Ask ElsaBy Elsa McDowell (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Saturday, June 28, 2008
 Award Q: Saturday's paper reported that John H. Truluck Jr. "won" the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Distinguished Service Cross. One does not "win" the DFC or any other medal other than marksmanship. The medal is awarded. Thanks. Henry, peninsula. A: The same rule applies for the Medal of Honor. Puff piece Q: I'm surprised and disappointed that The Post and Courier published a one-sided puff piece about Barack Obama's achievements in the Illinois state Senate. It read like an editorial. A: The wire story was published Thursday. "Obama showed diplomacy works; Record points to ability to compromise" might have better been labeled "analysis." As a straight news story, it missed in a couple of ways. It did not explain the context of some of the information. --It describes Obama's experience in the Illinois state Senate, but it does not say that his experience has been an issue during the presidential campaign. --It reports that two GOP senators thanked him for helping on a welfare bill, but it does not say why thank yous from two individuals were significant. --It quotes one former Republican state senator saying Obama reached across the aisle, but it does not quote anyone who might offer some balance to the picture. The reporter also offers his own interpretation of Obama's record as "suggesting someone who believes strongly that government can make life better for people." The information that was reported about Obama's record is helpful. It would have benefited from different packaging. Elsa McDowell, public editor, welcomes questions or comments about the paper's news coverage. Call 937-5626 or e-mail her at askelsa@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 1 comment(s)
Posted by STREETLAW on July 2, 2008 at 12:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Obviously the report about Obama was biased and the answer confirms that. What is not answered is why there seems to be no one awake in the fair play department at the Post and Courier who would stop this from being printed to begin with? Is the newspaper in some way compelled to publish such propaganda as news?
Lydon Johnson once said "if I've lost Walter Cronkite I've lost middle America." I wonder if by the same token middle America has lost the media can democracy be far behind?