It's dangerous to tell the truth today in journalism. It creates controversy. It draws criticism. It offends. It might even lead to sponsors (directly offended or answering their offended consumers) complaining or leaving. It might cost the parent mega-corporation money.
That's true for journalism leaning Left or Right. The contrast is not between ideologies, but between "chaos" and "law," being willing to speak unpopular things vs being a journalist to "entertain, amuse and insulate".
Controversy is uncomfortable, disruptive, aggravating — but it provides a way to discuss and discern the truth. Saying only what's popular and comfortable (at large or within a given target demographic) is not just cowardly, but corrosive. If the Fourth Estate as a whole or in particular is unwilling to go beyond their corporate owners' demographic targets, whatever ideology that is (or shapes), then they are as much at fault as as is their audience which does not seek illumination, but comfort.
(h/t +George Wiman)
Lance Mannion: Good Night, and Good Luck and the lost legacy of Murrow’s Boys and Girls
The Mannion boys didn’t know anything about Murrow’s Boys when they requested Good Night, and Good Luck for family movie night last week. They’re both fascinated by history and they knew about Joe McCarthy and liked the idea he was finally brought down by a team of courageous journalists. But they’d never heard of those journalists. They didn’t know about Ed Murrow. They didn’t know about Murrow’s Boys. They didn’t know about CBS News, for that m…