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ACTION: Monitor news outlets - whether newspapers, TV, radio and more - to keep them ethical and responsible Journalists.
God knows we need help on this one. When reporters for ABC and Washington Post acknowledge that their companies and most reporters gave Barack Obama a pass in the 2008 election, you have a problem. I personally think that you can have a greater effect on your local paper than with national papers and media. That's because
YOU CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE HERE.
1. Make sure that you're a news Junkie in either national or local politics
2. Read your local or city paper
3. Identify certain areas - Current Events, Frontpage, local politics, business - that keenly interests you.
4. Form a group of like minded individuals to scrutinize a story. Maybe you can do one or two a week.
5. NAME the journalists, refer to the standards of the Society of Professionals Journalists - and point out that Journalists particular violations of these ethics.
6. Create a website to post criticism of the local journalist and their poorly written work. By naming them, you are making them more accountable to the public.
7. Journalists rely upon their written work for future jobs. In essence, by criticizing their present work, you are raining on their future resume - if they deserve it.
8. Hold yourself and your crew to the highest journalistic standards. Don't demean, ridicule, etc., Let the standards speak for themselves.
RESOURCES:
Newsbusters
Media Research Center
Keeping an eye on the media well after the Dan Rather scandal (called Rathergate), you can still read about media bias coverage at Rathergate.com. The most recent scandals is the rejection of the New York Times of the John McCain essay. McCain is responding to the previous Obama essay in the New York Times. The NYT Editor Shipley's excuses are lame and self-serving...but that's the New York Times.
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