FAIRNESS IN REPORTING ... (OR LACK OF IT)

Yesterday I wrote a piece concerning the bias (conservative and liberal both) in mainstream media reporting. Bias again is rearing it's head in a big way through one of the major media outlets, at the same time the Project in Excellence in Journalism's report came out with it's findings. For those of you who may have missed it, CNN reporter Drew Griffin interviewed Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The topics and questions were very broad in scope, and Governor Palin actually did a good job in her responses. Now, I bring this up in a report on bias for this reason, during the interview, Drew Griffin brought up an article the was printed in the National Review. Griffin stated that in the article, many conservatives aren't sure if Governor is either incompetent, stupid or just doesn't know what she is doing. Palin responded to Griffin's question, asking who had written that. Griffin failed to give a name and avoided Palin's question.

Here's the problem that I have with this. In response to Griffin's information about statements made in the National Review, Byron York, of the National Review, refuted that any such article or statements have been made, and that CNN's Drew Griffin apparently has the facts wrong. So, where did the information come from? Apparently, this was a blatant attempt to catch Governor Palin off guard with an extremely controversial and one sided, albeit, totally made-up statement. CNN has refused to retract the statement or to make a correction in regards to their information on the origins of Drew Griffin's statement to Governor Palin.

This brings us to the Project in Excellence in Journalism's report. The report states that in stories regarding John McCain, 57% were negative and only 14% were positive, and the rest were considered neutral in nature. The same cannot be said when it comes to Barack Obama. The report indicates that in stories about Obama, 36% were positive, 29% negative and 35% neutral. Governor Palin, according to the report, has received 3 times as many stories about her than Joe Biden. 39% were negative, 33% were neutral and only 28% were positive in nature. The Project in Excellence in Journalism reviewed more than 2100 stories from more than 48 different media outlets.

The report is an indication that the media cares more about their own candidates and party than in fair and impartial reporting, in the search for truth. There used to be a time that reporters were the one incorruptable entity in America, news was the news, facts were facts and truth was the truth. We lost this when the news cared more about their own image than the image of other people. Now news outlets favor reporters that use tactics and lies to preserve their own corporate image and the image of their candidate.

The reason that we began this news letter was because we were tired of hearing only one side to the story. I feel it is my obligation and responsibility to continue to report both sides of every story. I can only hope that we as Americans can finally see through the haze created by the mainstream media, and begin to seek the truth for themselves, because apparently they aren't going to get it from mainstream media agencies.

Jordan Fleck.