Monday, March 24, 2008

The Case for Full Disclosure

In a rare (I think) moment of journalistic candor, TIME Magazine’s James Poniewozik argues that reporters should fully disclose their political leanings in the course of their reporting. He asks the question, “What happens when the public finds out the press is full of Democrats?… would they trust us less? Hey maybe they should. And maybe we should view their criticism as a help, not an annoyance.”

In a pull quote from the article he also says, “To say that offering more information makes us less credible is absurd. When else do reporters argue that their audience must be protected from knowledge?”

Read the article here. I find his views refreshing and honest. Unfortunately these are rare commodities in today’s highly charged political climate.
—Robert McLaughlin

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