open letter to the new york times

[rone]

In respose to the latest entry in the Public Editor's Journal:  Correcting any falsehood uttered by any public official is a small justice that must be done by any responsible journalist.  You ask, "How can the Times do this in a way that is objective and fair?"  My answer is: don't sweat it.  Any reasonable person who cares about objectivity and fairness will be in the ballpark.  If you don't get it right, readers will let you know, and you'll work to improve it.  Just start doing it now, because this can't wait any longer.

I am forced to add that i do not care for the phrase "truth vigilante"; it implies that there is an official authority for the truth.  There is none.  We must all be vigilant of the truth, but whenever a newspaper reports a falsehood, it is failing at its job, which is to inform and not to misinform.

Comments

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

I like how reporting of facts is now an idea we have to cautiously approach as dangerously novel.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

I suspect it's also a bit of "if we start calling out all the inaccuracies that politicians spout, we'll run out of time and space" paralysis.

[(Anonymous)]

It's the fucking internet. We don't "run out of space."

And if they run out of time calling politicos on bullshit, then They've Done A Good Job.

[fanf]

But we have to be fair and balanced and the other side have their own facts which in his postmodern world are just as valid as any one else's opinion, innit.

Crack Po Trealism

[lammah.livejournal.com]

Generally those who profess to care about being fair and balanced have the least to profit from being fair and balanced.