Off topic--Page/Faas and NPR

[Paul Schliesser <paulsc@eos.net>]

>NPR is one of the oasis' in american media. It's just that this  
>sort of thing by them rubs me the wrong way. Yet another thing about  
>Vietnam. Promoted under the title of "fresh air". I find it a bit  
>pathetic.

Kari

This isn't meant to be a flame, but I think you misunderstand what is 
going on.

"Fresh Air" is the name of a daily NPR interview program, and Page and 
Faas were interviewed during one segment of the show. The name of Page 
and Faas' book is _Requiem_.

>The shooters did a great service in V. and almost certainly  
>shortened the war by a significant amount and thereby saved lives.  
>The fallen ones in particular should be remembered.

Isn't this exactly what Page and Faas are doing?

>I just think  
>that this is a rather stale way of proceeding. Especially since  
>there have been many conflicts afterwards and serious media problems  
>related to them. Study them and dedicate the findings to the courageous ones.

What do "media problems at other points in time" have to do with Page and 
Faas doing an interview on an afternoon radio program, or doing a book?

>I think these guys were there to report the workings of the  
>machinery (state/war) and not to become entries in coffee table  
>books.

You say we should remember them, but then say that their collegues should 
not honor them by doing a book about them? I don't see this as the sort 
of project that they are doing only for money. Faas talked about how he 
had the burden of reporting many of the deaths of these photojournalists 
to their families, and both Page and Faas did the same job under the same 
conditions as the photographers who were killed. They knew and worked 
with these photographers, and many were friends. Page went back after the 
war to try to track down missing journalists; these guys knew and cared 
about the subjects of the book. Who better to do a book about them? This 
is a tribute to the fallen photographers, done with love and respect as a 
monument to them.

- - Paul