Doesn't it seem like we're hearing an awful lot of lamentation these days about institutions and people dropping "even the pretense" of:
• accountability to the American people?
• objectivity in news reporting?
• holding educators accountable?
• transparency in public relations?
• rhetorical fairness?
• caring about the poor?
• driving to the hoop without traveling?
So many pretenses are being dropped, in fact, that there may be an upside: Can we at least hope, when all is said and done, to live in a less pretentious society?
Comments (7)
Um, what about all the people that still believe in the "pretense"? Something tells me they are still in the majority.
Posted by Susan | April 25, 2008 3:35 PM
Posted on April 25, 2008 15:35
Maybe the only list where "accountability to the American people" and "driving to the hoop without traveling" are considered both paramount.
Posted by Kasia | April 25, 2008 3:44 PM
Posted on April 25, 2008 15:44
Maybe the only list where "accountability to the American people" and "driving to the hoop without traveling" are both considered paramount.
Posted by Kasia | April 25, 2008 3:44 PM
Posted on April 25, 2008 15:44
But there is a decline in the objectivity and value in news reporting. I don't give a frick what's up with J-Lo or Britney. So why does all news have to be covered through the celebrity lens? Responsible public affairs reporting is dying an ugly death. Consumer affairs reporting, too.
Posted by Amy | April 28, 2008 8:34 AM
Posted on April 28, 2008 08:34
No doubt, Amy--big post on this coming up this week.
I'll tackle the loose NBA officiating next month.
Posted by David Murray | April 28, 2008 10:31 AM
Posted on April 28, 2008 10:31
[OLD FART OBSERVATION ALERT]
When there were only three channels of TV in your town, each with a half hour of news at 6 and 11, and two or more competing newspapers, news was different. The "weather girl" in her fine cleavagry and short skirt told us everything we needed to know about the weather in 15 seconds: cold, windy, snow, etc. If we were lucky, it was: warm, balmy, sunshine, etc.
But I digress... Along comes CNN. Down goes circulation among competing dailies. (Those two events not related.) These events lead to: "Will you need your raincoat tomorrow? Tune in for the answer at 11!" And that delicious sound bite is delivered by a fully qualified meteorologist. Maybe you've figured out that I believe the talking head can give me everything I need to know about the weather in 15 seconds. We don't need no stinkin' meteorologist.
But I digress further... Cut to the chase, Will! The 24-hour news cycle has spawned the tabloid/yellow journalism mentality that we all see, all complain about and are all helpless to do anything about. It's here, and it ain't going away anytime soon.
There's more...
The 1960s changed everything. Mainstream media was middle-aged white men, mostly. Those were the guys who would keep secret the fact that our president lived in a wheelchair as a result of infantile paralysis (polio). They were the guys who would make "deals" with politicians and keep "hands off" their personal lives. All that changed when the old guard was replaced by the young journalism students of the 60s. Tom Wolfe gave us "New Journalism" and Hunter Thompson gave us "Gonzo Journalism."
The above history lesson was for the young journalist/PR person/communicator who has no firsthand knowledge of how it used to be.
Will
Posted by Will Daniel | April 28, 2008 10:54 AM
Posted on April 28, 2008 10:54
How about just freakin' fact checking?
Posted by Dan Grubbs | May 6, 2008 5:05 PM
Posted on May 6, 2008 17:05