There’s a great story on the front page of the Washington Post today, datelined Tehran.
What this means is that one of its two bylines — Thomas Erdbrink — actually is in Tehran, along with two stringers. (Joby Warrick is in Washington.)
The story, and God bless the Post for it, makes the case for onsite reporting — and God help a media that does away with onsite reporting. We find out what the effect of a policy is — in this case, sanctions:
In Tehran, where public support for the government has dwindled since it cracked down on large opposition protests in 2009, many blame Iran’s leaders and their policies for the sanctions, as well as for the country’s increasing international isolation and tensions with the United States.
It turns out the sanctions are helping to foment resentment toward the government — one of the goals of a sanctions regime.
You’d think this kind of reporting would be par for the course, but it is not in Washington, and especially not in an election year.
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