Daniel C. Hallin examines "objective Journalism" during the the war in Vietnam. Hallin believes that some journalists cover "easy" topics so they can report in an objective way. The easiest way to do this is by asking "technical" questions that will not suggest the reporter is giving an opinion. According to Hallin:
"It is much easier to discuss with an attitude of 'disinterested realism' the accuracy of the HES than, for example, the question of whether American intervention in Vietnam was ultimately good or bad for the Vietnamese peasant".
The Hamlet Evaluation System (HES) was a computerized process used to "produced the official figures on the progress of pacification" (Hallin, 553-554). Hallin references a report by CBS news in 1968 regarding the pacification program. The correspondent for this report was Murray Fromson's. Fromson wraps up the first and second part of his report:
"Fromson (concluding Part I.) So pacification does not stand still. It moves forward, it moves back. But what is the balance? What is the trend. . . .? An effort is being made to measure this and we'll look at the measurements in our next report."
"Fromson (concluding part II). Another offensive by the Communists would undermine the program. . . .But the momentum seams to be in the other direction. Since the November 1 bombing halt governement and U.S. troops have taken over nearly 800 hamlets. . . . The goal is to occupy another 300 of these hamlets by the anniversary of the Tet offensive." (Hallin, 533)
The "concluding" parts do not seem to conclude anything. According to Hallin the report focused on the "effectiveness of existing policy" and did not reexamine the "roots of the war". It is easier to report information that is gathered by American sources as opposed to speaking to the Vietnamese. Not only is that difficult, but the reporter would have to explain the political conflict in Vietnam that is largely different from the politics in America. The more important issues in the war were not being covered properly in part because of this "easy reporting", especially in television. Lastly, I will quote Hallin's thoughts on television:
"More broadly, the narrow immediacy of television meant that noe of the larger questions posed by the war was raised in any substantial way in the news. There was no discussion of the origins of revolution ("Guerrilla war, like hives, can break out any time, any place," one correspondent explained). There was no second look at the doctrine of containment or it's application to a conflict like Vietnam: should such a conflict be treated as one "front" in a global struggle? there was not discussion of why this war eventually seemed to contradict so drastically the image of war and the image of themselves Americans held when they went into it: Why the violence that came to be symbolized by My Lai? Why the collapse of morale? Why the hostility of so many of those we thought we were saving, even the ones fighting with us?" (Hallin, 556)