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.

Please signed your comment.

[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)

[edit] Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter S. Thompson is a fun read, but a serious journalist? I'm not sure I feel comfortable seeing references to him or to Gonzo Journalism. Isn't half the stuff he wrote about make-believe? This guy is like a Mark Twain figure who, informed by his journalistic background, made great social satire ... but not journalism. He may have tried to blur the lines some, but I can't think of one journalist I have ever known, met, worked with/for or been taught by who would have considered him as an actual journalist. Funny stories, though. I think he should be left off this article completely and the other journalism articles should not make Gonzo Journalism out to be some sort of legitimate branch or style of journalism, because as far as I know it is not and I've never met anyone practicing or academic who thinks it is. I could be wrong, but there should be discussion on it either way. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Pieterkonink (talk • contribs) 06:57, 30 April 2007 (UTC).

The Wikipedia article on Hunter S. Thompson refers to him as a journalist in the lead. Of course, using Wikipedia as a source is never a good idea, but the fact that it calls him a journalist is based on what other sources have said:
Here, Buckley quotes a passage in which HST calls himself a journalist.
  • "A Tribute to The Great Gonzo Gonzo," Seattle Times. [1] by Michael A. Stusser, 24 February, 2005.
Refers to what HST did as "journalism."
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Tom Wolfe calls him a journalist.
Calls him a journalist.
I'm sure there are many more instances of Thompson's work being described as a form of journalism by members of the journalistic community. Those are just the first four external links in the HST article.--Media anthro 12:03, 30 April 2007 (UTC)
Here I am a few months later. I must not have read that article correctly or perhaps I was engaging in some of my own "gonzo" habits when I read it. For some reason I had thought that HST was being held up as a regular journalist, but now I see he and gonzo journalism was under the "Alternatives" heading. At any rate, I'm glad I wrote that because those are some excellent sources you listed. Thanks for the great reads! Perhaps, as a side note, Michael Moore should also be listed under the Alternatives heading? Pieterkonink 20:25, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

I think that it is important to point out that there are a number of definitions of objectivity, otherwise it can lead people to think that there is a single definition. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ch33kycharli31 (talk • contribs)