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September 8, 2004
Reporting the facts...
The whole problem with 527s disappears if the press does its job. Or, rather, if the press rediscovered the meaning of "objective" reporting.
The politically useless he-said, she-said stenography that passes for so much political reporting is only possible when the press misunderstands objectivity. Objectivity is not a stance; it's a process. And it does not and cannot produce or guarantee journalism that reports events "as they are." No such thing is possible because there is no such thing as the world "as it is." We understand everything in human experience in human terms. And that means we give the world meaning in conjunction with the physical realities we encounter with our human senses and human understanding.
The fairness bias of journalism dictates that journalists should get "both sides" of the story--a laudable goal for the most part. The fairness bias combined with objectivity-as-a-stance dictates that journalists should write down whatever happens or whatever is said and relay it without comment. Checking the facts and reporting the results of such checking is considered by many journalists to be commenting on events or what was said. Such journalists believe it is up to citizens to figure it out.
Good journalism must operate with a discipline of verification, according to Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel. Part of what this should mean is that reporters follow the objective process of reporting as they verify the facts and report the results of that verification as news.
This kind of reporting is hard work. He-said, she-said reporting is the easiest reporting of all. I hate to even dignify it with the term "reporting." And, like so many things that come easy, it is nearly useless in fulfilling one of the long-held missions of journalism: to give citizens the information and knowledge necessary to exercise citizenship.
With a discipline of verification and operating as custodians of fact at the heart of journalism (and, in particular, political reporting), the damage caused by the lies of 527 advertising is severely mitigated.
I think it's always a bad idea to curtail speech. Let candidates and their organizations raise all the money they want and spend it any way they want. Let them spout whatever nonsense they please. None of that is a danger to the republic when the press operates with a discipline of verification and as custodians of fact. Citizens would then know how to figure it all out: read the morning newspaper.
Posted by acline at September 8, 2004 8:21 AM | | Spotlight