The GOP has turned, Trumpishly, to advertising pure power. So far as I can tell, sneering and persisting as they are caught out in lie after lie and cruelty after cruelty and coercion after coercion: that they can just keep doing this stuff is part of what they're advertising.
When newspaper and TV news management has responded to concerns about bias, they have claimed that complaints come from "both" sides and thus demonstrate their purity in representing no one, in being unbiased.
It looks to me like a terribly hard time to be a professional journalist. And to be a news reader.
Whenever you write "Glory", it reminds me of the fictional FB character Mrs. Betty Bowers, America's Best Christian. She's been a little quieter under the current administration, but prior to that (and ramping up again now), her special brand of church lady sarcasm was another balm amidst the hypocrisy.
I have no confidence in Will Lewis’ ability to run the Washington Post. Lewis says he regrets Winnett’s decision to decline the editor’s job. Oh my. Winnett has been implicated in unethical news-gathering tactics in Britain, and there is a possible link to Lewis. Bezos needs to start over, hire leaders with some journalistic integrity. Show the staff that journalism ethics matter, and hope readers keep reading.
I wrote about his book (before it came out), focusing on Baron’s call for objectivity from journalists:
“Whereas true objectivity is a principle that guides journalists in their jobs, detractors see it as a personal quality that no mere human being can achieve. Ironically, these same detractors exhibit their own lack of objectivity when they debate everything from climate change to COVID vaccines.“
Indeed, we need more journalists and editors like Baron who maintain a laser focus on objectivity while avoiding the “bothsidesing” that’s much too common in news reports today.
As a subscriber to The Hartford Courant and knowing they are owned by the Tribune, I have been surprised to see editorials on the left side of things or not Trumpian. Sadly I discovered they are now on the last page of the Sports section, where few readers probably see them. Perhaps this is not a purposeful placement but I do wonder and wish it went back to the front section.
Speaking as a former member of the staff, I can tell you that all columnists save one were let go. They kept a good columnist, no beef with him but yeah. This is all by design.
You have to question the entire decision-making process and look at who made it. I have seen this in a job that involved a lot of public trust. A bad result from a decision throws doubt int the entire process that resulted in a foreseeable bad outcome.
Of course I am not a journalist, but I am familiar with bad decisions and the price of them.
They seem to be writ larger in journalism (and government, when things work as they should). That's because all a journalist has is the trust of his/her/their readers/listeners/viewers. Trust is hard-won and easily lost.
Many many years ago I read The Celestine Prophecy, by James Redfield. I liked it well enough, but I got angry at the end when he predicted that in the future, people would pay "creators" directly, whether for art, or writing, or information, whatever. (This was 1993.) I thought it was an absurd notion.
Now over 30 years later, I find myself happily paying for expert people like Susan to keep up with the news outlets and separate truth from fiction. I still subscribe to the Washington Post and the New York Times, but the obvious anti-Biden/pro-Trump slant grates on me. Maybe after this election is over, I'll reevaluate.
I remember that book, but forgot that particular part. People tell themselves that there's just too much information coming at them, and so they get a little passive (I don't think you fall into this category). Or they get a lot passive, or they give up entirely. I have an idea about that, and am emailing you now.
Two things have been striking me:
The GOP has turned, Trumpishly, to advertising pure power. So far as I can tell, sneering and persisting as they are caught out in lie after lie and cruelty after cruelty and coercion after coercion: that they can just keep doing this stuff is part of what they're advertising.
When newspaper and TV news management has responded to concerns about bias, they have claimed that complaints come from "both" sides and thus demonstrate their purity in representing no one, in being unbiased.
It looks to me like a terribly hard time to be a professional journalist. And to be a news reader.
it takes a great deal of backbone and media literacy.
Whenever you write "Glory", it reminds me of the fictional FB character Mrs. Betty Bowers, America's Best Christian. She's been a little quieter under the current administration, but prior to that (and ramping up again now), her special brand of church lady sarcasm was another balm amidst the hypocrisy.
She is wonderful, isn’t she?
I have no confidence in Will Lewis’ ability to run the Washington Post. Lewis says he regrets Winnett’s decision to decline the editor’s job. Oh my. Winnett has been implicated in unethical news-gathering tactics in Britain, and there is a possible link to Lewis. Bezos needs to start over, hire leaders with some journalistic integrity. Show the staff that journalism ethics matter, and hope readers keep reading.
Did you read Martin Baron’s book? I came away hopeful but that hope just keeps getting chipped away.
Yes, I did. Too bad he stepped away from journalism. We need more leaders like Marty.
I wrote about his book (before it came out), focusing on Baron’s call for objectivity from journalists:
“Whereas true objectivity is a principle that guides journalists in their jobs, detractors see it as a personal quality that no mere human being can achieve. Ironically, these same detractors exhibit their own lack of objectivity when they debate everything from climate change to COVID vaccines.“
Indeed, we need more journalists and editors like Baron who maintain a laser focus on objectivity while avoiding the “bothsidesing” that’s much too common in news reports today.
https://www.courant.com/2023/08/01/barth-keck-yes-the-world-needs-objective-reality/
As a subscriber to The Hartford Courant and knowing they are owned by the Tribune, I have been surprised to see editorials on the left side of things or not Trumpian. Sadly I discovered they are now on the last page of the Sports section, where few readers probably see them. Perhaps this is not a purposeful placement but I do wonder and wish it went back to the front section.
Speaking as a former member of the staff, I can tell you that all columnists save one were let go. They kept a good columnist, no beef with him but yeah. This is all by design.
I noticed that and was angry but not surprised.
You have to question the entire decision-making process and look at who made it. I have seen this in a job that involved a lot of public trust. A bad result from a decision throws doubt int the entire process that resulted in a foreseeable bad outcome.
Of course I am not a journalist, but I am familiar with bad decisions and the price of them.
They seem to be writ larger in journalism (and government, when things work as they should). That's because all a journalist has is the trust of his/her/their readers/listeners/viewers. Trust is hard-won and easily lost.
Trust is a currency easily spent, but very hard to earn.
Many many years ago I read The Celestine Prophecy, by James Redfield. I liked it well enough, but I got angry at the end when he predicted that in the future, people would pay "creators" directly, whether for art, or writing, or information, whatever. (This was 1993.) I thought it was an absurd notion.
Now over 30 years later, I find myself happily paying for expert people like Susan to keep up with the news outlets and separate truth from fiction. I still subscribe to the Washington Post and the New York Times, but the obvious anti-Biden/pro-Trump slant grates on me. Maybe after this election is over, I'll reevaluate.
I remember that book, but forgot that particular part. People tell themselves that there's just too much information coming at them, and so they get a little passive (I don't think you fall into this category). Or they get a lot passive, or they give up entirely. I have an idea about that, and am emailing you now.