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Is the Paradox of Journalistic Objectivity Smothering Democracy?
6,983 Words 4/23/25
By David Demers
The ethic of objectivity in journalism is under assault again.
If you’re over 65, love political history, or have seen the 2005 movie “Good Night, and Good Luck,” you know what I’m talking about. If not, keep reading.
The ethic — which asserts that truth is best served when journalists keep personal biases and opinions out of stories, cover all sides to a story, and give roughly equal amounts of coverage to all sides — was blamed in the early 1950s for helping to empower right-wing U.S. Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, who falsely accused thousands of Americans of being communists.
Today, the ethic is being criticized for aiding and abetting in the elections of Donald Trump, who as candidate and president has issued many statements and executive orders hostile to democratic processes, civil liberties and due process.
McCarthy’s attempt to push politics to the hard right began faltering after broadcaster Edward R. Murrow shamed him on Murrow’s popular television show “See It Now.” Murrow was no fan of objectivity, which he sometimes referred to as “stenography.” News needed interpretation, because facts rarely speak for themselves. The Senate eventually censured McCarthy.
But today, is it too late to save our representative democracy? ...
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Is the Paradox of Journalistic Objectivity Smothering Democracy?
6,983 Words 4/23/25
By David Demers
The ethic of objectivity in journalism is under assault again.
If you’re over 65, love political history, or have seen the 2005 movie “Good Night, and Good Luck,” you know what I’m talking about. If not, keep reading.
The ethic — which asserts that truth is best served when journalists keep personal biases and opinions out of stories, cover all sides to a story, and give roughly equal amounts of coverage to all sides — was blamed in the early 1950s for helping to empower right-wing U.S. Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, who falsely accused thousands of Americans of being communists.
Today, the ethic is being criticized for aiding and abetting in the elections of Donald Trump, who as candidate and president has issued many statements and executive orders hostile to democratic processes, civil liberties and due process.
McCarthy’s attempt to push politics to the hard right began faltering after broadcaster Edward R. Murrow shamed him on Murrow’s popular television show “See It Now.” Murrow was no fan of objectivity, which he sometimes referred to as “stenography.” News needed interpretation, because facts rarely speak for themselves. The Senate eventually censured McCarthy.
But today, is it too late to save our representative democracy? ...
CLICK PDF ICON ABOVE TO READ REST OF STORY