Talk:Objectivity (journalism)
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[edit] great changes + wishlist
I think this works much better as a separate entry and with the added discussion.
One thing though: The article is now missing a discussion of the idea of the "liberal media", in my opinion.
One reason I didn't go into more detail about critiques of media from the left is because I thought that to maintain 'neutrality' it would have to be accompanied by some discussion of media critiques from the right (ie, the "liberal media" critique from folks like Accuracy in Media and Bernard Goldberg--there are probably better examples to be found though), and I didn't feel able to represent that position without a little further reading and research.
Even though I don't personally believe in any such animal as a "liberal media" (although I certainly think the evidence indicates that journalists as individuals tend to lean left on social issues), the fact that so many people do see liberal bias in reporting is fairly important to recent developments in 'objective' journalism (for example, the rise of overtly partisan cable news, web journalism, talk radio).
It would be nice if someone were to fill that gap at some point.
--Birdmessenger 15:06, 14 Dec 2004 (UTC)
Also, I added a disclaimer that this discussion really only applies fully to US journalism, which has its own particular historical context.
[edit] Reference Please
"News stories of the period often described with detachment the hanging, immolation and mutilation of men, women and children by mobs. Under the regimen of objectivity, news writers often attempted to balance these accounts by recounting the alleged transgressions of the victims that provoked the lynch mobs to fury."
Can somebody provide some primary sources for this information? The author of this statement really should have cited an example.
Br0ken 07:10, 8 August 2005 (UTC)
[edit] Advocacy and Liberalism Regarding Intro
First, "The Jungle" was a massively important (American!) piece of advocacy journalism. Modern pieces reflecting this spirit include "Enrique's Journey" published in the L.A. Times and written by Sonia Nazario. It's a sympathetic feature on Central Americans immigrating (illegally) to America. Or Washington Post's Anthony Shadid's pieces from an invaded Iraq in '03, highlighting the suffering of children and families in a wartime Baghdad. By investigating social strife and change, journalists inherently perform an advocacy role. It is implied that advocacy journalism is not an acceptable form of journalism in U.S.
Also, journalists are focused on what is new (news). Change is liberal, status-quo is conservative. Thus the percieved liberal tilt. Combined with the intrinsic role of advocate, journalists fill a rather liberal niche, and have done so since the U.S.'s inception. The freedom of journalists to print what they pleased was considered necessary, and was one reason for revolt (Stamp Tax and Zenger Trial). It is the purpose of a journalist to observe and record the events of an ever-changing world society.
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[edit] Definition section - cites
The "definitions" section near the start is well done, I think, but it really needs citations to major proponents of the different views it reports. It needs references. In particular, I am curious to see a reference to something advocating the idea that journalists should be NPOV. I've encountered that mostly as a trend resulting from a desire to avoid controversy, not as a journalistic philosophy that people stand behind. My impression is likely wrong, but this is exactly why we need references here. I am adding the template to say citations are needed. Rlitwin 14:19, 29 July 2006 (UTC)
