On 28 April, Time Magazine stirred up controversy with its "How to win the war on Global Warming" cover. This controversy is exactly the kind of thing that causes me to question the foundation of modern journalism.
See, my problem is not with the cover per se, but with the characterization by some that Time was ever an unbiased news organization. It is clear that the writers and editors at Time think that Global Warming is real and is a threat, in spite of the fact that Global Warming is far from settled science reportable as fact.
If Time was following the self-proclaimed rules of modern journalism, then the cover in question would have never been necessary because Time would have been reporting a neutral exposition on the differing opinions on global climate change, its causes, and its solutions. There would have been no reason for a journalistic magazine to issue a call to action for a cause of questionable merit. Instead, they would have reported the facts and let the readers decide.
What this controversy shows to me is that Time has revealed the truth about its journalism in a way that few other publications have dared. Time is biased. Time is not neutral. Time is reporting the news from its own perspective, and it does so in this case with passion.
What this controversy shows to me is the true face of journalism with its attempts to obfuscate scrubbed away. The reason that so many people reject modern journalism is because it is biased and tries to pretend not to be. People may not agree with the Time cover or article, but at least it is honest and genuine. No one has to wonder where Time's writers and editors stand.
If more journalism was done the way Time decided to do this article, then perhaps people would not feel like they are being lied to. Certainly, such a change creates a new kind of journalism, but is it a change for the worse?
About Me
- Dennis L Hitzeman
- I am a self-employed writer, artist, technologist, and perpetual college student with a strong desire to write in whatever form someone will pay me for.
1 comment:
Time's title is certainly biased, but it reflects a superstition that the entire world has swallowed. I like how the word "THEORY" has conveniently been dropped out of the Global Warming Theory. Now everyone from Time to President Bush to Wal-Mart commercials refer to it as Global Warming as if it is hard cold scientific fact. The fact that the entire scientific community is in hysterics over a few degrees change of temp will be laughable one day.
But I don't know that it is journalism per se that is corrupt. I don't think that very many journalists realize how biased they are. They are just as duped as the rest of the world. You have to look deeper into the issue. Who really controls things? Who influences the media? Politicians. So what do politicians have to gain from a global warming scam? Why do they care so much about global warming? Well it's all about control. Tax businesses extra for not being "earth friendly." Tax cattle ranchers because when a cow farts, it hurts the environment. (True story, somewhere in Europe.) Anyway, it all goes back to motive.
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