Posted on 11/28/2014 7:40:25 AM PST by Academiadotorg
Ten years after they eliminated journalism as a major, Texas A&M has revived the program with the goal of teaching future journalists how to be objective and unbiased in their reporting, according to the tamuTimes. texas a&m students
The program will be directed by veteran journalist Dale Rice, whose journalism career spanned 35 years.
Rice said that while today’s journalism can be heavy on opinion and light on objectivity, the revived major will strive to change that trend by training future journalists to report the news without bias:
Our underlying philosophy is we teach students how to put bias aside to cover a story. They learn to gather information, report it fairly and report both sides of the story.
That’s a noble goal and one that Accuracy in Media has been advocating for more than 45 years, but it has been largely ignored by journalism schools, where fact-checking and objectivity have too often become a foreign concept.
But Rice is going to try. He believes that one thing that sets his students apart is their adherence to Texas A&M’s Core Values:
It’s important for our journalism program to supply objective journalists who cover issues that are critical to the state and nation. The principles of free press given to us by our forefathers have not changed. As a flagship university, it is critical we play an important role in carrying out that mission and I’m a huge proponent of sending Aggie journalists into the world for that reason.
It will be a few years before we will be able to tell whether or not Rice remains true to his words by churning out objective, unbiased journalists. But if he does, it will be a major achievement.
Don Irvine is the chairman of Accuracy in Media, our sister organization.
Given it is the primary reason for entering this “field”, how do they figure on being successful?
.....And put back opinion where it belongs, in the editorial and commentary pages.
The Aggies can pull something like this off.
First step, either always put the party name next to the corrupt official that got busted doing bad things, or never put the party name.
Currently, the way you know it is a Democrat is because they don’t list the political party or put it WAY down in the article... vs. putting Republican in the headline and R by the name throughout the article.
Like trying to reform Stalinism from within. Not a snowball’s chance in Hades.
Only persistent and pervasive pressure form the outside — especially targeting the assets of the corporations who own ABCCBSNBCCNN — will have any effect on bringing down their ongoing criminal conspiracy to defraud the American people, the US Constitution and the profession of journalism.
that’s a great idea. I usually know it’s a Democrat when I am unfamiliar with the official by the fact that they don’t mention the party affiliation. Can’t recall one story on Bob McDonnell that didn’t.
Often times you NEED both inside and outside pressures. The good news is that BOTH FoxNews and the INTERNET is rendering ABCCBCNBCCNN as shells of their former selves.
Nice idea, but it would limit their potential job pool.
Most broadcast and print media are biased and onboard with particular political agendas. Such news sources are not looking for objectivity or unbiased reporting. The list of major media that have become little more than propaganda devises includes most mainstream media.
Look at those who left (for whatever reason) FoxNews, where they were seemingly leaning conservative, to join competing news sources, where they are seemingly leaning progressive/liberal.
Additionally, consider how many of those major news outlets have manufactured or manipulated data to fit an agenda. Many of them many have reported and continue to report lies as facts.
It’s more than a little possible that “news” organizations will react to a job applicant holding a degree in journalism from Texas A & M the same way that a werewolf reacts to garlic.
And how do they get a job at any paper or local network affiliate in the nation if they haven't become skilled at inserting liberal talking points into every incident they report on?
Good point. As far as Fox News goes... it reminds me of what the Chinese used to say about Mao... 70% good, 30% bad. I think that’s about the right formula for Fox (although sometimes it seems more like 45% good, 55% bad).
Just another reason Texas is the greatest state in the union.
The Five Ws would require too much spelling and “Just the facts Ma”am” would never get past the Womens’ Studies department;>)
Dear Alice,
Having read your blog posting “Darren Wilson And George Zimmerman Described Mike Brown and Trayvon Martin The Same Way” I find it interesting how you skipped over the fact that Brown attacked Wilson in the police car punching him in the face several times while attempting to grab the officer’s gun, which went off in the car. That was the first shot fired which is not the first shot you describe in your commentary.
You also omitted how the 6’5” tall 289 pound “gentle giant” robbed and manhandled a diminutive shopkeeper just prior to assaulting a police officer.
Your agenda driven selective reporting is typical of your ilk.
As for Trayvon Martin’s close friend’s statement about Martin being a good human, good humans don’t try to pound neighborhood watchman’s heads into the cement while stating you’re going to die tonight.
Are you really that naïve? Take off your blinders lady. You will get a better view of the real world around you before it bites you in the ass.
The fact that a school of journalism attracts headlines for trying to teach students to be unbiased says a lot about the current state of journalism.
Yep.
5.56mm
The J school kids I remember were more interested in changing society than covering and writing about events. The cynicism was hip deep.
Good point; an honest journalist won’t find work in the field (or they would have to sell their souls to do so). The lying Quislings on your screen doesn’t believe the nonsense they spout (as evidenced by their own lifestyles and choices); they are paid to PRETEND they do.
Students going to journalism school will be disappointed to find only brothels are hiring...
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