“As journalists, and certainly for me over the last few years, we’ve gotten overly obsessed with parity, especially when we’re covering politics,” Ms. Brown said. “We kept making sure each candidate got equal time — to the point that it got ridiculous in a way.”
“So when you have Candidate A saying the sky is blue, and Candidate B saying it’s a cloudy day, I look outside and I see, well, it’s a cloudy day,” she said. “I should be able to tell my viewers, ‘Candidate A is wrong, Candidate B is right.’ And not have to say, ‘Well, you decide.’ Then it would be like I’m an idiot. And I’d be treating the audience like idiots.”
NY TIMES — Weighing In: An Anchor Tacks Toward Commentary
Above is a quote from the story in Saturday, Oct. 3, 2008 New York times Television Section on Campbell Brown's new approach to journalism on her program on CNN...So, is the approach that Campbell Brown is now taking commentary or journalism? What is it when a journalistic reports a conclusion based on their reporting?
"CNN, after all, has sought to build a brand for its journalism by positioning itself as objective, which would seem hard to reconcile with Ms. Brown’s increasingly expressing opinions of her own."
Is CNN acquiescing to Ms. Brown because of ratings or do they believe that the role of journalism is for reporters to be active in their reporting and to report what they find. To say, no, that's wrong.Commentary or journalism? We report, you decide.
1 comment:
CNN is probably acquiescing for ratings sake, but they are probably also aware of the buzz created by the new media outlets that are already asking the questions that Brown is asking. The network is getting out-reported by its own viewers so maybe they are showing a little interest and support in their reporter being active, even aggressive. Brown, for her part, is doing her job as outlined under the sixth principle or duty of the press as described in The Elements of Journalism: "Journalism must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise."
...it is crucial that the news media play the role of honest broker and referee as it carries the common discussion. In the new age of media, it is more incumbent on those providing us with journalism that they decipher the spin and lies of commercialized argument, lobbying and political propaganda.(p.167)
She is not just expressing opinions of her own. She is representing the interests of those who want to be part of an informed public and electorate. She is being a journalist.
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