( CNN ) A trio of disasters that battered American journalism -- the suspension of NBC anchor Brian Williams , followed by the unrelated deaths of CBS correspondent Bob Simon and New York Times media critic David Carr -- could not come at a worse time for the news business . To see three nationally well-respected leaders in the field vanish in a week 's time has left many in the news business shaken . Williams deserves the least sympathy ; he caused his own unpaid suspension by repeatedly distorting and exaggerating key facts about a story he helped report over a decade ago , a breach that calls into question the level of quality control at a network that made him the face of news to 9 million nightly viewers . By contrast , the loss of Simon and Carr is an unmitigated tragedy . Simon , killed in a car accident , won dozens of Emmy awards and famously put his life on the line in 1991 , when the forces of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein held him and his news crew captive for 40 days , during which they were blindfolded , beaten and threatened with death . Carr was a fearless critic of media and was unafraid of exposing the inner workings of even the most powerful companies -- including his own beloved New York Times , which he took to task for firing ex-executive editor Jill Abramson in an essay that my friend and journalist John Avlon and I included in a list of the best newspaper columns of 2014 . Simon and Carr were professionals who graced their chosen field and showed how much good you can do with skill , grit and integrity . As one media critic put it , `` Both were classic , fearless , old-school journalists who stayed at the top of their craft for decades , winning plenty of awards for their work ... but more importantly , the respect of both their readers and those in the industry . '' The loss of two stalwart truth-tellers leaves journalism weaker when it needs to be stronger on behalf of the public . Media organizations , already reeling from shrinking audiences , have recently been forced to weather an unprecedented level of government stonewalling of basic information . `` This trend has been especially pronounced in the federal government , '' read a blistering letter from the Society of Professional Journalists to the Obama administration . `` We consider these restrictions a form of censorship -- an attempt to control what the public is allowed to see and hear . '' Equally disturbing is the fact the Obama administration has conducted more criminal prosecutions of whistleblowers under the Espionage Act compared with any of the previous administrations . Seven , to be precise . Add a dose of direct violence -- notably , the recent kidnapping and beheading of journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff by ISIS -- and the challenges confronting an already troubled news industry start to look like the stuff of nightmares . That 's the bad news . The good news is that a rising generation of journalists , journeymen who have been perfecting their craft for years , are preparing to take the reins of leadership in the nation 's major newsrooms . Here are three of the best , whose success is a reason to cheer . Full disclosure : I have worked with all of them , and consider each of them dear friends . Maggie Haberman , a longtime political reporter for Politico , graduates this week to a prominent post at The New York Times , where she will anchor the paper 's politics web section and help drive coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign . Ben Smith , editor in chief of Buzzfeed , recently scored a one-on-one interview with President Obama that is notable , in part , because Buzzfeed , which started less than a decade ago , is considered a leader among the new digital organizations that attract and cater to young millennials . And John Avlon , editor in chief of the Daily Beast and a CNN contributor , took the reins after the departure of Tina Brown and is growing the organization by leaps and bounds , deepening its national security coverage alongside a lively coverage of the mechanics of Hollywood and Washington . A cadre of opinion journalists -- notably , Chris Hayes and Joy-Ann Reid on the left , S.E . Cupp and Will Cain on the right -- are diligently building reputations for wit , insight and creativity at a time when Americans are looking for new faces and voices . We have , indeed , lost some great , brave journalists lately . May the new generation live up to the legacy we 've inherited .
A trio of disasters that battered American journalism could not come at a worse time for the news business . The suspension of Brian Williams , and the deaths of Bob Simon and David Carr , are unfortunate and sad .