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Posted on 10/11/2017 6:58:33 PM PDT by Hojczyk
At a conference for investigative reporters, a small group of us circled up and compared notes. We all agreed it’s getting worse.
Several years ago, I began trying to think of ways that our profession could address its problem. How can we install firewalls that keep us separate from corporate and political interests that may seek to improperly sway us?
When news executives are lobbied by the advertising division, corporate bosses or outside interests, they could simply point to policies that don’t allow them to engage outside a carefully set-forth process. Corporate executives above the news division could do the same. In my view, such policies wouldn’t restrict us: they would free us.
But it seems few want to address the elephant in the room.
In the end, the biggest problem just might be self-censorship. Why waste time on stories that will never air, or stories that will only make your professional life difficult? We come to understand what types of stories “they” want and which “they’ll” kill — “they” referring to that nebulous, changeable group of deciders in the news division or on a specific program.
A colleague once told me “they don’t pay” him enough to do stories that take on certain powerful interests. Another says he avoids the hassle by sticking mostly to features about animals and weather. “Everybody’s happy” after those stories, he says. “Nobody complains.”
In this way, the propagandists have accomplished their job without lifting a finger. We’ve done it for them.
All of this explains why, when I read or watch the news, I often wonder what parts might have been forced into the story or what material might have been removed.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Ping to Sharyl’s List Upchuck :)
Every story they “spike” only leads to another Drudge!
That old “Truth to Power” thing is a crock.
Back in the 70s while attending college majoring in broadcast journalism the subject came up in class concerning business affecting the news. I had experience working at small radio stations so I argued with the proffesor that it is common at the smallest of stations.
I explained that all small town stations’ biggest advertisers are banks and car dealerships. I pointed out that if the son of a large advertiser was caught with drugs the station would not air the story and the advertiser wouldn’t even have to say anything. I knew from experience.
Then there’s the story of Henry Luce (Time-Life) accepting something on the order of $50K to spike an embarrassing JFK story in the 1950s.
Institutionalized group-think...
Sharyl Attkisson Ping!
Now available: Sharyl's latest book Smear.
Watch Sharyl host "Full Measure," a Sunday morning talk show on the Sinclair network. More info.
Want on or off this ping list? Just drop me a FReep mail.
Remember how sweet it was for John Edwards to take Elizabeth to Wendy’s or McDonalds whichever for their anniversary. What they didn’t tell us is imedeatly afterwards he would boot her ass to the curb so he could take his sweety to the Ritz Carlton.
obama 3 birth certificates with one having his sisters name on it, removed then obamas name added. Another signed by ukulele
The espionage in congress, IRS scandal etc etc.
“Remember how sweet it was for John Edwards to take Elizabeth to Wendy’s or McDonalds whichever for their anniversary”
OMG, I forgot all about the media slobbering over that...
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