capturedrather

Captured Rather is an online archive of emails from USA Today journalist Dan Rather and his production company, rathercomm, in the aftermath of the 2004 presidential election. The project was launched by bloggers and online activists in response to the controversy over George W. Bush's military service, which Rather had reported on in a series of segments on 60 Minutes II.

The archive contains hundreds of internal emails and documents from rathercomm, which were obtained by bloggers and posted online. The emails reveal internal discussions and debates over the content and timing of the reports, as well as disagreements between Rather and his producers over the reporting style. Some of the emails also suggest that rathercomm may have been influenced by liberal politics and a desire to embarrass the Bush campaign.

The Captured Rather project was widely covered in the media and sparked a heated debate over the role of journalists in politics and the ethics of news reporting. Some of the controversy centered on the suggestion that Rather and rathercomm had a preconceived agenda to discredit Bush's military service, while others argued that the emails showed a routine and legitimate process of journalism.

The significance of the Captured Rather project lies in its illustration of the power of blogging and online activism in shaping public opinion and influencing the media. By posting the internal emails online, activists were able to challenge the standard practice of journalism and raise questions about the motivations and biases of news organizations.