Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 12/15/2010 6:43:17 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
You think the most essential purpose of journalism and the reason the Founders included freedom of the press in the First Amendment was to insure independent reporting about government, politicians, and public policy issues, right?
Well, you must be wrong because Fox News Washington Bureau Chief Bill Sammon is getting a raft of garbage from liberal activists masquerading as journalists at Media Matters, some liberal bloggers and a scattering of real journalists who ought to know better.
Why? Politico’s headline captures the controversy perfectly: “Fox editor urged climate skepticism.”
A journalist being skeptical? Who would ever have thought such a thing could be. I don’t know, maybe anybody who has heard this (attributed long ago to a crusty desk editor at the illustrious City News Bureau in Chicago): “If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out.”
In other words, we journalists are paid to BE SKEPTICAL.
For the record, here’s what Sammon said in a Dec. 8, 2009, memo to his reporting staff shortly after the Climategate global warming email scandal erupted:
“Given the controversy over the veracity of climate change data, we should refrain from asserting that the planet has warmed (or cooled) in any given period without IMMEDIATELY pointing out that such theories are based upon data that critics have called into question. It is not our place as journalists to assert such notions as facts, especially as this debate intensifies.”
SNIP Note that Sammon includes both those who say the planet has warmed – i.e. global warming advocates – and those who claim the opposite, that the planet has cooled – global warming critics. How much more even-handed – dare I say it, fair and balanced? – can the guy be?
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
Reporters are the most unskeptical people around whenever a Democrat initiative makes the news.
Reporters should always be skeptical. Non-skeptical reporters are idiots.
Decisions decisions.
The left thinks anybody who disagrees with their doctrine is insane and should be forced into a mental ward and then a red-education camp.
Well said and exactly right. Those that aren't skeptical are part of the MSM/left agenda, accepting what they are told.
Now that is refreshing and worth repeating.
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