[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > ... that's one good > example of why objectivity in journalism is virtually impossible, > whether it's a report or something on the editorial pages.
Not objective on the editorial pages? Of course not! Your comment makes me wonder what you mean by the word editorial. (It wouldn't be the first time there's a different understanding of the same "English" word here.) To me an editorial is the opinion of an editor (or group of editors) and so by definition, there's no attempt to be objective. The editorial pages are designated as such and unusually include columnists' opinions, which also by definition are not attempting to be objective. The same convention is followed in the online publications of mainstream newspapers. My education in journalism was years ago so I'd expect some updating of what I learned. However, I can look at any current paper or watch any newscast and see that the same basic structure is in place. Perhaps such press conventions are used only in the U.S., although I have seen "editorial/commentary pages" in non-U.S. papers also. > As an example, the National Post newspaper (which is pro-Israel) > might say in its reports: "Palestinian terrorists last night... > ...the CBC (which is more pro-Palestinian) might say: > "Palestinian militiamen... Excellent example. That's why it's important to know the source of information. A paper or station doesn't usually announce its political bias, so it's mostly through paying critical attention to the way words are used (in *many* reports from that source, not just one) that a person can figure out its general bias. It doesn't completely discredit the information. But it is important to keep that bias in mind when evaluating any information from any particular source. > It's hard if not impossible to write a brief news report about a > complex political issue without these subtexts and loaded words, so I > would say objectivity in reporting is close to impossible. The best > you can hope for IMO is to be fair. I don't know what you mean by fair unless it's trying to equally show all sides of any situation. To me that's the same as aiming for objectivity, which, I agree, is close to impossible. Some people and publications/news sources do aim for it more than others, though. Debra Shea
