Rather

In an age before community-sourced fact-checking there was one source for news and people had no alternative other than their own historical memory of events.

Dan Rather told his stories which were wholly partisan and designed to create news rather than report on what actually happened. He used his position and image to foist his opinions and personal political views on an unwise and unsuspecting audience who gave him their trust and faith based on his promise to "tell it like it is."

He became the role model for budding journalists who learned their craft at his knee. His protogé, Rachel Maddow, took Rather's schtick and has run with it. Rather, like Maddow, exemplifies the worst of journalism, opinion and hit pieces masquerading and honest news reporting.

Dan was exposed as a hack and a fraud in 2004 when he relied on his reputation to support his false and libelous reporting on George W. Bush. His credibility was shot and he retired. 18 years later, he crawls out from under his rock to play on his reputation that only liberals respect. Dan tells us, "real news" was what "somebody in power doesn't want you to know." Well, he should know. He had the power to frame the narrative to his liking and he did not want you to know it.

Don't support him or his cronies now. Invest your time with something else, something with some truth in it.

"Love never fails" and "Courage" are the two tag lines for Dan Rather, according to this interesting biographical film.

Told through a series of clips and interviews, nothing really new is unearthed by producers, but it is still a good review of the reporter's life.

Rather was at the scene of important events from the start of his career and continued to try to visit the locations of stories as well as do research. This led to viewers latching onto the grittier, more realistic feel of his reports than if he'd merely sat behind a desk.

Rather did run into problems a few times, however, pushing a little too hard perhaps (or a little too fast.) The movie covers this angle as well.

Further, watching the chronology, viewers realize how much the news media landscape has changed--worthy to think about all by itself.

This documentary is well done and most will get some good insight on the man. During the 60's, 70's and most of the 80's he was well respected and the documentary shows that. He told the story without opinion, took a lot of risks with his life and worked very hard at his job. He mostly did it very well and should be accorded the proper respect for it. Unfortunately he lost his way in the late 1980's and started to let his political ideology leak into his reporting. He became the story more than the subject he was reporting on. The vast number of people interviewed for this documentary were quick to praise Dan. Many commented on how much he accomplished and how hard he worked and he was "impartial". Unfortunately Dan was far from impartial and it was clearly obvious. Even liberal review sites bemoaned his misleading, inaccurate and incomplete reporting. In Dan Rather's world democrats can do no wrong. Name one democrat from the late 1980's until today that Rather has broke a critical story or initiated an investigative report on? You can't because according to Dan Rathers world democrats do no wrong and we all know that is not true. Regardless of Dan's political stance I think he's a good man. I've enjoyed his later career "Big Interview" series and he's earned a lot of respect. He doesn't deserve the "impartial" moniker though. Cheers...

In an era where journalism is often under fire and trust in media is waning, there's something deeply nostalgic and reassuring about immersing oneself in the long career of a reporter present during pivotal moments in history. From the assassination of President Kennedy to interviews with Martin Luther King, questioning Nixon, and Bush W., "Rather" (2023) is a poignant reminder of the power and impact of journalism.

"Rather" (2023) is a documentary about Dan Rather long career in journalism, which includes his falling from grace in the early 2000s and his re-emergence in later decades in social media and many other platforms. In his 90s, Rather continues to be a reporter. He is and will be a reporter until his last breath. But watching this documentary also takes us on a trip through the United States history, at least modern history, from segregation in the late 1950s to our days. Rather has seen so many things, covered them all, and has been witness to history. And this film shows us that.

"Rather" (2023) is a meticulously crafted documentary that offers a compelling narrative about a man who has played a significant role in many US history chapters. It's a film that informs and engages, leaving the audience with a deeper understanding of the events that have shaped our world.

As Dan Rather remarked "If you want a friend in the reporting business, get a dog." It is a brutal, competitive occupation as shown in this absorbing documentary about Dan Rather, his climb to fame, his one big failure, and his reemergence as a social media icon. He covered all the big stories of his era, civil rights, Kennedy assassination, Vietnam, Watergate, 68 Democratic Convention, Afghanistan, Iraq war, and other world shaking events. Brought back a lot of memories of the second half of the 20th century. Rather could ask the tough questions and wasn't particularly liked by most of the presidents he covered, especially Richard Nixon, and the Bush family. He was a polarizing figure, one reason for some of the one star reviews on this site, but he was courageous, not afraid to be on-site in Vietnam. Afghanistan, & Iraq. He is considered one the great reporters of the 20th century. Well worth a watch.