Re: Petah Ahnett

["Mark Laurence" <mlaurence@mindspring.com>]

On 31 Mar 2003 at 12:16, Larry Weil wrote:

> So, someone in his position has to give up his rights to voice an
> opinion based on real, front-line observations?  So, let's just get to
> hear the opinions of all the armchair warriors and pundits safely at
> home.

Reporters sometimes get asked for analysis from their parent news 
organizations.  But they're supposed to be as objective as possible in 
their reporting, and it doesn't help their credibility when everyone 
knows what they're thinking.  Suppose Peter Arnett had kept his job and 
his assignment in the war.  Would you be able to listen to a story that 
was critical of the US forces in the same way as before?  Of course not.  
Or, if a reporter who praises the President at every turn reports on 
strong coalition success, is that as credible as it can be? 

It's the same withh local radio.  I've never been a fan of Gary LaPierre's 
opinionated commentaries on WBZ.  I'd much rather hear him report 
the stories and let me make up my own mind.  Sure, Paul Harvey gets 
away with it but his "newscasts" are personality-oriented features, not 
top-of-the-hour news reports.   I think Gary loses journalistic credibility 
by speaking his mind on the politics of the day.

Mark