This article by Ted Koppel (host of ABC's "Nightline" for 25 years) explains what has changed in the TV news business in the United States over the last 40 years. In a nutshell, increasingly viewers only want to watch news that reinforces their beliefs, exemplified on the left by MSNBC's Keith Olbermann and on the right by Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly. They don't want to be bothered anymore with boring old newscasts that dig deeply into facts and strive to be unbiased. No--they'd rather listen to hot heads (or cool heads) pummeling the oppostion. Much more entertaining.
I recognize this tendency in myself, by the way, particularly when it comes to online commentary. I have two (quite biased) websites about public affairs I go to over and over. Seldom would I want to know what the other side might have to say. Part of my reason for this is that, generally speaking, the other side (like my side, but more so--in my opinion!) is just shooting its collective mouth off.
Neverthless I do believe that on U.S. television there remains at least one bastion of relative objectivity: the PBS News Hour with Jim Lehrer. I know many will say that the bias is clear. But I disagree. Relatively speaking, interviews and reports do not tip left or right. The fact that Lehrer is chosen so often to moderate presidential debates supports this view.
Journalists who work to find out where the truth lies instead of just spouting opinions, I believe, are on the side of the angels. They are doing their part to "get the truth out there" (see post for Oct. 16).
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