The 2016 Election and the Demise of Journalistic Standards

Hillsdale College ^ | May/June 2017 | Michael Goodwin

[jimbug]

I’ve been a journalist for a long time. Long enough to know that it wasn’t always like this. There was a time not so long ago when journalists were trusted and admired. We were generally seen as trying to report the news in a fair and straightforward manner. Today, all that has changed. For that, we can blame the 2016 election or, more accurately, how some news organizations chose to cover it.

[jimbug]

A well-written essay on the decline of journalistic standards

[mrsmel]

The left isn’t interested in ethics and standards. Those are just convenient yardsticks with which to beat your opponents. Otherwise, the left’s motto is “the ends justify the means”, always.

[PUGACHEV]

I was listening to WTOP news talk radio this morning. Aside from a few minute break for traffic and weather, it was a solid 1/2 hour of breathless spew about alleged Russian interference in the election, Trump collusion, and an investigation into obstruction of justice, all based on nothing. This is not news but tiresome propaganda.

[RJS1950]

I would take issue with the idea that there were ever journalistic standards.

Since the beginning of printing, there have been political pamphleteers who slammed and denigrated any who disagreed with them. Jefferson and his Democratic-Republican (democrat party) friends secretly bought a paper to tear down the Washington administration even while Jefferson was Secretary of State. The Civil War era and the treatment of Lincoln by the press was as bad as it is today and yes, Lincoln’s GOP were against him and aided in the the smear. Nothing new, journalists have never had any ethical boundaries and never will; that concept is pure myth put forward by journalists.

[mjp]

for libtards the narrative that fits their agenda is more important than the truth

[jonno]

“A well-written essay”

Indeed. It should be required reading.

[wjcsux]

Excellent read, thanks!

[Carl Vehse]

Oxymoron of the day: "Journalistic Standards"

[Carl Vehse]

"There was a time not so long ago when journalists were trusted and admired."

If so, it was long before media leftist Walter Cronkite was spewing his garbage.

[Tench_Coxe]

I disagree with the author somewhat. A few names, with an example for each:

Walter Duranty (reporting on the Soviet Union)
Walter Cronkite (post Tet Vietnam and coverage of the turmoil of the late 60s)
Dan Rather (The fake Bush memo--thanks Buckhead!)
Peter Jennings (white male temper tantrum statement after the 1994 congressional blowout)

Now perhaps there was a "Golden Era" of journalism, and the author is talking about that. I do agree that "journalism" has gotten worse. I noticed the acceleration during the Clinton presidency and even worse during the Obama presidency.

[wastoute]

Prostitutes have more integrity.

[marktwain]

There was a time not so long ago when journalists were trusted and admired. We were generally seen as trying to report the news in a fair and straightforward manner.

---

Yes, the essay is well written, but it still misses an important point. Journalists were *seen* as trying to be fair and consistent. They were seen that way because their pushing of their agenda had not been laid bare for everyone to see on the Internets.

Much of the *appearance* of objectivity was because there was no opposition to expose their agenda driven reporting.

[laplata]

Thanks for posting this.

FYI All: Imprimis is free and one can subscribe to it via mail or email. It is highly recommended.

[jimbug]

At the end of this piece, Goodwin offers a suggestion: support the media you believe in.

[Vehmgericht]

Please add Jason Blair, Janet Cooke, and Eason Jordan to your list of media liers.

[ealgeone]

Been going on a long time. This election just crystallized it for many.

[eyeamok]

President Obama and others who view other people’s wealth as a crime against the common good”

Proud Liberals.

[CptnObvious]

In the article he admits most of the New York Times journalists leaned to the left and had to be corrected to the 'middle' by Abe Rosenthal, their executive editor at the time.

What he doesn't say is why there has been no endorsement of a Republican candidate ever by the Times and why that still is.

However he like Paglia and says that is will take a long time for journalism to recover. Unlike Paglia who says it will take decades if ever.

[poconopundit]

You make one helluva point. And you back it up with history. Something to think about: journalistic ethics is a historical myth.

But what about the Walter Cronkite and Huntley and Brinkly years? Can we say that at that time Right and Left were not as far apart in their ideas as they are today. And perhaps that's why that era was viewed somewhat at the "golden age" of non-partisan press?

[laplata]

Yes, and it’s very important to do so. Conservatives tend to become too complacent. We must strengthen the good tools we have.