What Happened to Editors?
15/08/24 20:17
August 15, 2024 (Vol. 18 No. 36) - When I went to journalism school at the University of Maryland a half-century ago, I learned that a basic tenant of the profession is that a journalist must edit and verify information one gathers before he or she disseminates it. A reporter doesn't just parrot what a source says. A reporter also checks its validity, culling out the hyperbole and untruths before sharing with the audience. Most newspapers, magazines and broadcast networks do this. Unfortunately, cable news networks apparently don't believe this is important. Take this past week, for example. Twice the Republican presidential nominee has been given unlimited air time to spew forth lies and personal insults in "so called" news conferences. While the print journalists and broadcast networks covered the sessions and then summarized the cogent news points that came out of them, the CNNs, MSNBCs and the Foxs just turned on the camera, pointed the microphone and let the candidate speak unchallenged and uninterrupted for more than an hour. Never mind that there was little in the way of actual news in these unholy homilies. They were nothing more than non-stop verifiable lies and personal insults. What public service is done if these so-called cable journalists do not fulfill their basic editorial function? And it is not just Trump. Why should Kamala Harris or any other candidate be given what amounts to a one-hour free campaign commercial full of blah, blah, blah? If there is news coming out of these alleged "news conferences" or, for that matter, campaign rallies, report it. Otherwise, don't let the candidates clutter the airwaves with these mind-numbing - and, in the case of Trump, mindless - infomercials. How can the American people hold these candidates accountable when journalists are not willing to do it? Sure, there will be times when, in exercising one's news judgment, the decision should be made to carry these events live. However, it lately seems as if cable TV's news judgment has atrophied. Not every campaign speech or news conference is worthy of live coverage. How about serving your editorial function, for once? Otherwise, just turn your facilities over to the My Pillow Guy and call it a day. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.