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David is an occasional blogger, software engineer, Nintendo fanboy, liberal, news magazine addict, voracious TiVo user, and bibliophile. He was born in St. Louis, grew up in southern Indiana, and returned to St. Louis to attend Washington University. He hasn't managed to escape yet. He's a fan of free wine tastings, too many tv shows to name, and eating out. David makes his living developing web applications used internally by his employer. He doesn't blog about work because he's heard too many stories about that causing workplace troubles. There's more on the about page. |
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february 18, 2003 - 6:34 piem
its my own fault for reading cnn.com, I guess, but today they gave me a clear example of why I am losing faith in the media. maybe Im overreacting, but to me it seemed like blatantly bad journalism.
in this article CNN reports on French President Jacques Chiracs rebuke of certain Eastern European countries recent public support for the United States. I wont go into more detail, because the topic of the article is of little importance. this isnt a political discussion. my issue is with the following excerpt.
CNN European Political Editor Robin Oakley described Chirac's outburst as "pretty grumpy and imperious.""For him to lecture these applicant countries or these accepted members on their way in was really behavior like the worst of what the French complain about in the United States," Oakley said.
"It was bullying really. ... It was very, very tough stuff. I think some of the other EU leaders will feel it was out of order.
"But perhaps it shows just how much Jacques Chirac was stunned by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's differentiation between what he calls 'old Europe' and 'new Europe.'"
CNN European Political Editor Robin Oakley? Im sorry, but that strikes me as completely inappropriate. your editor is not a source. you cannot quote your editor. this is a news story. you cant call Chirac "grumpy." they have a special kind of article where editors are allowed to call people grumpy. they are called "editorials." in news articles, the editors opinion stays out of it. you cant editorialize right in the middle of a news story.
Oakleys quote provided no new facts and no interesting insight. it was nothing but opinion and speculation from someone whose opinion is not news. I find that to be lazy and unethical journalism. and maybe I am overreacting, but I think more people should be upset about this.
Posted by on 18 February 2003 at 6:37 PM
Comments
I completely agree; I too am fed up with the direction in which journalism seems to be moving. This article epitomizes the unethical blurring between editorial opinion and straight news. I have no problem with journalists offering their opinions in their stories, as long as those stories come with a gigantic, colorful disclaimer.
But I wish you'd stop blaming me for all of this. Just because I am a journalist does not mean I write every article you read, you ninny.
Posted by rachel on 18 February 2003 - 7:06 PM