[Vision2020] being fair and even

[Kai Eiselein, Editor]

Objectivity and balance are two different things.
Objectivity is the ability to put aside one's own biases and report honestly 
and factually. Believe me when I say it is harder to do in a small market 
where everybody knows you than it is in the anonymity of a large market.  I 
image it is even harder if a journalist has friends in a small market.
I have had people come into my office and scream at me, and I do mean 
scream, at the top of their lungs about an article I wrote. I doubt that 
happens at big city papers. Point of pride: I've even had a lawyer yell at 
me in a courtroom over an article.
Balance is making sure one gets as many sides of a given story as possible, 
pro, con or indifferent. For instance, take the issue of dam removal. 
Simplistically there are just two sides; pro and con.
But dig deeper into it and you've got power companies, electricity 
consumers, salmon recovery, tribal customs, tourism, transportation issues, 
agriculture issues that tie into transportation and irrigation and the 
economic impact on a region that is larger than some states. It's not so 
simple, is it?
One thing that drives me nuts are J-students who come in wanting to "change 
the world". We are not here to change it, we are here to report on it, to 
let others see the facts in the light of day and to let others change it 
based on those facts. At least that's how it was explained to me by my 
grandfather, great-grandfather and great-uncle. 
http://issuu.com/mjr50/docs/2008mjr_sm_
Writing a story containing just one view has a name: "Public Relations", 
stay away from it, it's evil.

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Sue Hovey" <suehovey at moscow.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 1:35 PM
To: "lfalen" <lfalen at turbonet.com>; <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] being fair and even

> Roger,
>
> No, I think you aren't evenhanded in your jokes and other emails, but 
> truly
> I don't care. It was a concern you expressed and then didn't follow 
> through
> on.    I know I'm not out to make sure the critcial material I send out
> about the Current Resident (as Garrison Keilor calls him) is balanced by
> something positive about him.  I don't have the time, energy or desire to
> dig that deeply.  Now to segue into this:  In the book, THE DEVIL IN 
> DOVER,
> Lauri Lebo addresses the idea of "fair and balanced" journalism thusly:
>
> "Somewhere along the line, we as journalists have gotten confused by a
> misguided notion of objectivity.  It is our job to inform readers of the
> truth,.........even if it means the stories are no longer "balanced."
>
> And, by the way, this is a really fine book.  Lebo is a hometown 
> journalist
> who covered the trial between the Dover (PA) School District and local
> parents, who went to court when the board imposed the teaching of
> Intelligent Design in science classes.  It was one of the best of my 
> summer
> reading.
>
> Sue Hovey
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "lfalen" <lfalen at turbonet.com>
> To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 10:28 AM
> Subject: [Vision2020] being fair and even
>
>
>> Sue doesn't think I'e been fair and even in the ridicule or poking fun at
>> department. I think that Saundra's George Bush cartoon was a fair 
>> response
>> to my kittens joke. I will give her another one. The radio talk show 
>> hosts
>> have been belittling Obama for his " that is a higher pay grade than me"
>> answer at the Saddleback Forum. I don't see a problem with it. He could
>> have been referring to God. Who knows? In any case why waste time on it.
>> There are more important thing to be worried about. For instance he said
>> "It will be necessary to restructure the entire american economy. That
>> translates to full blown socialism if not communism to me. That scares 
>> the
>> hell out of me.
>>
>> Roger
>>
>> =======================================================
>> List services made available by First Step Internet,
>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>>               http://www.fsr.net
>>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>> =======================================================
>>
>
> =======================================================
> List services made available by First Step Internet,
> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>               http://www.fsr.net
>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================
>
Kai Eiselein
Editor, Latah Eagle