I am not alone in looking for leadership when emergencies erupt in the world.
The readership of Dave Inman want his qualities in journalism as well.
Aaron's style was self recriminating. It's a quality of people whom feel secure in themselves seeking to completely understand without pretense a subject. It was not unusual for him to openly invite criticism of his understanding of a subject by someone he was interviewing. He did it in order to bring out 'the truth' or the 'understanding of the truth' by the person being interviewed. It was to reach beyond 'mind speak' and 'cliches' to add depth to the subject. It didn't always leave the interviewed in a good light, but, it never diminished Aaron's dignity.
It was his openess and willingness to understand. No one can replicate Aaron Brown Style. It was him and not a persona of him we watched and listened to every night. His knowledge, commitment and experience rounded out a television anchor with unique style with or without grace, but always dignity.
It also served to limit the impact 'falsehoods' played in the public discourse. It was a "parent/child to parent" approach. That, "I got it, sorta" lead in to a question that left Aaron wide open for being 'put in his place' or 'educated.' It was brilliant. Either one appreciated Aaron Brown Style or not. He was never afraid of being a 'jerk' so we weren't. He was our 'champion' of knowledge and misconception. It is why he was so engaged with interactive methods of reaching his audience. He was the defender of the 'misunderstood' or the Wise Man in seeking 'The Truth.' If a viewer appreciated Aaron Brown Style there was nothing else like it.
If the 'ego' of the interviewed revealed him/her to be distasteful a viewer was welcome to come to that conclusion or not. Sometimes it mattered what side of the street you walked when listening to information in how it was processed/filtered as a product of that news cast. Aaron Brown never sought to control so much as deliver the opportunity for the viewer to make decisions. He was a mature anchor with a mature audience that didn't want 'fluff.' We didn't want to be 'shined on' so to speak, just to keep coming back. Like Aaron frequently said, not everyone tunes in to hear what they want to hear, so much as what there is to hear. We never felt cheated. We never felt 'steered.' We were in charge of our own opinions and they were invited. When I say I miss Aaron Brown, I sincerely miss Aaron Brown.
Where's Aaron?
Mr. Inman: I was wondering if you could find out what happened to Aaron Brown, who was a news commentator on CNN. -- A.M., Roscoe, Pa.
Dear A.M.: Brown left CNN late last year, and he now holds the John J. Rhodes Chair in Public Policy and American Institutions at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Until Rhodes shows up and wants his chair back.
Freelance writer David Inman's column appears daily. Write to him at The Courier-Journal, 525 W. Broadway, P.O. Box 740031, Louisville, KY 40201-7431; or e-mail him at http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060724/FEATURES07/607240317/1011/SCENE. Questions of general interest will be answered; personal replies are not possible.
