Press Neutrality
Republicans commonly complain about media bias, and many of those complaints are valid in my view. However, the remedy to this bias is not counter-bias to the right, which we see on Fox News. Journalism has a vital function in our Republic, and overt bias in either direction is harmful to our electoral process. It isn’t the media’s place to endorse either position. Their role is to report the news and let the electorate decide.
Given that, here is Greg Mitchel of Editor and Publisher(Tagline – America’s Oldest Journal Covering the Newspaper Industry) –
Newspapers may be in the role of bullpen stopper right now, with the current Iran “semi-crisis.” In baseball lingo, they should try to “put out the fire” there, after losing one for the home team in Iraq three years ago.
To those who would say that this inflates the power or even role of the press in America today, I would reply: You don’t expect the Democrats to keep us out of war, do you? Just as they would not stand up to the president on Iraq for fear of appearing “weak on terror,” they would likely be wary of appearing “weak on the Tehran Bomb.” Let’s face it: All the Democrats want to do right now is stagger through to November with an unpopular president in office, and hope that, maybe, they can re-take at least one house of Congress — without having to stick their necks out.
So the media, usually only a middle-reliever or in a mop-up role on this playing field, might have to pitch with the game on the line.
Now, Iranian policy is open to a fair debate, and whatever we decide to do next SHOULD be preceeded by a healthy debate, but should the media approach the story with the overt agenda of pre-deciding the outcome of this debate? We don’t elect editors of newspapers.
Not only are we facing a critical time in the history of Western Freedoms, we have to contend with a vital element of these freedoms taking it upon themselves to deny us untainted information so we can make our own decisions.
What happened to journalism as a noble profession?
(Hit tip – LGF)
Filed under: The Failing MSM
While I agree that media bias to the left does not condone reciprocal bias to the right, part of me can understand why Foxnews is doing what it’s doing. Assaulted by a media that sometimes seems incapable of objective reporting, the temptation to react in the opposite direction can be hard to resist. I wish all of our media would take a step back and review their practices, then reapproach the profession with a bit more dignity and discretion. The American people deserves to know the truth.
“We don’t elect editors of newspapers” – Wow! What a great statement, but does anybody else see that? I want unbiased reporting but I know that is next to impossible for our current media outlets. So, I believe we have only two options – demand a change to neutrality for all or refuse to access these outlets for information. Perhaps that’s why so many Americans have turned to internet blog sites for information and away from the Mainstream Media. I agree Americans deserve the truth but they also need to understand most media outlets have a slanted viewpoint – this will affect their reporting. You cannot believe everything you see or hear at least until our Media realizes Americans want to hear the truth and change their tactics.