On September 8, 2004, CBS's News's 60 Minutes Wednesday aired a piece alleging that President George W. Bush had received preferential treatment from the U.S. military that allowed him to land a slot in the Texas Air National Guard and thus escaped being drafted for the Vietnam War.
The 60 Minutes Wednesday report hinged on documents that were allegedly taken from Lt. Col. Jerry Killian and given to CBS.
After the report aired, several Internet bloggers began to raise questions about the documents citing the typeface on them that appeared to have come from a computer. The questions blew into a media storm and led to a September 20th statement from the network, that "CBS cannot prove that the documents are authentic."
CBS launched an internal inquiry that led to a report released on January 10 and ultimately the ouster of three executives and the piece's producer, Mary Mapes. CBS anchor Dan Rather announced he would retire on March 24, but will remain with CBS News as a correspondent for 60 Minutes Sunday and 60 Minutes Wednesday.
Listed here, some important documents from the saga as well as a list of some stories about the controversy.
The Thornburgh-Boccardi Report
Statement of CBS CEO Les Moonves
Mary Mapes Statement upon leaving CBS
Columbia Journalism Review's report on the role of blogs in the CBS News controversy:
Blog-Gate
Corey Pein, Columbia Journalism Review, January/February 2005
Blog-Gate: We Got Letters
Columbia Journalism Review, February 2005
Stories on the fallout from the 60 Minutes Wednesday Report:
Reaction to the Investigative Panel's Report
Coverage of the Thornburgh-Boccardi Investigation
Speculation About the Future of CBS News
Dan Rather Announces His Retirement
CBS Apologizes and Appoints Investigative Panel
The Original Story, and Doubts Raised
Note: Some of the articles below may no longer be available for free, but can be accessed usually for a fee or by using a database such as LexisNexis.
Reaction to the Investigative Panel's Report
"CBS gets it right-- for now"
Jon Friedman, MarketWatch.com, February 3, 2005
"Chained to the anchor"
Marvin Kitman, Newsday, January 30, 2005
"Black days at Black Rock"
David Blum, New York, Febraury 7, 2005
"How CBS can salvage the evening news"
Jon Friedman, MarketWatch.com, January 28, 2005
"Document examiner in CBS case claims defamation"
Michele Greppi, TV Week, January 27, 2005
"Will CBS News' multiple-anchor concept fly?"
Peter Johnson, USA Today, January 27, 2005
"The changing face of network news"
Joanne Ostrow, The Denver Post, January 23, 2005
"A self-effacing arbiter of media failures"
Robin Finn, The New York Times, January 25, 2005
"NBC: Rather's story wouldn't happen here"
David Bauder, Associated Press, January 21, 2005
"Rumors about CBS News, Stewart divert attention from real issues"
Charlie McCollum, San Jose Mercury News, January 20, 2005
"Katie Couric, CBS anchor?"
Tom Shales, The Washington Post, January 20, 2005
"'Memogate' scapegoat was a messenger who erred"
Robert L. Jamieson, Jr., The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 20, 2005
"CBS plans to change evening news format"
Bill Carter and Jacques Steinberg, The New York Times, January 19, 2005
"Anchors aweigh"
Michael Starr and Paul Tharp, The New York Post, January 19, 2005
"CBS News roiling, 60 Minutes four refuse to yield"
Joe Hagan, The New York Observer, January 24, 2005
"Moonves takes heat on '60 Minutes' report"
Christopher Lisotta, TV Week, January 19, 2005
"CBS looks past Rather to hipper news team"
Lisa de Moraes, The Washington Post, January 19, 2005
"CBS boss is considering multianchor news desk"
David Bauder, Associated Press, January 19, 2005
"CBS News ponders multi-anchor format"
Gary Levin, USA Today, January 19, 2005
"Let CBS' error be a lesson to TV news"
TV Week, January 17, 2005
"Future of '60 Minutes Wednesday' in doubt"
Bill Carter, The New York Times, January 14, 2005
"Journalism often means saying sorry"
Helen Thomas, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 14, 2005
"Now comes the hard part for CBS"
Jon Friedman, CBS MarketWatch.com, January 12, 2005
"CBS disaster reverberates far and wide"
Joanne Ostrow, The Denver Post, January 13, 2005
"Investigating the investigators"
Jack Shafer, Slate, January 14, 2005
"What's ailing CBS News? Let's make a not-so-little list"
Van Gordon Sauter, The Los Angeles Times, January 13, 2005
"Critics question no-bias finding by CBS panel"
Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, January 12, 2005
"The 'media party' is over"
Howard Fineman, Newsweek, January 12, 2005
"Scandal proof"
Dan Kennedy, The Boston Phoenix, January 13, 2005
"Day after dismissals, pain is acute for CBS News staff"
Gail Shister, Philadelphia Inquirer, January 12, 2005
"Rather keeps low profile after report"
Verne Gay, Newsday, January 12, 2005
"Network's brass, critics take solace in the report"
Stephen Kiehl, The Baltimore Sun, January 12, 2005
"For Mason, a history of breaking barriers"
David Zurawik, The Baltimore Sun, January 12, 2005
"Mainstream media clean house"
Kathleen Parker, The Orlando Sentinel, January 12, 2005
"Rather: I'll keep Guard report's lessons well in mind"
David Bauder, Associated Press, January 12, 2005
"Black eye"
Terence Smith, PBS NewsHour, January 10, 2005
Coverage of the Thornburgh-Boccardi Investigation
"Post-mortem of a flawed broadcast"
Bill Carter, The New York Times, January 11, 2005
"What the panel said about the '60 Minutes' report on Bush's Guard service"
The New York Times, January 11, 2005
"A setback for a network, and the mainstream media"
Howard Kurtz and Dana Milbank, The Washington Post, January 11, 2005
"Mapes: Decision to air National Guard story was made by CBS superiors, including Heyward"
Al Tompkins, Poynter.org, January 10, 2005
"CBS fires 4 staffers in wake of probe"
Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, January 11, 2005
"Report drives ratings down, but financial effect is minimal"
Frank Ahrens, The Washington Post, January 11, 2005
"Report lambastes CBS News; 4 lose jobs"
Josh Getlin and Scott Collins, The Los Angeles Times, January 11, 2005
"CBS went easy on Rather, critics say"
James Rainey, The Los Angeles Times , January 11, 2005
"Faceless take fall for CBS blunder"
Ed Bark, The Dallas Morning News, January 11, 2005
"CBS News adds post to enforce net's standards"
Paul J. Gough, The Hollywood Reporter, January 11, 2005
"Why CBS may have to look outside"
Paul Tharp, The New York Post, January 11, 2005
"Heads roll-- but not from the top-- at CBS News"
Tim Goodman, The San Francisco Chronicle, January 11, 2005
"CBS ousts 4 for Bush Guard story"
CBS News, January 10, 2005
"Report on CBS memo likely to be delayed"
Peter Johnson, USA Today, December 13, 2004
Speculation About the Future of CBS News
"Reinventing the evening news"
Joe Flint, The Wall Street Journal, December 8, 2004
"Viacom taking more of '60 Minutes' time"
Andrew Wallenstein, The Hollywood Reporter, December 5, 2004
"'Impending doom' is the mood at CBS"
Peter Johnson, USA Today, December 6, 2004
"Anchor shakeup is cause and effect"
Tim Rutten, The Los Angeles Times, December 6, 2004
"Broadcast news can still trump the web"
Reuven Frank, TV Week, December 6, 2004
"It's still a man's world on the idiot box"
Maureen Dowd, The New York Times, December 2, 2004
"Networks' new wave of news"
Scott Collins, The Los Angeles Times, December 3, 2004
"My pick for CBS anchor desk? Diane Sawyer"
Paul Janensch, The Hartford Courant, December 2, 2004
"Anchor battle! CBS news boys go to corners"
Joe Hagan, The New York Observer, December 6, 2004
"ABC's Jennings could be winner as Brokaw, Rather step aside"
Peter Johnson, USA Today, December 1, 2004
"Dan Rather and the search for the avuncular"
Emil Guillermo, San Francisco Chronicle, November 30, 2004
"The future of network news: follow the money"
Steve Johnson, The Chicago Tribune, November 28, 2004
"Institution of evening news not leaving"
David Bauder, Associated Press, November 28, 2004
"Wishing on a star"
Johnnie L. Roberts, Newsweek, December 6, 2004
"CBS makes wish list for anchor"
The New York Post, November 29, 2004
"Dan got smeared"
Bill O'Reilly, The Daily News (New York), November 29, 2004
Dan Rather Announces His Retirement
"'It's time to move on,' Dan Rather reports"
Phil Rosenthal, The Chicago Sun-Times, November 24, 2004
"Rather to step down as CBS News anchor"
Josh Getlin and Elizabeth Jensen, The Los Angeles Times, November 24, 2004
"CBS begins hunt for Rather's successor"
Scott Collins and Sallie Hofmeister, The Los Angeles Times, November 24, 2004
"Rather quitting as CBS anchor in abrupt move"
Jacques Steinberg and Bill Carter, The New York Times, November 24, 2004
"A reporter-anchor who blazed a trail of his own"
Jim Rutenberg, The New York Times, November 24, 2004
"Without Rather, CBS can get a fresh start, some say"
Bill Carter, The New York Times, November 24, 2004
"Dan Rather to step down at CBS"
Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, November 24, 2004
"Anchor's aweigh for Dan Rather"
Richard Huff and Corky Siemaszko, The Daily News (New York), November 24, 2004
"Rather built a hard-news, but folksy image"
Rob Hiaasen, The Baltimore Sun, November 24, 2004
"Audience decline an old story"
Leon Lazaroff, The Chicago Tribune, November 24, 2004
"White male anchors still rule"
Chris Baker, The Washington Times, November 24, 2004
"A chronology of Dan Rather's career"
Associated Press, November 23, 2004
"Dan Rather stepping down"
CBS News, November 23, 2004
"Major network news chiefs review election, look to future"
Beth Fouhy, Associated Press, November 16, 2004
"Cautious CBS tries to atone"
Chris Kaltenbach, The Baltimore Sun, November 3, 2004
"'60 Mins Wednesday' threatened"
Don Kaplan, The New York Post, November 3, 2004
"Media have become the message in a bruising political year"
Peter Johnson, USA Today, October 25, 2004
"CBS must regain courage in wake of Rather report"
David Shaw, The Los Angeles Times, October 10, 2004
"Courage? Under fire"
Noel Holston, Newsday, October 12, 2004
"CBS' Rather review due after election"
Luisa Beltran, CBS MarketWatch, October 5, 2004
"Jennings and Brokaw speak up for Rather"
Elizabeth Jensen, Los Angeles Times, October 3, 2004
"Dan Rather, in the eye of the storm"
Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, October 3, 2004
"What Rather wrought"
Dan Kennedy, Boston Phoenix, October 1, 2004
"CBS scandal highlights tension between bloggers and news media"
Staci D. Kramer, Online Journalism Review, October 1, 2004
"Memogate sticks CBS with a Rather significant debate distraction"
Walt Belcher, Tampa Bay Tribune, September 30, 2004
"We'd Rather not"
Shannon Reichley, Creative Loafing (Charlotte), September 30, 2004
"Lawmaker may seek hearings on TV news methods"
Doug Halonen, TV Week, September 29, 2004
"Maintaining net[work] standards not getting easier"
Michele Greppi, TV Week, September 27, 2004
"Poll: CBS' memo story an 'honest mistake'"
Peter Johnson, USA Today, September 28, 2004
"Rather knot"
Nancy Franklin, The New Yorker, October 4, 2004
"Dan Rather's future a complicated question"
David Bauder, Associated Press, September 26, 2004
"CBS tries to clear up signals on future of 'Evening News'"
Jacques Steinberg, The New York Times, September 27, 2004
"Rather may have been a victim of his own style"
Josh Getlin, The Los Angeles Times, September 26, 2004
"Rather should have known, and done, better"
David Shaw, The Los Angeles Times, September 26, 2004
"CBS explodes liberal media bias myth"
Ethan Rarick, San Francisco Chronicle, September 26, 2004
"Pricking Thornburgh"
Jack Shafer, Slate, September 26, 2004
"CBS nixes '60 Minutes' story on Iraq war"
Associated Press, September 25, 2004
CBS Apologizes and Appoints Investigative Panel
"Stations get e-mails to oust Dan Rather"
David Bauder, Associated Press, September 24, 2004
"Investigator for CBS criticized '60 Minutes'"
Jacques Steinberg, The New York Times, September 24, 2004
"'60 Minutes' gets an update"
Verne Gay, Newsday, September 24, 2004
"Who will succeed Rather?"
J. Freedom du Lac, The Sacramento Bee, September 23, 2004
"Rove scoffs at charge he was CBS source"
Stephen Dinan and Rowan Scarborough, The Washington Times, September 23, 2004
"CBS tackles 1 scandal, is fined for a 2nd"
Josh Getlin, Elizabeth Jensen and Meg James, The Los Angeles Times, September 23, 2004
"CBS appoints 2 to probe its Guard story"
Mark Jurkowitz, The Boston Globe , September 23, 2004
"CBS appoints 2-man panel to investigate guard report"
Jim Rutenberg and Jacques Steinberg, The New York Times, September 23, 2004
"2 named to head CBS memo inquiry"
Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, September 23, 2004
"Breaking the news, then becoming it"
Tina Brown, The Washington Post, September 23, 2004
"What to do about CBS' performance"
Clarence Page, The Chicago Tribune, September 23, 2004
"CBS probe must look at standards, accountability"
Marshall Loeb, CBS Marketwatch, September 22, 2004
"CBS proves medium is still the message"
Joanne Ostrow, The Denver Post, September 23, 2004
"Kerry camp rejects CBS link"
Stephen Dinan and Bill Sammon, The Washington Times, September 22, 2004
"White House links memos, Kerry effort"
Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, September 22, 2004
"Vexed, lies & videotape: Kerry blames GOP on CBS ploy"
Andrew Miga, The Boston Herald, September 22, 2004
"CBS says producer violated policy"
Jim Rutenberg and Bill Carter, The New York Times, September 22, 2004
"Rather's producer assured CBS execs on Guard memo"
Peter Johnson, USA Today, September 22, 2004
"CBS, sitting between fiasco and fallout"
Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, September 22, 2004
"Rather news ratings down 10% over year"
John Cook, The Chicago Tribune, September 22, 2004
"Poor judgment at CBS"
The Washington Post, September 22, 2004
"Civil war at '60 Minutes'"
Richard Huff, Daily News [New York, September 22, 2004
"Tempers flare over CBS News document flap"
Deborah Feldman, KING-TV [Seattle, Wash.], September 21, 2004
"Memo to Rather: Out-fox the critics-- go left, old man!"
Bruce Feirstein, New York Observer, September 22, 2004
"CBS storm washes over Viacom"
Geraldine Fabrikant, The New York Times, September 22, 2004
"Rather on the document errors"
Dan Rather, CBS Evening News, September 20, 2004
"Dan Rather statement on memos"
Dan Rather, CBS News, September 21, 2004
"Questions surround man who provided documents"
Michael Dobbs, The Washington Post , September 21, 2004
"CBS to name panel to exam Bush documents"
David Bauder, Associated Press, September 21, 2004
"Dan's darkest day"
Richard Huff and Corky Siemaszko, Daily News [New York], September 21, 2004
"CBS says it's sorry for story on Bush"
Patrick Healy, The Boston Globe, September 21, 2004
"Apology from CBS News on Bush memos"
Tim Goodman, San Francisco Chronicle, September 21, 2004
"Rather sorry"
Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Sun-Times, September 21, 2004
"CBS to say it was misled on Bush guard memos"
Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, September 20, 2004
"Bush says questions about Guard memos used by CBS 'need to be answered'"
Jim Rutenberg, The New York Times, September 19, 2004
"After blogs got hits, CBS got a black eye"
Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, September 20, 2004
"In rush to air, CBS quashed memo worries"
Howard Kurtz, Michael Dobbs, and James V. Grimaldi, The Washington Post, September 19, 2004
"CBS News concludes it was misled on National Guard memos, network says"
Jim Rutenberg, The New York Times, September 20, 2004
"Saving CBS News from itself"
Peter Flaherty, Philadelphia Daily News, September 18, 2004
The Original Story, and Doubts Raised
"Lather over Rather"
Deborah Orin and Ian Bishop, The New York Post, September 17, 2004
"Familiar roles for Rather and his critics"
Jim Rutenberg, The New York Times, September 17, 2004
"In Abilene, folks not whipped up over fishy faxes"
John Kass, The Chicago Tribune, September 17, 2004
"House GOP turns on Rather"
Hans Nichols, The Hill, September 16, 2004
"Call in Congress"
Hugh Hewitt, The Weekly Standard, September 16, 2004
"Rooney'd rather CBS fessed up"
Paul D. Colford, The Daily News [New York], September 17, 2004
"Media went afoul in coverage of Kelley, CBS documents"
Paul Janensch, The Hartford Courant, September 16, 2004
"CBS acknowledges questions on Bush documents"
Verne Gay, Newsday, September 16, 2004
"CBS Guard documents traced to Tex. Kinko's"
Michael Dobbs, The Washington Post, September 16, 2004
"CBS blinks"
Deborah Orin and Ian Bishop, The New York Post, September 16, 2004
"CBS backs away from authenticity of documents"
Elizabeth Jensen and Maria L. La Ganga, Los Angeles Times, September 16, 2004
"Dan Rather to Bush: 'Answer the questions'"
Joe Hagan, The New York Observer, September 15, 2004
"War over war records: a losing battle"
Ron Elving, NPR, September 13, 2004
"Document experts say CBS ignored memo 'red flags'"
Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, September 15, 2004
"Rather rides out latest partisan storm"
Elizabeth Jensen, Los Angeles Times, September 15, 2004
"Dan's 'scoop' is as shaky as his status"
Zev Chafets, The Daily News [New York], September 15, 2004
"Expert cited by CBS says he didn't authenticate papers"
Michael Dobbs and Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, September 14, 2004
"CBS offers new experts to support guard memos"
Jim Rutenberg and Kate Zernike, The New York Times, September 14, 2004
"The day CBS News got 'blogged' down"
James P. Pinkerton, Newsday, September 14, 2004
"Old news, long overdo"
Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, September 13, 2004
"Amid criticism, CBS stands by its reports"
Mark Memmott, USA Today, September 13, 2004
"CBS, Rather stand firm on Bush story as furor swells"
David Folkenflik, The Baltimore Sun, September 11, 2004
"Those discredited memos"
William Safire, The New York Times, September 13, 2004
"Playing to the media in attacks on service"
Tom Oliphant, The Boston Globe, September 12, 2004
"Some question authenticity of papers on Bush"
Michael Dobbs and Mike Allen, The Washington Post, September 10, 2004
"'Globe' reporter explains timing of latest Bush probe"
Joe Strupp, Editor & Publisher, September 9, 2004