Excellent documentary series on the challenges facing the mainstream news media. Bergman covers the hostile relation that has developed between the Bush Administration and the Washington press corps, as well as the use of anonymous sources and PlameGate. Quality journalism about some very serious issues threatening the important role of the press in our democracy.

Based on the first of three installments, this series is a serious look at journalism in the US, starting with its relationship to government. The program and reporter probe, ask the relevant questions and provide a balanced view, sparing neither the government nor the journalists.

The story is well-written and thorough. What it seems to leave out is the perspective that GWB had his way with the media for five years, and that it was not until his policies showed strain and failure that he was seriously questioned. Until then, he was given a free ride, and that is where the system broke down, not as a result of any war with the media.

It is well researched, detailed, investigative, informed and balanced. Lowell Bergman is an outstanding journalist and Frontline is an outstanding documentary production. Of course, one has to also wonder if these shows would be quite as compelling if not for the same powerful narration that accompanies each episode!

Boo Hoo, More crying from conventional media about " "The great check and balance that was built into the Constitution is under challenge," William Saffire says. "You've got to have a relationship between the government and the press that's adversarial, but not an enemy." Well times are changing and CBS and NYT monopolizing Administration and controlling the direction are thankfully reaching an end.

As readers of this site can well-attest, the news media are changing; now that citizen journalism is a highly probable and desireable outcome of internet technology, we are better able to understand the biases and self-preservation tactics of the 'traditional' behemoths of the information industry.