The “tabloidization” of American cable news has been hailed as an unfortunate, but necessary, step to maintain viewership. CNN, MSNBC, FOX and other channels have reduced air time for political and world news and supplemented it with stories about celebrity scandals, small town murder mysteries, and sports.

But a recent show on ABC has shot a hole in the theory that Americans aren’t interested in hard-hitting international news. The program — a gritty, violent, in-depth look at American soldiers on patrol in Iraq — has already been viewed over 251,000 times online and brought in some 500 comments. It’s a sign that many Americans are interested in real news, and not just tabloid stories.

Not surprisingly, ABC has already come under fire for airing the program. They have been criticized for trying to demoralize the American public and providing a propaganda outlet for our enemies. But, as blogging colleague Xanthippas correctly points out, honest news coverage is extremely important in a time of war.

The video is harrowing, but you can find worse out there. The American media typically doesn’t show such graphic images, but TV programs such as Frontline have been more blunt in their depictions of the war. As they should be. One of the commentators on the story said he had “nightmares” after he watched the report. I find myself wondering where he’s been for the last four years.

Of course, some of the comments on the ABC broadcast also excoriated the willingness of the “liberal media” to proclaim defeat in Iraq by daring to broadcast such footage. One of the commentators referred to it as “cowardly reporting.” This is beyond absurd. Of all people, it is the American people themselves who are entitled and have a duty to watch such footage. It is for us to decide if the price we are paying in dead and wounded is too high. As citizens it is our only job in this war, to face such news unflinchingly and without reservation. It is not too much to ask, compared to what our soldiers and the Iraqi people must endure.

As a warning, the video is very hard to watch. It’s graphic and unedited in a way that gives a small idea about the hell that both soldiers and Iraqi citizens are dealing with every day.

(Originally posted at Foreign Policy Watch)