Journalists as Ideologues
"Objectivity is humanly impossible...journalists can't block out his or her biases, and gut level emotions". This quote shared in the presentation, caught my attention. Through this semester I held the journalist on a pedestal. I pictured the journalists to not have any objectives or ideologues at all. But after this presentation and reading the assignment, I changed my viewpoint. I now realize that journalists view the world, as do all other human beings, through a lens. Be it cultural, religious, political, or personal experience.
Journalists seem to judge other cultures through the lens of their own culture. Although it may go unnoticed to the viewing public, to an audience of a different culture, this is unfair. For example, during the 2008 presidential election, Dr. Samuel Johnson commented on Sarah Palin as a running mate for John McCain. He said that upon hearing a woman preach, "A woman preaching," he said, "is like a dog’s walking on his hinder legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all" (see: http://nowthedetails.blogspot.com/2008/09/ideological-journalism-no-alarm-too.html). Here this comment is just another part of his ideology. He didn't like women running for office. He then publicly announced his ideology to the public. A perfect example of how ideology can never be separated from a journalist.
Also in the presentation, the group emphasized the dangers of inferring the news. How making guesses on the unknown can be just as reliable as making the story up itself. Such as this clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89Su4Hg7_0c) which shows how Glenn Beck infers that 9/11 Truthers, (a group that believed that the 9/11 attacks were staged by the federal government) want to destroy America and kill all the Americans. That's a bold and INFERRED statement Beck makes. Yes maybe some may want to bring the downfall of America, but to infer a whole group wants to destroy it can lead to libel lawsuits, and cause your respectability as a journalist to fall.
Stephen Tanner
Journalists seem to judge other cultures through the lens of their own culture. Although it may go unnoticed to the viewing public, to an audience of a different culture, this is unfair. For example, during the 2008 presidential election, Dr. Samuel Johnson commented on Sarah Palin as a running mate for John McCain. He said that upon hearing a woman preach, "A woman preaching," he said, "is like a dog’s walking on his hinder legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all" (see: http://nowthedetails.blogspot.com/2008/09/ideological-journalism-no-alarm-too.html). Here this comment is just another part of his ideology. He didn't like women running for office. He then publicly announced his ideology to the public. A perfect example of how ideology can never be separated from a journalist.
Also in the presentation, the group emphasized the dangers of inferring the news. How making guesses on the unknown can be just as reliable as making the story up itself. Such as this clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89Su4Hg7_0c) which shows how Glenn Beck infers that 9/11 Truthers, (a group that believed that the 9/11 attacks were staged by the federal government) want to destroy America and kill all the Americans. That's a bold and INFERRED statement Beck makes. Yes maybe some may want to bring the downfall of America, but to infer a whole group wants to destroy it can lead to libel lawsuits, and cause your respectability as a journalist to fall.
Stephen Tanner
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