New Rules

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Aren't you tired of the endless reporting about journalist Jill Carroll's kidnapping, and the bombing that injured TV Reporter Bob Woodruff and his cameraman, in Iraq? It's like reporters are some kind of victims, nay martyrs, while our own soldiers and Marines are, well, deserving of their fate.

Why do I know these guys names?

Here are Google's headlines tonight:

.....Woodruff's family is encouraged
.....Bob Woodruff talks with US soldiers Sunday in Iraq.
.....Fran Woodruff sounded like an anxious but happy mom Monday.
.....ABC News' Bob Woodruff and Doug Vogt Heading Back to United States
.....ABC's Woodruff is recovering (Det News)
.....Woodruff said to be improving (Newsday)

The fact that our soldiers ARE the story, and are not paid the hefty bonuses and salaries of the embeded reporters, is not reported.

How about a new rule: if you get injured or captured or killed as a war zone reporter, your news organization is responsible to (a) get you out, (b) pay you workman's comp, and (c) keep you off the air unless you committed some act of heroism on the way?

Oh, and any news report about a reporter must be offset by five human interest stories about soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines.

Works for me.