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More Reporters Embrace an Advocacy Role »

Posted by: stephen-johnson 2 years, 10 months ago

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By Peter Johnson, USA TODAY The "social journalism" that made Oprah Winfrey an international fairy godmother is the new rage in network and cable news, and it's expanding to other media...Experts say the competitive landscape, the need to be different and to keep eyeballs returning, is driving this trend, along with a genuine desire from

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stephen-johnson

Out to lunch without a sandwich

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Comments: 13

Avg rating: (+12/-0 12)
deathray
March 6, 2007, 12:05 p.m.
I think Nicholas Kristof and his his outspoken condemnation and coverage of the Darfur tragedy is a great example of this kind of work, and in his case, there's definitely a place for it.
Avg rating: (+0/-0 0)
stephen-johnson
March 6, 2007, 12:08 p.m.
But Brian Ross, who runs the investigative unit at ABC News, worries about the growth of this "agenda" reporting.
Though not singling out Dobbs or O'Reilly, Ross says the practice "clouds your vision and makes it sometimes difficult to see all sides. You want to be able to report and turn on a dime if the facts aren't exactly fitting your agenda."
I share Ross's concern. The checks against misuse of agenda journalism ("I'm acting for the greater good, and that trumps the facts") are weak
Avg rating: (+1/-0 1)
stephen-johnson
March 6, 2007, 12:46 p.m.
The NY Times has moved their editorials to the front page.
That's why their circulation is declining.
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joeeddie
March 6, 2007, 12:20 p.m.
To even call this type of reporting "journalism" is sad. Once bias enters into any reporting, it is not journalism - by definition. To call people like O'Reilly, Coulter, Olbermann or Dobbs journalists would be a lie.
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HMTKSteve
March 9, 2007, 9:27 a.m.
Any "journalist" who feels their role is to "change the world" (for good or bad) is no longer a journalist.
I'm still waiting for a truly unbiased news channel to show up. Something that would just relate the news with no biases at all.
I think something of that nature would sell simply because the existing news programs have become over-produced shows designed to bring in viewers and sell advertising rather than report on the news.