in these fractious times. We may be witnessing a pivotal moment in American journalism. The problems of the Bush administration are increasing. Policy contradictions that have existed for some time now appear to be unraveling at an astonishing pace.
NPR has reported this story well, in my opinion... or at least as well as possible in a case as complicated as this one appears to be.
Some of the best reporting was heard on Talk of the Nation on Tuesday, Oct. 17. NPR's Neal Conan guided listeners through the complexities, aided by well-informed listeners and thoughtful in-studio guest Tom Rosenstiel of the Project for Excellence in Journalism. He was joined by NPR's media reporter, David Folkenflik. It was a spellbinding hour of radio.
As this story develops, the pressure on journalism to be "on side" is bound to intensify. Issues around sourcing will raise questions as journalistic organizations feel increasingly nervous about off-the-record conversations with government officials. News management will likely find that their instinct to "get the story" is tempered by their obligation to protect their organization.
Close editing of star reporters will be even more necessary.
NPR should brace itself for the storms to come.
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