An entirely unfair analysis of why American newspapers suck

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of spending an evening at Ryerson University in Toronto with new media theorist Clay Shirky debating the future of news. After our public discussion, somebody in the audience asked why American newspapers are in so much worse a state that those in Europe or Latin America.

The explanation is cultural. In contrast with the rest of the world, there is an illusion in the United States – both amongst newspaper readers and publishers – about the seductive ideal of objective news. In America, serious newspapers are held up to be public paragons of objectivity existing above the fray of human affairs, unbiasedly funneling paragraphs of absolute truth to their readers. This accounts, of course, for the pinching seriousness of papers like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. And it also explains why these newspapers are constantly targeted by the braying mob for their supposed liberal and conservative bias.

This also explains the appalling seriousness of the American newspaper editor..... MORE

Comments

[ChristianK]

I don't think it's accurate to call that cultural problem of US newspaper objectivity.

It hasn't much to do with being objective but with not taking an independent stance.

In Germany we for example have a political culture where journalists don't say how they vote or recommand that voters should vote for a particular candidate. Such a culture doesn't exist in the US.

Don't be political means, choosing not to be the forth branch of the political system.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/09/17/time/index.html Glenn Greenwald does a good job of analysing that type of US media culture.

[construction magazine]

I think it's accurate to call that cultural problem of US newspaper objectivity.

It has much to do with being objective but with not taking an independent stance.

In Germany we for example have a political culture where journalists don't say how they vote or recommand that voters should vote for a particular candidate.

[job site india]

In Germany we for example have a political culture where journalists don't say how they vote or recommand that voters should vote for a particular candidate. Such a culture doesn't exist in the US.

[Cheap kitchen cabinets]

It has much to do with being objective but with not taking an independent stance.

In Germany we for example have a political culture where journalists don't say how they vote or recommend that voters should vote for a particular candidate. Such a culture doesn't exist in the US.