use Perl

• Objectivity (Score:2)

  by pudge (1)

  Of course, there is no such thing as pure objectivity. However, that does not mean objectivity should not be a goal. It very much should be. You shouldn't call someone a "noob" in a news story, even if he is a noob.
  
  Practically speaking, objectivity helps the reporter do a better job. The link is broken, but this weekend George Will detailed [go.com] how a single reporter for the New York times, for many years, has been writing the same story over and over again, that "despite" a drop in crime, the prison popula
  • Re:Objectivity (Score:1)

    by jjohn (22) on 2003.08.05 19:03 (#22808) Homepage Journal

    Please continue to argue with yourself, Pudge. You're doing a bang up job!

    I want the government to foster intelligent discourse. I'm not a laywer, I have no idea what the Consitution means legally (I understand the words, but I don't understand law). I won't hold the Consitution in higher regard than Thomas "Every generation needs a revolution" Jefferson. I do know what sort of society I want to live in and the sort of activities I want my government sponsoring (I think my blog gives some idea what programs I support).

    I don't think objectivity in the professional media is possible and perhaps the pursuit of this illusion is worse than admitting it doesn't exist. Given that, I expect reasonable reporting, that is reporting facts that have been checked with some deligence. I'd rather listen to a reasoned right wing news report than a a fatuous or fictional report from left wing source. The Daily Show is entertaining, but even I don't mistake that for news, just because it makes me feel good (are you listening Fox News watchers?).

    On a tangent, the correlation between crime and punishment is tenuous. If we put everyone in prison, I'm sure we'd all be safer. If the economy is booming, maybe crimes of desperation drop. This is far beyond my area of competence to debate, but I'm not yet ready to accept the "more prisons == safer society."

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    • Re:Objectivity (Score:2)

      by pudge (1)

      I want the government to foster intelligent discourse.
      
      I want no such thing. That requires my money, and if it is federally funded, it requires violating the Constitution.
      
      I don't think objectivity in the professional media is possible and perhaps the pursuit of this illusion is worse than admitting it doesn't exist.
      
      It's necessary, if you want to inform people rather than attempt to sway them. If you think Fox News is right about how news should be reported -- starting from a philosophy and shoehornin