COLUMN: Confusion abounds over definition of real journalism

Chris Bridges

COLUMN: Confusion abounds over definition of real journalism

Posted by

Chris Bridges

in Editorial Archives

Thursday, May 20. 2010

Comments (33)

Contrary to the belief of millions, Rush Limbaugh is not a journalist.

Ditto (no pun intended) for the likes of Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly and the other yackers who appear as part of “Fox News.”

This also goes for those on the opposite extreme like Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, Ed Schultz, Rachel Maddow, etc.

However, many Americans have become confused — too much so — over what is and what is not journalism and especially who is and who is not a journalist.

None of the names listed above are journalists. They are talk show hosts who give opinion. Yet, millions and millions of Americans have had their brains warped to believe that when they watch these shows (not a news show, but a talk show) that they are actually watching the reporting of the news. It’s a sad state of where the mindset of many are today and how short attention spans have killed true journalism in many forms.

For years, I have called out Fox News for its outright slanted coverage. No one with any sense can say Fox does not have a right-wing slant. It goes beyond the talk show hosts who spew venom on a nightly basis. (I can sum up each one’s show right now: “Everything Obama and the Democrats do is bad. Everything the Republicans do is good. Thank you, good night.)

The entire Fox News outfit was founded as an outlet for Rubert Murdoch’s right-wing banter. There’s nothing illegal about that (unethical yes, illegal no) but when I hear so many say “Fox News is fair” and “Fox News is No. 1 in the ratings so what they say must be true” it makes me want to bang my head against the wall.

Just because you agree with the right-wing makeup of Fox News, does not mean it is unbiased. Even Brit Hume, one of the network’s top “anchors” is known for his right-wing stance on 99 percent of issues. Why do you think he was hired by Fox News in the first place?

Even the so-called news anchors on Fox are not hired for their journalist ability (at one time a requirement) but rather how attractive she is in a low cut, tighter than tight dress. Quite frankly, I can get that type of eye candy elsewhere if I so desire.

For the few of us who actually don’t reside at either extreme, there isn’t much choice for television news. You can forget about getting anything fair from Fox. MSNBC is the same on the left end of the spectrum.

CNN is the most level-handed of the three, but try telling that to someone who gets all their information from Fox News. People who subscribe to what Fox News dishes out have become so brainwashed they wouldn’t know what fair and unbiased journalism truly is. They will bash CNN, although in reality, the cable news network which started it all is as down the middle as anything we have today.

As we move toward the mid-term elections, I encourage people to not rely solely on one source for your information and especially don’t base what you think on the rantings of some talk show host. Atlanta-based talk radio personality Neal Boortz (also not a journalist) deserves credit for telling his listeners to never believe anything he says without checking it with multiple sources. At least he’s honest about his whole setup.

In watching a broadcast copy of the 1968 presidential election on CBS recently, one thing quickly stood out. The news anchors were reporting the news, not trying to influence you on how to think. Election results were given, discussed and gone over. No cheering for one candidate or party could be found.

Given the state of today’s choices, give me yesteryear every time. Being a true journalism outlet requires more than you agreeing with the slanted opinions of the hosts and the overall makeup of the network. I only wished more people could understand that. Instead we are left with unfair and biased coverage on a daily basis.

Chris Bridges is editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.

Defined tags for this entry: Opinions

Related entries by tags:

Trackbacks

Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments

Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

#1 prowler380@aol.com on 05/20/10 at 05:48 AM [Reply]

LMAO, just like a liberal to bash someone who will tell the truth. It's kind of funny when the folks from Fox News report something it usually is true. One once said if you can handle the heat than get out of the kitchen. well if you can handle reporting the truth not just what you feel we should hear than you might want to look at getting a career change.

#1.1 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/20/10 at 09:58 AM [Reply]

The only useful things to come out of Fox News are when O'Reilly interviews someone high profile enough to where he can be compelled to have a real discussion, and when Shepard Smith calls BS on something*.

*Like this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/22/shepard-smith-torture_n_190350.html

#2 how bout a journalist debate on 05/20/10 at 05:56 AM [Reply]

how about you send your opinion to these real journalist from Fox News and have debate with them about you opinion and I bet you will lose. you would never stand a chance aganist them and you know it.

#3 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/20/10 at 09:37 AM [Reply]

I don't like CNN either. They bring on two people and have them go back and forth, then cut it off with "we'll leave it there" without any sort of useful discussion going on.

Bringing Ben Stein on to discuss evolution with an actual biologist is not the sort of thing I call balanced. It's balanced to bring two people on with earnest, informed disagreements. Not one person with the necessary knowledge to understand the topic, and one to disagree with them from ignorance.

If you want balanced, informed discussion on TV, PBS Newshour is usually good for it.

#3.1 Wheels on 05/20/10 at 02:04 PM [Reply]

Balance??? PBS, you have to be kidding?

Just as the article talks of rightwings, you by saying this shows your leftwinger stands on life.

#3.1.1 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/20/10 at 04:12 PM [Reply]

I don't think you've watched a single episode of Newshour.

#3.1.1.1 Wheels on 05/20/10 at 04:46 PM [Reply]

I have and I find it most of the time to the left.

#3.1.1.1.1 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/20/10 at 09:09 PM [Reply]

If you see Newshour as leftist, then it's no wonder all your ideas seem absolutely idiotic. You probably think the modern Republican party is moderate.

#3.1.1.1.1.1 Wheels on 05/21/10 at 07:02 PM [Reply]

There you go again, calling someone's ideas idiotic, when in other posting you tell people not to relie on name calling, just like a true lib, do as I say not as I do.

True be told, I still find the Republican, party to be at times, still not Conservertive enough.

#3.1.1.1.1.1.1 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/22/10 at 08:46 AM [Reply]

I've said nothing of calling ideas idiotic. My complaint is with insulting people.

People can be stupid, but that's never grounds for dismissing their ideas. Ideas should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

#4 Funney on 05/20/10 at 10:01 AM [Reply]

This is great. This coming from one of the worst papers at slanting the news to sell a few more at the stores. Give me a break Barrow Journal.

#5 Amen! on 05/20/10 at 10:12 AM [Reply]

I couldn't agree with you more, Chris! It's a sad day when the most reliable news I get is from Comedy Central - The Daily Show with John Stewart and The Colbert Report. USA Today is pretty useful, too, and for local news, of course, The Barrow Journal. Given the local demographic, that was a bold and much needed column to write! Keep up the good work!

#5.1 Mike M. on 05/20/10 at 12:32 PM [Reply]

The daily show and colbert report...... ROTFL You must be joking!!!!! You do know these idiots are comedians? Meaning they wouldn't know news if it smacked them in the head. They make fun of people, thats all they do!!!! They MOCK the real news. How is that news? Oh please, oh please do respond to this.

#5.1.1 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/20/10 at 05:04 PM [Reply]

That's his point. That the comedians do better news than people who claim to be news people is the sad part.

#5.2 Wheels on 05/20/10 at 02:09 PM [Reply]

Comedy Central, for real news, no left slant in your life.

I'll watch it for a laugh, but for news, NO

#6 Anonymous on 05/20/10 at 11:32 AM [Reply]

"In watching a broadcast copy of the 1968 presidential election on CBS recently, one thing quickly stood out. The news anchors were reporting the news, not trying to influence you on how to think. Election results were given, discussed and gone over. No cheering for one candidate or party could be found."

This is soooo funny.

The worst of "your lot", Mister Bridges, are the ones who carefully choose their words so as to appear to be reporting the news without a slant one way or the other, but are actually expressing their own opinion of the matter with their subtle yet suggestive wordings. It isn't really what you're saying, but how you are saying it that makes it biased.

And the constant reminders that every one of you "journalist" all insist that YOU are the one being fair, and everyone else has a blatant bias, would be extremely funny except that it is just so wrong on so many levels.

I can't remember how long it has been since I have seen a truly unbiased, factual reporting of "the news" from any media. And that is a sad condemnation of your profession.

#7 Anonymous on 05/20/10 at 02:50 PM [Reply]

I agree with you, Chris. Good column.

Whether or not all news is biased, there are journalists who make an effort to be fair and unbiased when they are reporting and then there are others who make no effort and, in fact, report in a way that distorts the facts to favor their opinion. That is the difference.

#7.1 Not a Fox fan on 05/20/10 at 02:58 PM [Reply]

How anyone can say Fox News is not biased is beyond me. Fox is 100 percent right wing. It does not even attempt to be fair and give both sides. Great column Chris. Keep holding the right wingers to the fire. Man, we have some backwards thinking people living in Barrow County.

#8 Mike M. on 05/20/10 at 04:20 PM [Reply]

Us so called "right wingers" lean to the right because.... WE ARE RIGHT!!!

#8.1 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/20/10 at 09:11 PM [Reply]

You seem to be saying that anyone who doesn't subscribe to your world-view is wrong. That would be a silly thing to claim.

Are you silly, Mr. M?

#8.1.1 Mike M. on 05/21/10 at 12:23 PM [Reply]

You have no sense of humor.

#8.1.1.1 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/23/10 at 09:30 AM [Reply]

So you're silly, but for different reasons.

:P

#9 Say what? on 05/20/10 at 06:34 PM [Reply]

Anyone who tries to say Fox News is not a right wing network....I have some ocean front property for sale in Iowa real cheap.

#10 unfair and unbalanced on 05/20/10 at 06:44 PM [Reply]

The typical Fox News viewer: Angry white men who can't stand it that women and minorities no longer have to take a back seat to them in the work place and society.

What about the women who watch it you ask? Good question. These poor women are the kind who still do what their husbands say and tell you they don't mind because it says to serve your man in the Bible.

Fox News is a complete joke. How great someone actually called them out for what they are. In Barrow County no less!!!!

#10.1 Wheels on 05/21/10 at 07:07 PM [Reply]

A joke with the largest Cable news ratings on cable.

#10.1.1 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/23/10 at 06:47 AM [Reply]

Fox's 3.3 million viewers isn't even 1% of the populace. The combined viewership of all the cable news networks doesn't break 10%.

It annoys me to no end when people pretend that cable news is representative of public opinion.

#10.1.1.1 Wheels on 05/23/10 at 07:11 PM [Reply]

More People consider themself conserative then will own up to being liberal

#10.1.1.1.1 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/28/10 at 11:03 AM [Reply]

What exactly are you saying here?

#11 d m on 05/23/10 at 11:18 AM [Reply]

The bottom line is that anyone who watches any "news" channel should take the personal responsibility to check the sources and the facts as you mentioned that Neal Boortz recommends...Whethter you are left or right...the laziness comes from hearing and believing anything that is broadcast..these "news" shows should be a catalyst for all americans to do their own checking....not just pass judgment based on what kind of clothes someone wears while presenting their point of view..Make your attacks on news credibiiity...not appearances..All the criticism seems to lean towards that...no one addresses the statements or reporting...prove their wrong if they are..Whether they are a right-winged organization or left-winged is really moot...Check the facts and see if they are correct....unless that would take time away from voting for the next American Idol...

#11.1 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/23/10 at 04:45 PM [Reply]

The trouble with Fox is that they're consistently wrong, whether intentionally or not.

While I do think it's intentional, the case where it's not is no better. It would indicate a lack of concern for whether or not they're accurately representing things.

While it's certainly the job of the viewer to check the facts, the presenter should make some effort to do so as well, and present any discrepancy they find for the benefit of viewers who don't fact-check. Otherwise, the risk of them taking it as truth is high.

#11.1.1 Wheels on 05/24/10 at 02:26 PM [Reply]

What facts, have y'all found to be wrong, or are there just wrong in your world view?

I'm sure you do not agree to any of the opion shows.

#11.1.1.1 Me nombre es anónimo on 05/27/10 at 11:03 PM [Reply]

I don't have a "world view." I assess things on a case-by-case basis using the information available to me.

Fox's visual style is painful for me to watch (physically--too much bright red and moving objects), so I can't watch it enough to get as big a sample as I would like.

However, what I've seen with enough context to make a judgement doesn't reflect anything a person making a reasoned argument would call fact.

The news portion of the channel does seem to stick to reporting things as-is most of the time, but inserts more mindless speculation into the news than I'm comfortable with.

My view is that news and opinion should be clearly delineated, with any opinion coming only after the facts are fully presented.

#12 DuWayne R. Anderson on 05/25/10 at 01:42 PM [Reply]

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Last time I checked, The American Flag still flies over our country. Each person has to take responsibility for his/her own personal beliefs and how they convey or justify those beliefs to others that may disagree with them. That in fact is what make this country so great! There is room for all opinions even when you can't agree on what is "Left Wing" or "Right Wing" banter.
Having said that, I am a Conservative Christian "Right Wing" proponent of the Republican Party here in Barrow County. While I do not agree with those who support established "Left Wing" socialist agendas,(ie President Obama), I defend their right to have those opinions. We should be spending less time arguing over specific rhetoric by each side and concentrate more on the actual effects to our country. Then and only then will we be able to move towards bi-partisan agreement.
Sincerely,
DuWayne R. Anderson
Republican Candidate for the Dist.7( at large)
Barrow County Board of Education seat.

"EDUCATION FIRST"

Add Comment

Name
Email
Homepage
In reply to
Comment: E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.
To leave a comment you must approve it via e-mail, which will be sent to your address after submission.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.

Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above:
Phone*

What is five plus four?
: Remember Information? Subscribe to this entry
: Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.

COLUMN: Confusion abounds over definition of real journalism

Barrow Journal

COLUMN: Confusion abounds over definition of real journalism

Recent Stories

Recent Comments

This Week's Poll

Sister Sites

Archives

Community

Keyword Tags