Ted Koppel Responds To Keith Olbermann Criticism On CNN's 'Reliable Sources' (VIDEO)

ORIGINAL POST: Ted Koppel appeared on CNN's "Reliable Sources" Sunday to discuss what he feels is the deep decline of television news--and to respond to critics of a widely-read article he wrote in November decrying the rise of cable news.

The segment was taped just before the Libya war or the Japanese earthquake, but more than enough international news was occurring for Koppel to say to host Howard Kurtz that the heightened coverage of Egypt and Tunisia was a flash in the pan. He also said that journalism needs to veer away from fluff and double down on hard, objective news.

"Our times require a little more serious objectivity," he said. "And I think there has to be a willingness on the part of the public to accept that journalism is trying to do an honest job of giving them an objective accounting of what's going on in the world and an objective appraisal of what's really important in the world."

Kurtz then asked Koppel to respond to Olbermann's response to an article Koppel wrote in November for the Washington Post. In the article, he called Olbermann "avowedly, unabashedly and monotonously partisan," and singled him out as evidence of television journalism's descent into opinionated info-tainment. Olbermann then accused Koppel of worshiping before the "false god of utter objectivity," and said that he had "failed" America during the Iraq war by not being skeptical enough of the Bush administration.

In response, Koppel said that Olbermann "clearly didn't see all the 'Nightlines' that we did," including a special called, "Why Now?"

"I don't expect Mr. Olbermann to have seen all the programs," Koppel said. "But before he makes a wide-ranging charge like that, I do expect that he'd have someone else do the research."

WATCH:

For his part, Olbermann gave a pithy reply to Koppel's renewed criticism of him. Responding on Twitter to a woman who said Koppel had "slap[ped] you silly," Olbermann wrote, "Ted Koppel is still ALIVE?"

Comments

[markhas2]

10:36 AM on 04/03/2011

I always enjoyed Ted, he's so funny. His on camera imitation of Rodney Dangerfield is just hilarious.

[pab08]

11:47 AM on 03/30/2011

I like and respect Ted. But after hearing his tortured reasoning re Libya over the the last few weeks on public radio, I think that perhaps he needs to take a break. Regroup. Relax. Breathe deeply. Take a nap. Shut your pie hole.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

09:44 AM on 03/30/2011

Mr Koppel stuck a hot poker into Mr carter and road the president over the iran hostage situation till reagan was sworn in!  Made Carter look bad on his last day in office when he brought those white folk home to be with their wives!
 
Most peaple forgot mr. Carter brought home the black soilgers and the women 100 days into the hostage situation!
 
and canada hid another 20 from the Revolutionary guard!

[DrCardio]

02:58 AM on 03/30/2011

Why now? was a justification.

[mrsm00the]

10:29 PM on 03/29/2011

Man, I been seaching all over for Keith Olbermann, but I can't seem to find him on TV. Is he on the Fishing Channel now or is he the 3:00 AM weekend substitute on the Jewelry Network?

[DrCardio]

02:54 AM on 03/30/2011

foknewschannel.com

[Dunkleberger Karl]

09:45 AM on 03/30/2011

did you look under your moms bed?

[Jeany]

09:32 PM on 03/29/2011

Shut up and dance, Teddy. Then take your 'Vette out for a spin.

[pccorn]

08:51 PM on 03/29/2011

Wow, what a professional, Mr. Koppel. Keith Olbermann is not fit to sit in the same news room with this man. When faced with a battle that you cannot win, Olbermann, you should do the gentlemanly thing and quietly step back and let the adults do the talking.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

09:46 AM on 03/30/2011

Koppel pretends to be impartial , his nose was soo far up reagans but , his ears had pooh in them!

[VoteThemAllOut]

06:38 PM on 03/29/2011

A pitiful cry for attention from Olberman - guess his new show isn't going anywhere.

[MIMom]

09:29 PM on 03/29/2011

His show isn't even on yet.

[VoteThemAllOut]

09:54 PM on 03/29/2011

Not on yet - figured it would have been based on the comments on this site. Is the new network having second thoughts?

[DrCardio]

02:57 AM on 03/30/2011

Olbermann wasn't the one crying.

[mistercoyote]

06:28 PM on 03/29/2011

Ted Kopple has been posing as an intellectual for 30 years. And it's true--he is the closest thing the Right has to an intellectual.

Which is like when the French are asked who their greatest author is and they have to hang their heads in shame and whisper, "Victor Hugo, alas."

[peptobismal]

08:42 PM on 03/29/2011

I cannot think of any newsers that don't pose as intellectuals.

[mistercoyote]

10:48 PM on 03/29/2011

Ed?

[markhas2]

10:41 AM on 04/03/2011

what's the differance between kopple and Dangerfield? Both are funny!

[Carolyn LeBeauf]

05:13 PM on 03/29/2011

Koppel was at on time a journalist but when OBAMA became president he jumped on the republicans' ban wagon and showed the world how prejudice he really is. He can't except a blackman as president either.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

09:50 AM on 03/30/2011

Koppel was @ the debate between Sestack and Toomy in hershey for the american chamber of commerce debate! He is and was always very pro republican! he hated johnson and sooo he was stuck on the muck!

[Terri Lorz]

02:58 PM on 03/29/2011

Can't we all just get along. Terri Jo Lorz

[Max Shaw]

02:15 PM on 03/29/2011

Koppel is awesome. He was always a good one to watch.

[mistercoyote]

06:29 PM on 03/29/2011

Exactly what I would expect from someone who uses the word "Awesome"

[Marionette]

08:11 PM on 03/29/2011

to be abruptly followed by 'whatever' ;)

[Dunkleberger Karl]

09:51 AM on 03/30/2011

Max? How old were you max when challeger blew up?

[RedStateHostage]

02:13 PM on 03/29/2011

Of course KO is partisan, so are all the hacks on Faux.
The difference is KO had facts and video to back him up and if he was wrong he admitted it on air.
Faux uses doctored video, makes claims that have no proof and when they are proven to be lies never admit it on air and just move on to the next story that has little if any truth to it.

[CenaW]

02:10 PM on 03/29/2011

Sorry Kopple much of the time you sound like a cheer leader for the corporate propaganda machine.

[asiclilpup]

02:06 PM on 03/29/2011

Hmmm the baggertrollies are out in force this afternoon.