Should Journalism Abandon Neutrality?

DO YOU TRUST WHAT you see on television news? Apparently most people do not. Fox News scored the highest in a recent poll, with 49 percent of the people questioned answering that they trust the right leaning network. Republicans trust Fox News at 74 percent, while only trusting the the other four major networks at 23 percent. Democrats only trust Fox News at 30 percent. Independents hated all five network news outlets in the study.“A generation ago...

STAY AWAKE! Citizen Journos Are Everywhere!

A PUBLIC TRANSIT passenger in Toronto snapped a photo of a transit worker snoozing in a ticket booth, and then posted the image to TwitPic. The image soon became news fodder - it symbolized rider frustration over fare increases and questionable service. A transit worker union official was upset that the photographer didn't stop to see if the transit worker was fine - or even alive.Is it responsible for journalists to use this image in newspapers...

Journalism High Road or Missing the Boat?

TIGER WOODS HAS reportedly checked into some sort of clinic in Hattiesburg, Mississippi for sex addicts, and the media have pounced on the story. The local newspaper in Hattiesburg, however, refuses to stalk the golf superstar."Unless there is some confirmation from the clinic or Woods himself, we don't intend to assign a reporter/photographer team to this story," reads an editorial in the paper.Are they missing the boat on a giant story? Or are...

What is The Role of The Journalist?

CNN'S ANDERSON COOPER has been on the streets of Haiti, which suffered a devastating earthquake last week. While shooting video and reporting on looters in Port au Prince, Cooper helped a boy who had been bashed in the head with a brick.Traditionally, journalists have documented action and remained impartial, objective and distant from that action. The idea is that journalists should not interfere and become part of the news story that is unfolding.So, was it wrong for Cooper to help the child? What would you have do...

Is It Wrong To Pay For Information?

CONSUMERS OF INFORMATION pay for that information - whether you receive it from a newspaper you bought, a magazine you subscribe to or the broadcast news for which you pay a cable bill. Even if you get your news online, you pay for your Internet service. Information is not free.If it is understood that we pay for information, is it wrong for the content generators to pay for information as well?Recently deceased sports broadcaster George Michael...

See You In The Funny Pages. Or Maybe Not.

NEWSPAPERS ARE changing, that's for sure. As readers get diverted to other outlets like cable television and online sites, newspapers are adapting. No longer do they strive to be the comprehensive tomes they once were. With thinner staffs and smaller budgets, they can only run so much stuff. For instance, many newspapers eliminated stock listings years ago. The Washington Times recently eliminated their entire sports section. Then they chopped off...

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