The Profession

1. Would you rather get the story right or get the story first?

The consequences of getting the story first and wrong far outweigh the benefits of getting it right and first. I don't remember who gets a story first, but I do remember who gets a story wrong. I will learn about a story from whoever breaks it first, but I will follow and really know the story from whoever I normally go to for news. For example, ABC News was the first to get these never-before-seen aerial photos from September 11th, but I looked at them on CNN. I won't remember who got a story first, but I will remember that CBS got this George W. Bush story wrong, and other instances like this.

2. Would you ever badger an unwilling informant to get a good story?

As a sports reporter, I can't imagine any sports story being so important that I would go through the trouble of trying to pry information out of someone. There are plenty of good stories to tell in sports, and I would likely move on to the next one. For news reporters, there are important stories, and their answers might be different than those of sports reporters.

3. Would you ever use confidential documents without permission for a good story?

No. Even if it is a hassle, I always make sure I get permission to use and information or images that I do. Especially if they are confidential, I get permission.

4. Do you think journalists are necessary watchdogs when it comes to the government?

Absolutely. Since a lot of Americans don't even watch the news or read a newspaper, they absolutely don't watch C-SPAN or read Congressional Quarterly. Americans do not learn about the government first-hand. They learn about it through news organizations. Without them, the government could easily divulge what they want to divulge and cover up what they want to cover up.

5. What is most important to you:
a. having a large (reader) following
b. earning high profits
c. producing quality journalism

I'm going to say 'a', and here's why. A journalist can produce quality journalism and not have a large following. But, I think journalists' large followings reflect their quality journalism. Viewers/readers know quality journalism. They're not stupid. I think 'a' includes 'c' most of the time, but not necessarily the other way around.

Media Bias

The group that presented in class highlighted 7 types of media bias. As a broadcast journalism major, I am focusing on the television media, and as a (former) political science minor, I am focusing on political bias.

- Political

It is no secret that Fox News is conservative and MSNBC is liberal. I don't think it is such a bad thing. Still, both sides are being represented. What is disturbing is when people refuse to recognize those biases. Fox News still claims to be "Fair and Balanced" and this advisor of President Obama was hesitant to say that MSNBC is biased. The New York Times seems to get it though.

I think very highly of Tom Brokaw as well as of his successor Brian Williams. I do not detect political bias in their reporting. That, and the fact that John Williams composed the theme for "NBC Nightly News" is why I like watching NBC News.

Both MSNBC and Fox News provide meaningful political coverage on their cable networks. I do not feel they are deceptive in their bias, and for that reason do not mind it. But as Campbell Brown said at the end of her broadcast, "When you just target one side, you reveal your own bias -- that you are only critical of those who are critical of you". Thus, government, private institutions, and individuals must not pretend that the bias does not exist.