A NY Times Reporter Tries to Understand OCS...

[wink]

Not by much.

I disagree. The truth of the matter is that many reporters these days are very nearly opinion writers. But if their works are on the news pages they become a legitimate target for their yellow journalism. An opinion/columnist or even a feature writer is not bound by the same journalist standards a reporter is. I once sat through a very news worthy trial for days. I saw several reporters come and go throughout the proceedings. The day after the verdict a feature/columnist that took exception to the jury's decision wrote a piece that blasted the defense attorneys and the defendants. His piece was full of key errors, and misrepresentations. And it was no wonder. He wasn't in the court room for a day of the trial. He never witnessed a thing in person. Complaints were met with the advisement that since he was a columnist he could "say" what ever he wanted!! A reporter, on the news pages, could not get away with that.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

I disagree.

Actually, you are agreeing with me.

The truth of the matter is that many reporters these days are very nearly opinion writers.

And that's my point exactly!

A reporter, on the news pages, could not get away with that.

I don't dispute that. But "reporters" are pretty good at taking their bias right up to the edge and still be able to call their work journalism.

 

[wink]

Actually, you are agreeing with me.

And that's my point exactly!

OK, I see that we came at it from different directions and have the same basic opinion. I have to tell you though, in the case I referenced, the writer wrote things that he didn't hear or see because he wasn't there, that were incorrect, and nearly libel. Now a news reporter may push the limit on occasion, but I guarantee you that a reporter that filed a story like this one would have been fired when caught. This guy is still a feature columnist at the largest newspaper in a top 15 market because he is not a news reporter, just a slime ball.:icon_rage