tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17206839.post2814662069801594378..comments2023-09-09T09:26:22.175-04:00Comments on Andrew Samwick's Blog: Should Newspapers Have Editorial Opinions?Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13514024573333057559noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17206839.post-1085799341101690442004-11-15T23:37:00.000-05:002004-11-15T23:37:00.000-05:00The idea that newspapers should cover only "p...The idea that newspapers should cover only "pure news"<br>is suspect. Factual events are easy but each<br>day the newspaper editors have to pick and choose<br>which stories to present and it is not at all<br>clear to me how this can be done without <br>someone's opinion directing it. Newspapers can and<br>should do a better job informing us on what is <br>opinion and what is based on which fact but <br>without opinion and culling, there is no <br>distinguishing between a great<br>newspaper and a rag of factoids.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17206839.post-78363626487167777912004-11-16T01:36:00.000-05:002004-11-16T01:36:00.000-05:00Think about this, Andrew--in other countries like ...Think about this, Andrew--in other countries like England, newspapers have far more explicit political leanings than any US paper, even the Wall Street Journal's op-ed page. Yet many English newspapers like the Guardian, the Financial Times, etc, have excellent reputations for high-quality news coverage.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17206839.post-45496761610166479722004-11-16T12:44:00.000-05:002004-11-16T12:44:00.000-05:00Your link for Brad DeLong goes to a domain squatte...Your link for Brad DeLong goes to a domain squatter. I think you probably meant .net instead of .com. <br><br>As to the topic of editorials, first of all I don't think there's any difference between signed and unsigned editorials. The Manchester Union Leader has a long history of signing their editorials, and IMHO that only reinforces the perception that the far-right agenda of their editors and publishers is entrenched in everything the paper does. Second, I doubt even that completely removing editorial board opinion pieces would do much to change overall perception of bias in different papers. Did CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, and FOX run edtiorials giving their networks' endorsement to either candidate? I'm not aware that they did (or that they didn't for that matter), but I certainly know where each of them is perceived to stand on the political spectrum. I think, therefore, that it is more intellectually honest for editors to, in effect, be saying "We do have opinions. Here they are. Now that you know where we stand, you are better able to judge how well we are meeting our ethical obligation to report news objectively on every other page of our newspaper. Write to us if you disagree with our opinions, and we'll publish your letters."<br><br>-rhs<br>http://smokey.rhs.com/web/blog/rhs.nsfAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17206839.post-43321760719892751992004-11-17T07:05:00.000-05:002004-11-17T07:05:00.000-05:00I see the value of ideological editorials as a fil...I see the value of ideological editorials as a filter, gauge, or correction factor lens which allows one to read the rest of the paper "with a grain of salt".<br><br>If I read the NY Times, I *expect* Bush-bashing. So I adjust in consequence and only pay attention to severe attacks on Bush, while the mild ones are dismissed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com