Beating a drum for journalistic integrity
I must defend my opinion (Fence Post, Sept, 28) wherein I criticized the Daily Herald for bashing Republicans (Our View, Sept. 7) for taking on the news media at the Republican Convention.
I said, "Approximately 75 percent of the media personnel have a self-proclaimed liberal voting record... It's only human nature, albeit unethical, for some of them to advance their own ideology by purposely steering those naive enough to believe everything that is spoken or written."
Ms. Rosemary Colbert (Fence Post, Oct. 12) says, "Why do these people think every newspaper in this country should publish in lock step 100 percent in favor of everything Republicans do and want? Is this their definition of democracy?"
Colbert proves my point how biases distort. I implied nothing of the kind.
Most Democrats are not offended with my inference that the media is "in the tank" for Obama. They're happy with the extra help.
I then said, "Let's see if the Daily Herald will practice what they preach by not engaging in candidate endorsements. After all, endorsements serve no purpose except to steer the voter."
Colbert says, "... thank God we still have an objective newspaper like the Daily Herald that at least tries to remember we still live in a democracy and realizes that all sides of any issue need to be told so the reading public can make an informed decision based on their open minded conclusions garnered from factual, non-biased reporting."
Colbert and I have two distinct opinions of the Daily Herald's politics.
In my opinion, a newspaper that gives equal treatment to all candidates' ideology and accomplishments, but stops short of endorsing a particular candidate, engages in objective journalism.
Anyone can think what they want, but engaging in candidate endorsements is subjective journalism - i.e. prejudiced, biased, and self-serving - even if these endorsements appear on the editorial page.
Like it or not, I and other like-minded Republicans will continue to beat the drum for journalistic integrity which I thought was an ideal of a free press.
Frank Gabl
Prospect Heights