Dubai: Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh says the American people are disappointed with their press, which lost credibility because of its coverage of the actions of the Bush administration without questioning them.
Video: Seymour Hersh interview
Speaking at a packed hall on the second day of the Arab Media Forum, Hersh said it was refreshing to see the Arab viewpoint and that there was much to learn from the Arabic press. He was commenting on Al Jazeera's coverage of the conflicts in the region.
"The [American] press turned cheerleaders," he said, "and did not challenge the WMD [weapons of mass destruction] story. Bush helped me in my career and I hope [US President Barack] Obama doesn't," he said, but warned that Obama is falling in the same trap as Bush.
"Nothing has changed, only the leadership," he said, about Obama's actions in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But he said Obama is changing the notion that "America knows what's best for you".
Hersh, whose revelations in The New Yorker about torture at Abu Ghraib was a watershed moment in the history of American journalism, urged journalists in the region to push for good governance.
He noted that leaders are now more responsive and accepting of the immense power of the media today. "Dubai is at the very cutting edge," he said, adding that this should help push for more aggressive journalism.
"An investigative journalist is like a dead rat brought to a party," he said. "Nobody likes us, but if you don't do what you do, you can't change things," he said.
The internet has changed the face of journalism, he said. "You cannot stop the flow of information," said Hersh, noting how teenagers beat the system in China, bypassing state censorship. "It is a 24-hour world today," he said, but noted that no media outlet has so far figured how to make money from the internet.
The reporter said he was still optimistic about the future of newspapers, although many are dying in the United States. "Newspapers will survive and be more efficient.".
Hersh is also an author of several books, including Chain of Command: The Road From 9/11 to Abu Ghraib. He said that unfortunately there is no teamwork among Arabs to deal with important issues. "There is an inability to deal cohesively. You are always divided politically," he said.
Asked by an audience member if stories truly have the power to change situations, Hersh recalled his previous stories that changed the course of events, such as his uncovering of the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war, or more recently his exposure of torture at Abu Ghraib.
Hersh is an American investigative journalist who exposed the failure of American intelligence with regard to Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, and other ground-breaking news developments that have changed the course of American politics.
