Lynda

Well, I am the original skeptic when it comes to the press and I thought
nothing would surprise me but this comment from the following actually
brought me to a screeching halt! "the point of journalism is to preserve
the legitimacy of those in power" OMG, I am flabbergasted! Does this
person not know the whole history of the press and American revolution???

Lynda
----- Original Message ----- >
> >
> > > FAIR-L
> > > Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting
> > > Media analysis, critiques and news reports
> > >
> > > ACTION ALERT:
> > > Fox Reporter on Florida Ballots: Burn Them or Shred Them?
> > >
> > > December 20, 2000
> > >
> > > Several news organizations have begun the process of evaluating the
> > disputed
> > > ballots in the state of Florida. Reporters intend to use a variety of
> > > methods to help answer lingering questions about who might have
> > actually won
> > > the vote in the state if a hand recount had not been halted by the
U.S.
> > > Supreme Court.
> > >
> > > One prominent journalist at a national news outlet, however, advocates
a
> > > different approach. John Gibson of Fox News Channel (12/15/00) would
rather
> > > not know what really happened in Florida: "Is this a case where
knowing the
> > > facts actually would be worse than not knowing? I mean, should we
burn
> > > those ballots, preserve them in amber, or shred them?"
> > >
> > > Journalists are supposed to criticize government officials for
suppressing
> > > information or destroying evidence-- not advocate such actions. If
> > > journalism is to contribute to a democratic society, it must
frequently
> > > expose the country to unpleasant truths. But for Gibson, guest-hosting
> > Fox's
> > > popular "O'Reilly Factor" program, the point of journalism is to
preserve
> > > the legitimacy of those in power: "George Bush is going to be
president.
> > > And who needs to know that he's not a legitimate president? Al
> > Gore? Jesse
> > > Jackson? His political opponents? How does it do any good for the
country
> > > to find out that, by somebody's count, the wrong guy is president?"
> > >
> > > Gibson did suggest that the pursuit of truth could merely be delayed
until
> > > it no longer mattered: "How about, if you want to do this thing, we
lock
> > > those ballots up until George Bush is not president, so nobody can go
use
> > > these ballots to undermine his position, to undermine the position of
this
> > > country, to throw this country into chaos. If you want to know, if
> > > historians want to know, fine. Know some day in the future. You
don't
> > need
> > > to know now because he is president now."
> > >
> > > Looking at public records is a crucial aspect of newsgathering-- a
right
> > > that media outlets and journalists go to court to protect and
preserve.
> > It's
> > > distressing when a prominent journalist thinks the public's right to
know
> > > should not infringe on the prestige of the president-elect.
> > >
> > > While Fox News Channel strenuously disputes the idea that it has a
> > > right-wing tilt, Gibson's comments do seem to put the political health
of a
> > > Republican office-holder ahead of normal journalistic principles.
It's
> > hard
> > > to imagine Fox suggesting that embarrassing facts about Bill Clinton
should
> > > not be reported because they might make him seem less "legitimate."
> > >
> > > ACTION: If you think media need to pursue stories that sometimes upset
the
> > > status quo, let Fox News Channel know that you'd like to see that
attitude
> > > in their journalists.
> > >
> > > CONTACT:
> > > Fox News Channel
> > > mailto:comments@...
> > >
> > > "The O'Reilly Factor"
> > > mailto:oreilly@...
> > >
> > > ----------
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