#1537: Florestal Comments on Lehrer Newshour Report on Haiti (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:Jmfloresta@aol.com

I just watched a piece on Haiti by Elizabeth Farnsworth on the Lehrer News 
Hour. It started at about 6:20 E.T. today, December 21, 1999. Though THE 
PHRASE was used in it, the context was appropriate. In fact, I find the whole 
story better balanced compared to the usual news reports on Haiti. The video 
pictures chosen did not seem to focus only on the worst part of 
Port-au-Prince only. I particularly liked the picture of Haitian teenagers 
playing soccer on the streets of Haiti.

I thought that was a nice change. She did talk to a lot of average persons in 
the streets of Haiti, U.S. Government people there, U.N. Officials and one 
disillusioned former President's Aristide supporter. She also showed part of 
an interview on Canadian TV by Mr. Aristide. Though I mentioned above that 
the peice was somewhat balanced, some may not agree because there were not 
many interviews by people who do not support former President Aristide. I am 
making that observation because it is the format on the Lehrer to show the 
views of both sides. That point is irrelevant to my post here, as the purpose 
is to see what the people on this forum think of the fairness of this report 
on Haiti, and not for one political side to see whether its views were more 
represented than the other. 

Jim Lehrer says that Farnsworth will do a follow-up but did not give a date.