CPT Asshole

NY Times editor's remarks/journalists have only themselves to blame

Someone please straighten me out here, I didn't know it was the journalists' job to suport the American public's viewpoints. I thought it was the journalists' job to provide information on all viewpoints, without supporting any particular viewpoint, or allowing any personal prejudices to show through. Leave the snide remarks, innuendo, outrageous hyperbole, and everything, including basic emotions, to the public (that's what blogs are for), and keep them out of reporting.

If journalists are concerned the American public, which is deeply divided over some issues, looks to them for support of their viewpoints, they have only themselves to blame. Don't journalists have the power to tell the public, not to look to journalists for support of their viewpoints, but for information, and opinions? If the American public cannot grasp the difference between reporting, and editorial opinion, doesn't most of the blame lie with the press? They have the power to explain this to everyone, and they try, but the media gets in the way. (Media, as in advertising, TV, movies, music, magazines, newspapers, radio, and everything that supports those industries, and whatever else I forgot to mention). The press is part of the media, not the other way around, get it? So the media has some control over, and has some effect on, the press.

It's a tough business, and if you blur the lines between reporting and entertainment, it forces all the others to copy you, if it works. And it did, long enough ago that what I'm saying isn't news anymore. It's a tough business, you want the viewers educated, but not too educated. Never let them see behind the curtain, blur the lines between news, entertainment, reality...keep selling that soap.

But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. Ahoy from the Captain.

posted by cpt asshole @ 6:13 PM