NYPost

CNN: THEM'S FIGHTIN' WORDS

By MICHAEL STARR

November 1, 2001 -- CNN, accused by some of having a liberal bias, is warning its staff not to "focus excessively" on casualties inflicted in Afghanistan by U.S. forces.

"As we get enterprising reports from our correspondents or Al-Jazeera inside Afghanistan, we must continue to make sure that we do not inadvertently seem to be reporting uncritically from the perspective or vantage of the Taliban" [parse THAT one--OG], says a memo from CNN boss Walter Issacson sent this week to CNN/US and Headline News personnel.

The memo also gives pointers to in-studio anchors to help make correspondents' points clearer.

". . . Each and every report from inside should be buttoned up by our anchor with some comment along the following lines: ‘We must keep in mind, after seeing reports like this from Taliban-controlled areas, that the Taliban regime in Afghanistan continues to harbor terrorists who have praised the September 11 attacks that killed close to 5,000 innocent people in the U.S.' "

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2001