Comments on: Andrew Breitbart likens “Journolist” members to Pravda reporters

By: Day three’s installment of “as the narrative turns” | POWIP

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 12:45:48 +0000

[...] It’s been pretty satisfying watching the initial revalations of the shadowy cabal of propagandists who belonged to Ezra Klein’s left-wing glee club, journolist. At long last there is proof of what many have suspected all along; that some members of the press chose to completely throw away any pretense of journalistsic ethics and instead undertake the shaping of slanted public meta-narative that they hoped would benefit their preferred politcal candidates and further their liberal ideology. And, while some of published correspondance has been marginally amusing, especially Spence Ackerman talking tough about roughing up political opponents, or the cabal simultaneously hand-wringing about fascistic bullying Rethugs! while wondering if the FCC could shut down Fox news by simply not renewing their license, on the whole it has been disturbing to see the documentation of a group actively trying to subvert the institution of the fourth estate for political purposes. As Andrew Breitbart remarked, the reporters at Pravda weren’t such insufferable assholes as the journolist crew. [...]

Like or Dislike: 0 0

By: Bob Reed

Bob Reed — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 05:47:33 +0000

Well said, my friend. A worthy rant indeed.

Like or Dislike: 0 0

By: SporkLift Driver

SporkLift Driver — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 04:50:40 +0000

I’m nearly 50 and I can’t recall a time when reporter and journalist were synonymous. As long as I can remember journalists were expected to be crusaders, to make the news rather than merely reporting it. Journalists were expected to serve TRUTH rather than all those little truths like the who, what, where, when and why that reporters deliver and us unsophisticated rubes live by.

I don’t think there’s any point in trying to re-meld the concepts of journalism and reportage. What we should be doing is celebrating the humble reporter and mocking any journalist who attempts to ply their trade in the reporters space. Keep the journalism to the editorial pages and the opinion mags and their online equivalents. And when a reporter gets too slow on their feet to chase down a story and too full of experience to ever see anything with an unbiased eye then if, and only if they have demonstrated an ability to see all the little truths that make the greater truths, then they might become journalists themselves.

If we celebrate honest reportage and chase the journalists from the places they don’t belong, we might one day be able to hold these professions in the esteem that they should be worthy of.

Sorry for the long rant.

Like or Dislike: 0 0