Well, not quite, but the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies sees a parallel:
From Editor & Publisher:
NEW YORK MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann will receive the first Molly Ivins Award from the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies later today, according to AAN officials.
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The organization, which represents 125 alternative publications, created the award to “honor those who practice the same bold, fearless journalism for which Ivins was renowned during her years as co-editor of AAN member The Texas Observer and as a syndicated columnist.”
(That giant “kaboom” you folks in New York heard this morning was Bill O’Reilly’s head exploding…geez, I’d hate to clear up that mess!)
Keith’s reaction to the news was notably modest:
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“I’m utterly honored,” Olbermann said in a statement, “largely because I’d still like to be Molly Ivins when I grow up.”
One of the trademarks of Ivins’ career was her ability to speak truth to power, and to clothe that truth in her inimitable Texas wit — Keith brings that same truth to America, with his combination of outrage, snarkiness and style. Yes, there are many here who decry the “fluff” pieces on Paris Hilton and “American Idol” that grace the “Countdown” airwaves…but it could be argued that those items bring in those who would not tune in for an hour of straight hard news, and those are the people that need to be reached. In fact, how much of the turn of opinion against George W. Bush and the Iraq “War” can be credited to those few like Keith Olbermann who spoke out and revealed that our Emperor has no clothes, and no clue?
According to the article:
AAN plans to donate $2,000 in Olbermann’s name to the Molly Ivins Fund for Investigative Reporting at the Texas Observer, stating “Ivins remained a passionate supporter of the non-profit bi-weekly newsmagazine until her passing.”
This will help to continue the legacy of Ivins, of Olbermann, and pave the way for future writers who want to ascend to the level of journalists and not just mere hacks.
Anyway, congratulations to Keith Olbermann for this award, to the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies for continuing to provide an additional resource beyond the standard corporate media, and to all of us who value truth over blather.
