Taking on the 'Democrat Media Complex' (A.Breitbart)

Wall St. Journal ^ | 10/16/09 | James Taranto

[Daisyjane69]

Dressing up as a pimp and prostitute in order to seek Acorn's help in starting a child sex-slavery ring wasn't Andrew Breitbart's idea. But without the Internet entrepreneur's flair for publicity, the hidden-camera sting might not have produced such impressive results. Within days of his publishing the video exposé, government agencies were cutting ties with the left-wing advocacy and community-organizing group, Congress was voting to end its federal funding, and news organizations were rushing to catch up with a sensational story they had initially resisted or ignored.

[Daisyjane69]

Excellent article.

[RobbyS]

Except that this bit about “objective journalism” is blather. From the days of Joseph Pulitzer the purpose of journalism has been to tell a good story. If the facts get in the way, then tailor them. My experience is that reporters seldom gets the facts straight. That is, on events I have personally attended.

[zerosix]

Except for the part where Taranto stands up for the media even though admitting that they are failures at their job.

[Tzimisce]

Partisanship was not the only reason for media resistance to the Acorn story. The approach Mr. O'Keefe and Ms. Giles used—lying to prospective sources or subjects—is grossly unethical by the standards of institutional journalism.

BULL$H!T! Journalists were quick to dig in to Joe "The Plumber".

To be sure, there is a world of difference between employing such tactics and reporting on the results when others have used them.

The Katie Couric Defense: I didn't lie, people talking about the lie was the story.

And there is no question that the pair's findings were newsworthy. But journalistic discomfort with their methods is a sign of integrity, not corruption.

We got caught. Now we have to cover our asses.

Reporters also were—and still are—operating on incomplete information by Mr. Breitbart's design. He refuses to say how many videos he has yet to release,

In other words: we've been made fools of. If we give our take on it, we might be embarrassed again. So better to say nothing.

Mr. Breitbart says that some reporters have pressed him for information about the unreleased videos, and these demands make him indignant: "They were the desperate attempts of defense attorneys to say, 'You have an obligation to tell us how many tapes there are.' I said, 'Isn't that interesting, because Acorn wants to know that too . . . because they don't know how big the scandal is.'"

So doing an undercover investigation is unethical. But threatening with high priced attorneys is fine?

Yet while it's true that journalists have no right to Mr. Breitbart's information, one can hardly fault them for wanting all the facts.Funny - journalists weren't the slightest bit curious when the scandal broke. But now suddenly they're demanding all the facts. Your Partisanship is showing.

While Breitbart-style opinionated journalism can provide healthy competition, it cannot substitute for straight news.

We're not getting "straight news". That's Breitbart's whole point. Naturally it's sailing over the media's heads.

[Tamar1973]

This is the same MSM which eats up and spews every PETA report taken by undercover operatives at meatpacking and fur farms without batting an eye even though those people have to lie about their true intentions to get those jobs in the first place.

[SuziQ]

It is my understanding that the cut-off of funds for ACORN was ONLY until 10/31, and that it begins again, after that date.

[Bullish]

Their role—that of impartial watchdog and broker of information—is a vital one....

Those days are gone forever. The current MSM puts Pravda to shame in their bias and propaganda. Ya know, like running a hit piece on a candidate two weeks before a presidential election complete with phoney documents.

Many people, including myself, will never believe another word they say or print.

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[Blind Eye Jones]

Conservatives should blow up media and claim it is the work of the unrepentant bomber Ayers.

[iopscusa]

Hopefully Andrew Breitbart knows better than to trust Taranto aka TaranToad as Peter Brimelow calls the big fat Deadhead Media tool. TaranToad loves himself all Illegal Immigrants and will try to set up AB for the velvet stiletto on the Acorn bust....for more on the TaraTOAD see: http://www.vdare.com/pb/tarantoad.htm

[Wonder Warthog]

"My experience is that reporters seldom gets the facts straight. That is, on events I have personally attended."

Absolutely correct. Add to the list topics the I have sufficient personal expertise to be an expert. Reporters and their stories are so inaccurate that it boggles the mind.

And that was BEFORE they started being complete shills for the Democrats.

[Fresh Wind]

Within days of his publishing the video exposé, government agencies were creating the illusion of cutting ties with the left-wing advocacy and community-organizing group, Congress was voting to temporarily end its federal funding, and news organizations were rushing to catch up with a sensational story they had initially resisted or ignored put a positive spin on a story that the Administration told them not to cover.

Fixed.

[Yardstick]

On Sept. 27, Times ombudsman Clark Hoyt published a column in which the paper's managing editor acknowledged having been "slow off the mark" but denied that political bias played any role

Ah yes, "slow off the mark" -- lol.

It's the NYT's version of "I have a wide stance".

[RobbyS]

Schools of Journalism do not provide a liberal education. They are like schools of education, which take intelligent people and ruin them intellectually.

[Wonder Warthog]

"They are like schools of education, which take intelligent people and ruin them intellectually."

I always thought that one of the requirements for a "journalism" degree was to have 90% of one's brain removed.

[RobbyS]

If they were stupid, they would be less dangerous. Those that get ahead have glib tongues/facile pens.

[4Liberty]

“Public education” has become primarily a Democrat Party money-laundering operation (via mandated teacher union dues).

Taxes are spent, and get turned RIGHT back into Democrat Campaigns.

There is little interest, among the Dem Pols that vote on Education budgets, on making schools better or more efficient. Just maximizing the number of dollars (taxes) spent. Since they get a cut of it.

In California, out here Prop. 13 is viewed to be “bad” because it is an institutional barrier to this goal - of maximizing Dem Party money flows through public/teacher unions.

A corrupt, inefficient, immoral, racketeer mess.

Students, parents, teachers, and the business community - all lose sound and cost effective educational services, over time. However, a few pathetic unemployable talentless but powerful Marxist Dem Pol hacks win — big-time, and keep destroying educational institutions with their corrupt inefficient unions...for the rest of us.

[Forgiven_Sinner]

“The approach Mr. O’Keefe and Ms. Giles used—lying to prospective sources or subjects—is grossly unethical by the standards of institutional journalism”

Has undercover reporting never been done before? I think it has.

Is using taxpayer money to support pimps and prostitutes illegal? Yes. Is lying to criminals illegal? No.

I think this is a false point.

[okie01]

“The approach Mr. O’Keefe and Ms. Giles used—lying to prospective sources or subjects—is grossly unethical by the standards of institutional journalism”

On the other hand, lying to the audience in support of the liberal agenda is perfectly justifiable by the standards of institutional journalism.

There is no longer any reason to take these people seriously -- except with regard to the damage they do.