Planet Sillicon

Injustice in the media

By blog on May. 30, 2009.

I my last entry I wrote of an interview of Bill Clinton with Chris Wallace. Whilst watching it I was struck with a palpable sense of injustice. If you read this blog often, you will know that I can be somewhat passionate about certain things, I get worked up about stuff. I get irritated to the point of being scathing of my fellow man… but… but this just left me feeling angry and quiet.

We all know there is a journalistic creed, penned by Walter Williams back in 1906. I am going to include it in this post because, whilst I am not a journalist, I think that everyone who writes in a public forum should be aware of it, and more than that, everyone who reads anything written by journalists should know what one of their own thought they should adhere to.

I believe in the profession of Journalism.

I believe that the public journal is a public trust; that all connected with it are, to the full measure of responsibility, trustees for the public; that acceptance of lesser service than the public service is a betrayal of this trust.

I believe that clear thinking, clear statement, accuracy and fairness are fundamental to good journalism.

I believe that a journalist should write only what he holds in his heart to be true. I believe that suppression of the news, for any consideration other than the welfare of society, is indefensible.

I believe that no one should write as a journalist what he would not say as a gentleman; that bribery by one’s own pocket book is as much to be avoided as bribery by the pocketbook of another; that individual responsibility may not be escaped by pleading another’s instructions or another’s dividends.

I believe that advertising, news and editorial columns should alike serve the best interests of readers; that a single standard of helpful truth and cleanness should prevail for all; that supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its public service.

I believe that the journalism which succeeds the best-and best deserves success-fears God and honors man; is stoutly independent; unmoved by pride of opinion or greed of power; constructive, tolerant but never careless, self-controlled, patient, always respectful of its readers but always unafraid, is quickly indignant at injustice; is unswayed by the appeal of the privilege or the clamor of the mob; seeks to give every man a chance, and as far as law, an honest wage and recognition of human brotherhood can make it so, an equal chance; is profoundly patriotic while sincerely promoting international good will and cementing world-comradeship, is a journalism of humanity, of and for today’s world.

Now, does what that little smug schmuck Wallace do in that interview look anything like William’s creed? No. So where along the way was it that so many journalists sacrificed integrity and honesty? William’s suggest that all journalists should never write something a gentleman wouldn’t say, and I have to say, that is something that many a journalist would do well to remember today. And I don’t buy the crap about ‘it’s what the people want’ because this person wants William’s accurate and fair news, not the crap you see in that interview.