Eason Jordan on Withholding the Videotape

Delicious irony (from CBS News):

"It's a shame that it came to that," CNN chief news executive Eason Jordan said, "but once the tape came into our hands, it would have been journalistically irresponsible to ignore it."

No, not that Davos tape; Jordan is referring to a videotape that caused a tiff between CNN and al-Jazeera. Al-Jazeera and CNN had an agreement to share material. When al-Jazeera decided not to use an interview they did with Osama bin Laden, saying it was "...not that newsworthy", CNN obtained the tape and aired portions. Al-Jazeera execs then flew into a snit and severed relations with CNN.

Jordan also had this comment:

"I think Al-Jazeera has some tough questions to answer" as to why it never made the tape public, Jordan said.

Hold that thought, Eason.