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Across The Media Universe: Lynch Mob Edition

By Brian Montopoli

March 20, 2007 / 12:32 PM EDT / CBS News

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No More Rambo Stories: Former soldier Jessica Lynch wants to be a journalist. Lynch reportedly "became fascinated with the field after her experiences with the press following her rescue from Iraq." As you'll recall, Lynch became famous thanks to the Pentagon's story about her rescue – a story she later disputed, prompting hate mail. "For them to use it as a Rambo story -- it wasn't the truth," she said. "I wanted people to know the real story, not what the government wanted people to believe. I didn't want to take credit for anything I didn't do." Lynch couldn't sit through the made-for-TV movie "Saving Jessica Lynch," she says, because it was so inaccurate.

A Media Engel: NBC News' Richard Engel, who has spent more continuous time reporting from Iraq than any other correspondent, has a documentary airing tomorrow night on MSNBC called "War Zone Diary." "In turning the camera on himself, Engel gives us a glimpse of his digs at the Palestine Hotel (before insurgents blew it up, forcing the NBC bureau to move) and the canned luncheon meat product he hopes not to have to eat; we also learn that his marriage fell apart and how a trusted Iraqi staffer attempted to extort money by staging a bogus kidnapping," notes Paul Brownfield. He adds: "My God, what's a guy gotta endure to get an hour of prime time from his own news division?" In a chat with Broadcasting & Cable, Engel talked about war coverage. "There have been certain attacks on the media—that we're all getting it wrong and that journalists are just trying to paint a negative impression," he said. "I don't think that's the case at all. I'm not there trying to demoralize anyone. I'm just trying to reflect what's going on."

Picking At A "Scab": Reports the Toledo Blade: "A car owned by a replacement worker at The Blade was set on fire and the word 'scab' was spray-painted in black on each side of the vehicle and its hood." Peter Thayer, the car's owner, is a replacement paperhandler. The paperhandlers are among 200 union workers who have been locked out by the paper, which is struggling financially.