Posted on 06/08/2004 11:01:08 AM PDT by jmstein7
We're looking for a few good NewsCops! Find stories and report them. Make the press responsible for its own actions.
Where The People Judge
Walter Cronkite was the most trusted man in America during his tenure as anchor of CBS television news. His political ideology never was permitted to slant coverage of the news he reported. His stories were direct and to the point. After leaving that trusted position he made his opinions clear.
Chet Huntley and David Brinkley likewise did not slant the news. They were more concerned with the story being reported and not its potential to be used as a propaganda lure to gain the attention of an unsuspecting public for exposure to a different topic.
Edward R. Murrow reported on some of the most intense events of the time. During his emotional reports he never once changed the topic from what was being reported to what could be gained from connecting it to an ideological intent.
Today's news anchors and reporters share duties in multi-tasking through restricted budgets and blurred lines of responsibility. That does not give them the right to mix those tasks. Opinion should be clearly marked as opinion and stories should not reference any unrelated story.
Mission
PressCourt is the people's voice in news coverage.
Structured like a moderated discussion board with limited posting ability, PressCourt offers those who view, listen or read the news to report those who publish for having slanted, twisted or otherwise corrupted the news.
It does not matter if the slant is left, right or backwards. Slanting news stories at all is opinion and opinion has no place in news reporting.
PressCourt will not process complaints for opinion programming. Op-Ed pieces, opinion shows, debate programs or those that offer opinion are not approved.
News stories that are not intended to be opinion will be processed. Convicted news media will be announced in press releases and on this site.
One needs to have the media report on itself. The best way to do that is to a: allow them to relate somehow to the topic, b: allow them to feel a connection in someway even though it is for the 'wrong reason' as they see it and c: tick them off... one of them will write something horrible about the site and then it will be on the road to making a difference. A major magazine has already contacted and interviewed about the site. Whether they publish of course is up to them.
Sounds like a plan to me. I think I'll pass the URL around and see if I can't drum up some business for you.
Thanks. There is a nice simple form at the site if you are a member that invites people to join the jury. It is sent from the member, not the site.
Good idea bump.
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