I have a ritual that everyday I actually watch local news for the full hour. In an hour, minus the weather and sports stories, there are, on average about 13 stories, four of which are headliners. Undoubtedly there is remote coverage with an interview of an eye witness, or an expert contribution. The one thing that really bothers me is that the journalist/anchor actually adds an unsolicited comment about the story that they are (reading) covering. This comment usually always involves a pro-religious statement. A tornado hits and a survivor is found in the rubble. The anchor comments..."God was with them."
What kind of non-journalist bullshit is that?
This crap happens every single news broadcast, on every station, local and national. It shouldn't bother me but it does and here's why.
Journalist are held to an ethics code. They have to be unbiased and factual. They have to be trusted or "news" is not news but rather a series of OP-EDs. Now subject experts or civilian eye witnesses have carte blanche to make such comments but NOT journalist.
It is just another obtrusive invasion of christians dictating to the masses.
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The new journalism schools do not teach that journalism is just a bald reporting of the facts.
New Journalism is about "framing" and "explaining" the story. It is fairly agenda driven, including the downplaying or even the failure to report facts that don't fit the frame.
Don't fret it, just make sure you get your news from a number of different sources.
I do. I use NPR, PBS, BBC, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. I only watch other sources to see what they are covering.
A classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOPonyJ8DhQ
I would not be successful as a TV news reporter :
"An F4 tornado killed 7 people today. I guess God was not on their side. Back to you Al!"