Gareth Jones And Lou Dobbs Are They Journalists ?
In this era of fractured journalism, there is a resurgence of the pamphleteers. Is this good or bad for democracy? In a interview with Joel Kramer, founder of MinnPost we discuss this topic Is a pamphleteer a journalist?
This issue is top of mind for me because of two stories in the news about journalists, the first about 
Lou Dobbs leaving CNN. Dobbs was once the stoic anchorman of Moneyline, a bastion of capitalistic news and analysis. In the last several years Dobbs became a middle age populist, an advocate journalist. His show became a cause driven program on immigration reform, opposition to both Bush and Obama administrations’ economic policy, and other issues about which Dobbs took a stand.
Jon Klein, president of CNN news said of Dobbs departure yesterday, “He pursued some of the most important and complex stories of our time… and with characteristic forthrightness has decided to carry the banner of advocacy journalism elsewhere.”
The question – do advocacy journalists report the salient facts across an issue or is their objective to obtain policy or behavior change?
Ukraine Famine Casualty of Advocacy Journalism?
The other story about journalists is one I’m sure less of the readers of the Marketing Edge blog are familiar with compared to Dobbs. His name is Gareth Jones whom I learned about last night. 
USA Today did a piece on Gareth Jones who is best known for his chronicles of the forced famine in Ukraine by Russian dictator Josef Stalin in 1933 and 1934. Jones had a reputation as a solid journalist among is contemporaries in the 1920s and 30s.
He went to Ukraine against the wishes of the Soviet regime and at considerable personal risk, to see first hand the reports of famine in the country. He wrote about the export of millions of tons of grain to the west by the Communist Party, leaving Ukrainians with little food. The Soviet authorities used the funds to build its military, as estimated millions died of starvation in the Ukraine countryside.
This story caught my eye because I spent time in Ukraine after the fall of the Soviet Union giving presentations about political communications in the United States where there is a free press. I worked as a journalist and as a press secretary in several government positions in the 1980s. I was selected to share my experience on both sides of the news/information equation with individuals who were thrust into a new world order as Ukraine broke away from the former Soviet Union.
Many of Jones’ journalist peers dismissed his reports. As the USA Today article explains, at the time there were many journalists sympathetic to the communist system who disputed Jones’ reports and helped destroy his reputation. One Pulitzer prize winning writer of the day, Walter Duranty of the New York Times described Jones’ articles as a “scare story”. The writings of Gareth Jones are on display at Trinity College in Cambridge, England through mid-December.
The reality is that every journalist has a lens of perspective through which they choose to report. The ideal is an objective reporting of issues. Even though the writer may have an opinion, those beliefs and hypothesis should be submitted to the writer’s own critical examination of the facts as they experience them. Jones meets the criteria of a higher standard in my opinion.
Tags: advocacy journalism, CNN, Gareth Jones, journalism, Liberal media, Lou Dobbs, PR
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November 13th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Sad story about the Ukraine forced famine, and the destroying of the reputation of the reporter who wanted to help get the word out. Seems every day I find another reason to dislike the media.
It makes me wonder if say “I” wanted to be a better reporter, should I disclose my personal feelings the way I would advertisers or gifts? Or should I keep my biases to myself and make an effort to not let them come out and go out of my way to make the other side not look to bad.
November 15th, 2009 at 7:31 am
Honesty is more important than objectivity.
That means a journalist should be honest with his or her audience by, in some way, disclosing a bias if there is one. That might be as simple as “I’m writing this piece for Rolling Stone magazine, and everyone knows the political slant of this publication,” or it might take the form of “Though I’d likely be reporting this story anyway, I feel compelled to disclose that my daughter is on the board of directors of this organization…”
But honesty also means being honest with yourself, as a journalist. Putting the story before your shtick. Not spouting off rhetoric you know to be full of garbage simply because it fits “the mold.”
Though I understand and appreciate the role of objectivity when applied appropriately, I’d argue that there’s just as much dishonesty in some folks’ facade of “objectivity” as there is in others’ failed approaches to advocacy journalism.
November 15th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
While I don’t care for Dobbs or his methods, the expression of diverse viewpoints is, generally, a benefit to public discourse.
My primary regret, however, is that critical thinking as a skill is undernourished in our culture. As a result, many Americans can’t distinguish between Dobbs’s commentaries and more objective reporting (such that exists, in principle, anyway).
Another problem is the inability of many Americans to tolerate news and views from a diverse range of sources and perspectives. Too often, we gravitate to the “news” program that most closely aligns with our own political beliefs, which I feel does a disservice to discourse and democracy.
Americans are highly susceptible to influence (conscious AND subconscious), but less responsive to influences that might compel us to change direction. Inertia trumps reason.
Could we live without Dobbs? Yeah. Would we be better off without him? Probably not, but I wouldn’t mind a clearer disclaimer that his agendas are his alone. Too many Americans can’t tell you the difference between fact, opinion, and fact as observed through a lens.
November 15th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Michael, I agree, honesty is more important than objectivity. If someone says they are a die hard advocate for a certain side and their reporting is objective I have greater respect. If however they are not objective without sharing their intent, that’s messing with trust.
November 15th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Scott, great comments. In many ways I’m hoping that more engagement online will provide multiple sides. Not sure however,that they way information is segmented it is turning out that way. Perhaps the solution to that is in search, a specific search engine that will pull all news items on a specific topic and segment for or against or neutral for topics.
Ok maybe that’s not such a great idea, but I took a swing.
We both agree however, it is too easy to stay in your ideological comfort zone. Also it’s is almost like news is setting up sides. It’s as if those who want to learn about the other perspective are defecting. That’s not cool, thanks for commenting.
November 15th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Kilo – I went to Ukraine and it has had some many sad moments. Chernobyl being another scar on the country. However, they have some interesting crossroads, Odessa is on the Black Sea and is a mix of Slavic, European, and Mideastern as it sits across from Turkey.
On the reporting question. I’d say if you play the writing straight I’m not sure I need to know if you are leaning one way or another. I think you mentioned something that could also be a risk which is trying to compensate for your beliefs. That might not give me a straight story as well. Thanks for commenting
November 16th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Minnesota Monday – Communications Bloggers Posts From Last Week…
Interesting posts from Minnesota communications bloggers for the week ending 11/15/09.
……
November 16th, 2009 at 9:36 am
@Albert Your point about “news” channels setting sides is an important one. It’s hard to say who fired the first shot, but Fox News and the Glenn Becks and Bill O’Reillys of the world have definitely mastered the formula.
Sometimes I fear we marketers have destroyed the news. We’ve responded to the competition for share of attention by turning news into dramatic theatre. Left, right, doesn’t matter…it’s like choosing between the Amazing One-Eyed Man and the Half-Woman, Half-Snake Lady.
I’m a cynic today. Must be Monday.