Technically speaking, this isn't journalism, but opinion writing. Trenchant and well-done opinion, but it's far from journalism.
Posted at 2007-11-28 07:28:17 [PermaLink]"Technically speaking, this isn't journalism, but opinion writing. Trenchant and well-done opinion, but it's far from journalism."--Bob
Hmmm, in the modern incarnation of 'journalism' I seriously doubt that these fine distinctions between 'opinion' and 'reality' are very much observed. Are you saying that ,for example, the NYTs engages in 'journalism' apart from its editorial pages where it indulges in 'opinion' ? If so I beg to differ. IMO it and its fellow travelers engage in 'opinion' just about everywhere. The only difference is that in some sections of the output they actually label it as such.
Opinion pieces are a perfectly respectable type of journalism. Were Walter Lippman and George Bain not journalists? The first two pieces are clearly labeled as opinion, the third is reporting (though I agree, especially in the British press and increasingly in the Canadian, reporting is becoming much more opinionated. The Americans still do a rather better job of maintaining the difference.
One real problem in Canada is all the "reporters" who then go on political talk shows and give their opinions. How then can we take their reporting at face value?
Mark
Ottawa