Under the Newscap

As any other person in a business, thoughts are somewhat controlled by our surroundings. After all, that’s what we are paying attention to. That’s what we see and take in. For today, I find my thoughts drift to a recent government meeting. Vague enough?

This meeting made me realize something as I sat there. I took my notes and thought towards the issues at hand and how to report the actions. I kept thinking about going forward to speak my thoughts on the issue, but as a journalist, you don’t really do that much. It does occasionally happen, more with some people sure but that’s irrelevant. The idea bothered me that as a journalist, I find myself observing more than participating so that I can bring information to readers.

I hesitate to use a word like sacrifice, but most good journalists tend to forego the participation of anything they become professionally a part of. We are the Watchers. The best ones can completely separate their own thoughts from hard fact and consequences. In fact, we get somewhat blacklisted if we show too much bias.

What a taboo word for us, though. Bias. It leaves a bitter taste on my tongue as it slides out. The culture today is so charged, and I’m not just talking politics or current events. To be truthful, I hate politics. But I look to viewers, readers, respondents, people ask what network you get your news from and stand with baited breath to eschew judgment on your answer. Why? Well, they are the left news, they’re the right news, libertarian, republican, TEA Party?

It seems people want to say they want unbiased news, but in public secrecy, they flip their channels to their party’s network. “What hypocrisy” is the thought that comes to mind as I look down to climb atop a soapbox before I trip and fall on my face.

Is there such a thing as an unbiased news network, sure maybe one or two that quickly close their doors because “just the facts” is boring. Who wants to read a basic list of topics, choices, consequences. Maybe I should write that way and market it as a cure for insomnia.

Truth is we laud a banner claiming the title of “Journalists.” People, we’re writers. It’s what we are and even we get bored with what we write if it’s not interesting. So, what’s the answer? Where do we go from here? How do I choose which network to get my news from?

I can’t do everything for you. I’m a writer, it’s in my job description to leave you pondering questions.