The San Francisco Chronicle's Tim Goodman:

...what has become nearly unbearable to anyone watching television for any length of time is the nonstop "How are you holding up?" questions that anchors ask of reporters. It has grown progressively wearisome as the war moves on and predictably rears itself on allegedly slow news days.

CNN's Walter Rodgers, who has been working hard for the Ernie Pyle award and is a curious mix of salty dog military man and unrepentant war junkie, filed a taped segment where he talked about how tough his assignment was, complete with shots of where he sits, knees forced under chin thanks to sand bags buffeting the floor beneath as a precaution against land mines.

Look, nobody said these guys don't deserve extra merit points for tough duty, and there is an all-too-real chance that some of them could end up killed in action, but surely they knew the trip to Baghdad wasn't sponsored by the Ritz-Carlton. Yes, it's dusty and hot and dangerous, and you look in desperate need of a shower. But how about giving us some news or some perspective, instead of an update on your sleep deprivation or shoddy living conditions? (Link via Romenesko)

Also somewhat painful, but not referenced by Goodman: Watching Zahn, et al., working without the benefit of teleprompted script, trying to wrap up conversations with "regular folks" (like Jessica Lynch's school teacher) with a personal close. It appears they want so badly to demonstrate identification with salt-of-the-Earth Americans that the traditional (and strictly professional) "thanks for taking the time to speak with us" has given way to disingenuous-sounding expressions of goodwill and pseudo-witty banter.