Living up to expectations.(Society of Professional Journalists in South Korea hears criticism of the American news media)

"We used to ask Western, even American journalists, to come and teach our budding newsmen and women because we believed that they were the ones who hold best to the freedom of the press. After seeing what happened with the press during the Iraq war, our beliefs were shattered."

--Somsanouk Mixay, Vice-President, Lao Journalists Association

The event may have been titled "East Asia Journalists Forum," but when the talk turned to the American media, the event's initials--EAJF--could have stood for "Enumerating American Journalism's Failures."

During our South Korean visit, we heard plenty of criticism of the American news media--in official conference …