Advocacy Journalism in Mainstream Media

                                                                                         

In an independent survey in 2005, 70% of the Main Stream Media (MSM) admitted to being Liberal in their leanings. MSM is comprised of the so-called Big-3 Networks: CBS, ABC, and NBC.

How did Media go from no one knowing the political and social leanings of Reporters and Anchors to becoming a soapbox for personal politics?

I just watched "American Masters" on PBS. It was all about Walter Cronkite's career in journalism. It was clear that Cronkite was the journalist's journalist, one of a kind, fair and balanced. Most of all, his personal politics were a mystery.

I can attest to his integrity as well. As an Anchor for a CBS affiliate I had two opportunities to sit and talk with Mr. Cronkite. During those conversations, neither of us spoke of our personal political views. Mr. Cronkite believed that he should never be the focus, that the stories he was presenting should be. He was right then, and, now.

So, what has happened in MSM?

Because of declining viewership and the popularity of reality television, MSM have concluded that "if it bleeds, it leads" and that we want to be entertained with shocking and graphic stories.

Competition from internet news sources is also a factor. But, there is more to this than meets the eye. It's called "advocacy journalism". What is advocacy journalism?

It began rearing its ugly head in the mid-70's. Our culture shifted as a new breed began graduating from journalism schools. They were more Liberal, more anti-government, more anti-establishment. They brought their leanings into local newsrooms across the country, perfected their style and moved into bigger and bigger media markets. How do I know this? I was there as far back as 1969.

What is the proof?

Take the Dan Rather fiasco for example. He aired and stood behind falsified documents. If it had not been for the internet blogs, the documents would have gone unchallenged and aired as "fact". Rather had to resign and, under pressure, several heads rolled at C.B.S.including that of the Producer, who said she chose a journalism career to have an impact on society and government.

"60 Minutes" is another example. Since creator Don Hewitt retired, there has been a shift away from balanced reporting, except for Mike Wallace of course. He remains a man of integrity, in my view. However,60 Minutes Commentator Andy Rooney suddenly went from satirical to nasty and has steadily attacked the President of the United States. This is the guy who told us about the size of coffee cans. He is out of his league when it comes to serious commentary.

A final example is Tim Russert who produces and Anchors "Meet the Press". He grills Republicans while allowing Democrats to slide. Recently he took on Robert Novak over the Valerie Plame scandal. It was pleasing to see Novak beat Russert at his own game.

My advice for balance and objectivity today? Ignore MSM and find other sources for news content. My personal favorite? Chris Wallace and his team on Fox News Sunday. They "take no prisoners", Republican or Democrat.

Maybe MSM will finally get the message and the pendulum will swing back to the middle.
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About the author:
Jim DeSantis is a 15 year veteran of investigative reporting. He runs a Self Help Newspaper, http://www.on-line-trubune-front-page.blogspot.com featuring 14 sections packed with Free articles, courses, and ebooks on a variety of topics dealing with daily life. You are invited to submit your opinion on this or on any other topic to Jim's blog. If accepted, your opinion will be published as a Featured Article.


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