My View: Don't Buy Into Media BiasBy News Director Bob LongoPOSTED: 3:51 pm EDT October 22, 2004 Peter Jennings is ... James Bond.  Suave and debonair, not a cold-hearted killer. When I say James Bond, I say it with the utmost respect. It is a compliment, not a wisecrack.I don't want to sound like a name-dropper, but I spent a little time with him during his visit to Pittsburgh and WTAE. Every time he spoke, I expected a well-timed Ian Fleming quip. Every time he moved, I half expected secret agent reflexes.And I have to say, I was not disappointed.I think the media -- all media -- is guilty of labeling people, causes, events and such. It makes it easier to do our job if we can package a cute moniker with a raw emotion or a great sound bite or terrific piece of video.It has probably made it easy over the years for people to label Jennings. I've heard the labels and read them in your e-mails. Liberal. Left-leaning. Canadian.We all have our own personal beliefs. You and I are no different. Neither is Jennings or anyone else in the media -- no matter what some say.And really, that should be nothing to worry about. Having opinions is natural. You have them. Your parents, kids, in-laws, neighbors and co-workers have them.It is also natural for people in my profession, myself included, to check our emotions and opinions at the door when we go to work. You should worry about the media person who says they have no opinions or bias to check. Worry.My number one objective is to be fair. Fairness and accuracy are the commodities most desired by those who work here. Combine those attributes with intelligence, perseverance and creativity, and you've really got something.We're not on any witch hunt and we don't have an agenda just because we're in the media. That's labeling. That's media bias you've bought into.And Peter Jennings' reporting doesn't push an agenda either. He and his staff worked tirelessly and nearly around the clock to tell their Pittsburgh stories on "World News Tonight" and prep for our Town Hall Meeting. They checked and double-checked facts and figures, the pronunciations of our rivers and politicians. Getting it right was their main concern. And it is every day. And not just with WTAE and "World News Tonight," but with nearly all true news organizations.The bias comes from opinionists who populate shows like "Crossfire" and "Hardball." They aren't journalists telling stories. Many are former political operatives who act like journalists. Shame on them for blatantly shilling. For shouting down intelligent discourse and for impersonating a journalist on TV.They confuse the issues and the viewers. In these days leading up to this election, watch less of the opinionists and more of straight newscasts. Read articles not editorials. Search the Internet for facts and figures from independent sources.Make up your own mind. Be smart and act independently ... like James Bond. Previous Columns:
Copyright 2004 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | WTAE-TV Pittsburgh on Facebook
|
| ||||||||
   |
| |||||||
