Television networks quickly carry bin Laden videotape

NEW YORK  —  ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and the cable news networks all broke into regular programming to show at least part of the Osama bin Laden videotape on Thursday, with several commentators expressing revulsion.

Although the Pentagon planned to feed the full tape to broadcasters at the same time, the tape’s quality and network competitiveness made for differences in how they handled it.

ABC obtained a complete copy of the tape before anyone else, enabling the network to fast-forward to its most dramatic part. ABC showed far less of the tape than CBS and NBC.

Commentators frequently talked over the tape, which contained long, slow passages showing weapons and outdoor scenes besides bin Laden talking indoors with a small group.

“This requires no additional commentary from me,” Tom Brokaw said after NBC showed the full, nearly one-hour transmission. “Anyone who sees it can come to the same conclusion about the culpability and the mendacity of the intent.”

Brokaw earlier talked about bin Laden’s “twisted, perverted pride” in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. CBS’s Dan Rather made note of bin Laden’s “disgusting, outrageous smile.”

ABC would not discuss how it obtained the full tape, enabling the network to do some quick editing.

“We had the ability to review a tape, go to the news in that tape and present it to our viewers in a very timely way,” ABC spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said. “I don’t think we ever thought from the beginning it would be necessary to show the whole thing.”

Before viewers of other networks could see the part where bin Laden talks about advanced calculations of casualties, ABC was already back showing “The View.”

CNN almost pleaded with viewers to persevere through boring parts. An on-screen message read, “Bin Laden to resume speaking shortly,” when the tape was showing outdoor scenes.

Some commentators were quick to say the tape proved bin Laden’s guilt.

“It is the smoking gun,” said CBS’ Jim Stewart. “It is a prosecutor’s dream come true.”

Rather appeared more cautious, as he often does in breaking news. At one point, he said bin Laden was discussing his part in planning the attacks, “if you believe this is Osama bin Laden and not a look-alike.”

He also noted the irony of networks playing the tape quickly when, in October, the Bush administration urged television executives to use caution in showing tapes of bin Laden for fear he would be sending “hidden messages” to followers.

“We are doing exactly what the Bush administration specifically requested we not do earlier during the war,” Rather said.