Should "the media" defend itself if it is attacked by newsmakers?

We should always defend ourselves – unless our conduct is, indeed, indefensible.

 

If more of this "citizen journalism" shit keeps growing and Billy CrazySports gains more of a foothold, in five years you may see him doing the opening instead of Williams.

 

These days, the numbers are pretty small.

 

Infinitesimal

 

It would be difficult to defend Olberman after this past week.

 

He actually really behaved himself during the RNC.

 

Its because Olberman talks out of his ass with half-truths and one-sided ideology. He's like Fox News for the Dems. He should have stuck to sports. That's all for my thread-jack.

 

The media should definitely defend themselves against attacks, and they don't do enough of that right now. It isn't about distinguishing "legitimate" media from amateurs, it's about maintaining the right relationship between journalists and the public -- one where journalists are informing the public (a good, cooperative relationship) rather than manipulating the public as they are accused of (an adversarial relationship). The more attacks that go unanswered, the more adversarial the relationship between journalists and the people they serve becomes.

 

Remember, we always bat last.

 

No, I think the historians bat clean-up ...

 

Problem is, certain power brokers have figured out that if you scream loud enough about bias or perceived unfair coverage, the media tends to instinctively back down. The Republicans have turned this tactic into an art form and the Dems have done it too. We as journalists collectively need to stiffen our spines and learn not to back off a story simply because someone cries "bias."