Wednesday, July 16, 2003

Objectivity in the media I read an article recently linked to by Atrios talking about some of the limitations of objectivity in the media. I think the article really missed the biggest flaws in the current media coverage. To me, a good objective article should quote knowledgable representatives of each position as well as a context for their statements. Media coverage is breaking down because people who have been repeatedly proven wrong are allowed to make false statements which are treated with the same respect as any other statement. A great example of an proven wrong "expert" who is still quoted is James Glassman, the author of "Dow 36,000", who I have repeatedly heard NPR use over the last couple of years for stock market analysis. What really bothers me is what I call 'flat earth statements" - statements that are obviously wrong but go unchallenged by the media. I heard a great example this morning on NPR - some Republican politician said that there is no way tax cuts could cause a deficit. Another thing that drives me nuts about media coverage is too many times they present quotes without noting what the same person said before. A great example was when the the Wen Ho Lee story first broke, Repbulicans went on all the Sunday talk shows and criticized Attonery General Reno for not arresting Wen Ho Lee soon enough. A few weeks later after the case against Lee fell apart, the same Republicans went on the same shows and criticized Reno for arresting Lee too soon. All the articles I read about the second weekend's shows didn't mention any quotes from the first weekend shows. I found this this article to be great, because it does something so few writers have done to Dubya - tracked his and his officials' statements over a long period of time. 7:44:17 PM    comment []

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