I have been in the business of reporting news and sports for more than 35 years. I always work to give both sides of a story. Maybe my proudest moment was when I did a pro life and pro choice story while working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After the story aired, both sides of this debate contacted my boss to say what a good job I did. How about that!. I gave both sides a chance to speak and be heard. What a concept!!!
What has happened to that concept today? It does not seem to happen much anymore.
For example, the media jumped on the Shirley Sherrod story without checking facts or listening to the entire speech. Isn’t that like a doctor saying you need an operation without running any tests! This is just one example I bring to the table.
Another example, NBC News reported on President Obama and his family vacationing in Maine, and I learned what a great time they had eating ice cream. I ask, how is that news? ABC news went a bit more in depth. They pointed out the First Family was vacationing in Maine, but prior to the start of this vacation the first lady encouraged Americans to vacation in Gulf. I noticed where the first family vacationed, not the Gulf, but Maine.
Same story, two different news organizations... one reports a puff piece while the other did find some news to report on their trip
I cringe when I read one sided reports... or hear "reporters" cheer for one side or the other.
I have even heard a reporter come right out and said they would do anything they could to make one party lose the election.
I cringe when I read one sided reports... or hear "reporters" cheer for one side or the other.
I have even heard a reporter come right out and said they would do anything they could to make one party lose the election.
From my education and training I learned, if you are a commentator that’s fine to make such a statement and label it as such, but do not make it seem to be a factual report.
I am now on disability with coronary artery disease and diabetes. I can no longer go on the streets and file reports like I once did. I can however, write, and will continue to fight for journalistic principals. And to all the bean counters running news divisions, stop hiring reporters without experience because they are cheap!!! And STOP telling them how to cover the story! This is not reporting factual news. We need a return to fair and unbiased reporting.
I am now on disability with coronary artery disease and diabetes. I can no longer go on the streets and file reports like I once did. I can however, write, and will continue to fight for journalistic principals. And to all the bean counters running news divisions, stop hiring reporters without experience because they are cheap!!! And STOP telling them how to cover the story! This is not reporting factual news. We need a return to fair and unbiased reporting.
4 comments:
Awesome, Vince. Great perspective, I do believe you nailed it!
Talkradio happened, Vince. Then, TalkTV. Then the blogosphere and social networking.
Nobody listens. We're all too busy knitting a venomous retort or half-baking our ill-informed opinions.
The news ethic is Old School. We're has-beens. Get over it, nobody cares.
As I once told Rush Limbaugh's audience -- when he was still at KFBK and I was his boss -- "The Constitution guarantees your right to free speech but it doesn't INSIST on it. Some of you should shut the hell up!"
But nobody listens.
Vince, I agree with you, back in 2008, when we were deciding who should be our next president... several news organizations were given their opinions on who they think should win... even talk show hosts like Oprah campaigned, using her show...disgusting...sorry, but what did happen to unbiased reporting... a friend of mine who was a senior writer for ABC TV said that we have bubble gum writers and instead of news reporters we have actors portraying news anchors...they don't write their own news stories...that's why they flounder when the teleprompter goes bezerk! UGH!!!
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