TV executives sacked over Bush forgery

Four US TV executives were sacked today following the release of an independent investigation into a CBS story about President Bush’s military service that relied on forged documents.

The network fired Mary Mapes, producer of the reportJosh Howard, executive producer of 60 Minutes Wednesday and his top deputy Mary Murphyand senior vice president Betsy West.

Dan Rather, who narrated the report, announced in November that he was stepping down as anchor of the CBS Evening News, but insisted the timing had nothing to do with the investigation.

The independent investigators said they could find no evidence to conclude the report was fuelled by a political agenda.

The network’s drive to be the first to break a story about Bush’s National Guard service was a key reason it produced a story that was neither fair nor accurate and did not meet CBS News’ internal standards, the investigators said.